Screen Gems, Stage 6 Films and Blumhouse Productions’ Insidious: The Red Door (dubbed from the Hollywood film of the same name; A) is a horror drama. It is a sequel to Insidious (2010) and Insidious: Chapter 2 (2013) and the fifth instalment in the Insidious franchise.
It is set ten years after the events of the second film. Josh Lambert (Patrick Wilson) goes to drop son Dalton (Ty Simpkins) to an ivy-league university. However, Dalton’s repressed demons of the past return to haunt him. Father Josh faces the same situation. His past demons also won’t leave him. In other words, both, father and son, travel to The Further and suffer so much that the only way out is for both of them to put the demons to rest once and for all. That’s the only chance that the haunting will end. But will Josh and Dalton Lambert be able to bury their traumatic pasts?
Leigh Whannell and Scott Teems have written a story that is truly horror-filled. Scott Teems’ screenplay is chilling and also novel as two persons get transported to the past and they both are related to each other. What’s more, the past demons of both relate to the same incidents. Although the horror quotient also has an emotional angle to it because it involves a father and son, the writer has not been able to exploit the emotional side as much as he should have. It is because of this that the audience does not get emotionally invested in the drama. The horror scenes are scary and send chills down the viewers’ spines.
Ty Simpkins does a fairly good job as Dalton Lambert. Patrick Wilson is quite nice as Josh Lambert. Sinclair Daniel is very natural as Chris. Rose Byrne lends lovely support in the role of Renai Lambert. Andrew Astor is okay as Foster Lambert. Hiam Abbass suits the character of Professor Armagan. Lin Shaye has her moments as Elise Rainier. Juliana Davies (as Kali Lambert), Steve Coulter (as Carl), Peter Dager (as Nick the Dick), Joseph Bishara (as the lipstick demon), Stephen Gray (as the sick kid), and the others provide reasonable support.
Patrick Wilson’s direction is quite nice. Joseph Bishara’s background music is decent. Autumn Eakin’s cinematography is very good. Adam Reamer’s production designing and Abraham Chan’s art direction are appropriate. Editing is quite sharp. Dubbing is good.
On the whole, Insidious: The Red Door is quite a novel horror film with a good dose of thrills and chills. If, in spite of this, it still doesn’t do the numbers, it will be because of the absence of star names in the cast and minimal promotion and, therefore, lack of awareness about its release.
Released on 5-7-’23 at Movie Time Goregaon (1 show) and some cinemas and on 6-7-’23 at Gemini (daily 3 shows) and other cinemas of Bombay by Sony Pictures Films India Pvt. Ltd. Publicity: ordinary. Opening: dull. …….Also released all over.