Insidious is cliche but capable, mixing horror tropes with minor twists. The protagonist has some conflict avoidance development, yet that's the only trait given to any character. There's blunt dialogue, convenient exposition, an underwhelming climax, a hollow conclusion, and inconsistencies for shallow scares. Still, it has decent lore, foreshadowing, and buildup. The actors make the most of their one-note roles with adequate chemistry, distress, and range (though their resolution beats are tame). Insidious constructs tension slowly before ramping up, but its lack of originality, emotion, or substance lets down that promising start. Ultimately, it's suspense for suspense's sake.
Technically, Insidious is sturdy. Its direction uses choreography, timing, and restraint for successful set pieces. The effects are mostly tangible with makeup, stunts, and minimal CGI. Its sound has cheap stings but adds split cuts, emphasis, risers, smash cuts, layers, distortion, and silence. The imagery utilizes movement, lighting, desaturation, depth, angles, oners, and framing. Its editing offers strong pacing, cross cuts, dissolves, inserts, jump cuts, and montages. The music is unsettling and juxtaposing, yet also try-hard at times. Its production design has an elaborate finale but remains pretty generic. The cast lacks star power. Overall, Insidious exemplifies cheap thrills.
Writing: 3/10
Direction: 8/10
Cinematography: 8/10
Acting: 6/10
Editing: 7/10
Sound: 8/10
Score/Soundtrack: 6/10
Production Design: 6/10
Casting: 6/10
Effects: 7/10
Overall Score: 6.5/10
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