Insidious : Chapter 3 just might be the perfect horror film for Indian audiences. Written and directed by Leigh Whannel,Chapter 3 is a prequel to the first two films of the franchise. Set before the Lambert haunting, it follows the tale of yet another demonic possession of a young person by demon from the Further.
This story follows the Brenner family and reveals the medium, Elise’s association with the technically savvy ghostbusters Tucker and Specs.
It starts off with a Quinn Brenner appearing at the door of the recently retired, Elise hoping that she could help her make contact with her late mother, who died of cancer.
The medium dissuades Quinn from trying to contact the dead on her own. She tells her, “Do not do this yourself. If you call out to one of the dead, all of them can hear you”.
Quinn returns home disappointed and still believes that “someone wants to talk to her, who is not here anymore”. So, she attempts connecting to her mother on her own.
It is during her audition that she sees a figure waving out at her that distracts her focus. It’s obvious that she fails the audition. And later, while she is walking on the road towards her friend’s car, she is again distracted by this figure and this distraction leads to an accident that leaves her wheelchair bound with fractured legs.
It is while she is recuperating in her apartment that she experiences paranormal activities around her. Her father Sean becomes alarmed by the extent of these paranormal activities that is causing his daughter harm.
The treatment of this film is more of an atmospheric horror drama than a straight up horror film. The pace is relaxed and slow, it builds its momentum gradually. The film picks up steam once Elise finally returns from her psychic retirement. She enters the realms of the other plane, “The Further,” to save Quinn.
With a well-defined script, the performance of every actor is realistic.This results in their performance lacking in the requisite emotional impact, thereby rendering the output as a mere flimsy act. The cinematography, sound effects as well as the production quality of the film are good and not at all disappointing. The cluttered apartment, the creepy building and the eerie lighting, enhances the horror quotient. It adds to the viewing experience. It is the few but effectively well-timed jump scares that can rattle you mildly.Suspense is in the air.Shadows linger at the edges of the screens.