Director: John Woo
Starring: Joel Kinnaman, Scott Mescudi, Harold Torres, Catalina Sandino Moreno
Certificate: 15
Run Time: 104 mins

Silent Night is an action thriller by John Woo, his first English language film since 2003’s negatively received Paycheck. Brian Godluck (Joel Kinnaman) is an electrician, who lives with his wife, Saya (Catalina Sandino Moreno) and young son Taylor Michael. On Christmas Eve 2021, while Brian is playing in the garden with his son, Taylor Michael is killed when he is caught in the crossfire of a drive-by shooting by a local cartel. Brian pursues the gang but is shot in the neck, with his vocal cords severely damaged. He luckily survives and once he’s out of hospital, decides to enact his revenge by  training himself up physically and setting a target date of the following Christmas Eve for all the gang members to be dead. It’s a pretty straightforward plot but key to the film standing out is the fact there is next-to-no-dialogue. 

For the most part, Silent Night is a return to form for Woo with a trio of giddy action sequences. Two car chases are particularly vividly shot, especially the opening one where we see both the chase itself overhead and from the perspective of a character running towards the cars from an alley. There’s also a terrific stairwell sequence that’s meant to feel as if it’s one take. 

The story is pretty simplistic and Woo isn’t known for his subtlety – the film feels overly schmaltzy at times and cutting this out would have resulted in an even leaner film. The lack of dialogue mostly works well, although there are scenarios the characters fin themselves in, such as a meeting at a police station, where two people clearly need to communicate with words. I think the film would have packed more of a punch with a limited script rather than with virtually no spoken words. 

As for the performances, Joel Kinnaman can be quite a wooden actor but strip him of dialogue and he does an excellent job. Catalina Sandino Moreno, who was famously Oscar-nominated for her leading role in Maria Full of Grace stands out as Brian’s wife, Saya, and beautifully conveys her empathy to her husband and her heartbreak at the loss of her son. 

Given the lack of dialogue, there’s greater pressure for Marco Beltrami’s score to deliver and boy, does it. Beltrami crafts several memorable themes and conveys the grief of the traumatic incident and the energy of the kinetic action sequences brilliantly. 

Although overly sentimental in its tone, Silent Night is mostly a blast throughout. Woo reminds us he can deliver balls-to-the-wall action and while the action doesn’t top John Wick: Chapter 4 earlier this year, it’s a significant step above the average action thriller. I’ve got a feeling this could be an enduring Christmas film as time passes and I’m excited to see what Woo does next. 

⭐⭐⭐⭐ (Excellent)

Director: James Wan
Starring: Jason Momoa, Patrick Wilson, Amber Heard, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, Randall Park, Dolph Lundgren, Temuera Morrison, Martin Short, Nicole Kidman 
Certificate: 12A
Run Time: 124 mins

Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom is the final entry in the DCEU before it’s reimagined under James Gunn’s leadership and has had quite the tumultuous production. At the centre of these problems were the abuse allegations between Johnny Depp and Amber Heard, Heard’s inclusion in the film generating a great deal of controversy. Throw in bad test screenings, extensive reshoots, an ever-changing release date and the shut-down of the DCEU and you have a perfect storm. 

Horror maestro James Wan returns in the director’s chair, with this sequel picking up four years after the events of Aquaman. Although ramshackle, Aquaman was plenty of fun with its campy tone and arresting visuals, ultimately becoming the highest grossing DCEU film. How unfortunate that this sequel is being unceremoniously dumped with next-to-no-marketing. 

According to Wan, Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom is inspired by the works of animator Ray Harryhausen and the horror films of the 1960s while mixing in buddy comedy elements. The film opens with Arthur Curry (Jason Momoa) splitting life between land and sea and caring for his newly born son, Arthur Jr. David Kane (Yahya Abdul-Mateen II), better known as Black Manta, the secondary villain in the first film, continues to seek revenge against Arthur for his father’s death and finds a black trident that possesses him. Once Manta launches havoc on Atlantis five months after becoming possessed, Arthur decides to break his half-brother Orm (Patrick Wilson), the main antagonist of the first film, out of prison to locate Manta. 

Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom is by and large, very much cut from the same cloth as the original only without some of the finesse, likely due to the evolving DCEU situation. It’s very entertaining and visually interesting – Devil’s Deep, a volcano island lots of the second act takes place in is particularly nicely realised and there’s an excellent early heist and ensuing chase that can only have been created by Wan with his horror tinge. You can tell it’s a film that was meant to be bigger than it is and it does feel like some scenes have been cut down and storylines reduced. This sequel is twenty minutes shorter than its predecessor and the film runs at a brisk pace, never really taking the time to breathe. 

The cast are all clearly having fun. Jason Momoa essentially plays himself and Wan-regular Patrick Wilson fares much better this time round. His villain was a little disappointing in the original due to a lack of character development but Wan puts a much greater focus on him to great effect and both Momoa and Wilson share an excellent bromance chemistry. Yahya Abdul Mateen II makes for a sinister, if slightly cartoonish villain and Randall Park is another bright spot as Dr Stephen Shin.

Rupert Gregson-Williams is on scoring duties again, largely revisiting themes from the first film which is a sensible move. The film’s lusciously shot by Don Burgess, an inverted establishing shot in a grand hall a particular standout.  

Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom is an entertaining, if slightly throwaway ending to the DCEU. If you enjoyed Aquaman, you’ll likely enjoy this sequel because the tone is almost identical. It’s a shame the film isn’t quite as ambitious as it likely was originally, given the DCEU’s evolving situation and it’s also disappointing we likely won’t see these characters again in this permutation. Still, Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom is a slightly above average comic-book film and is undeserving of its dismal reviews. 

⭐⭐⭐ (Good)

Director: Bradley Cooper
Starring: Carey Mulligan, Bradley Cooper, Matt Bomer, Vincenzo Amato
Certificate: 15
Run Time: 129 mins

Maestro is the sophomore writer-director effort by actor Bradley Cooper, after A Star Is Born (2018) which earned7 lots of awards love. Conversely, I didn’t think his remake was up to much, despite Lady Gaga’s committed performance. Cooper moves to Netflix for Maestro, a biopic about composer Leonard Bernstein covering his conducting debut at the New York Philharmonic in 1943 to 1987, nine years after the death of his wife, Felicia Montealegre. The film was originally meant to be directed by Martin Scorsese but he opted to work on The Irishman instead, allowing Cooper to board the film. Scorsese remains in a producing capacity, as does Steven Spielberg who also considered directing the film at one point. 

Every year, there is at least one (if not multiple) undeserving Awards films and for 2024, that honour goes to Maestro. Bradley Cooper is so infatuated with himself, so hungry for Awards success that he doesn’t tell anything meaningful about Bernstein at all. The film is completely inert of energy and a real chore to sit through for its extended 129 minute run time. 

While Cooper may look like Bernstein with a fake schnozz and wrinkles, he’s just playing himself. Even Carey Mulligan, who generally shines in everything she’s in, fails to make much of an impression as Felicia Montealegre, because the film doesn’t dig into the psyche of her character at all. Rather miserably, the only scene I felt anything for her character is when she is diagnosed with cancer. The chemistry between Cooper and Mulligan is non-existent 

The decision to race through the composer’s first 15 years in 45 minutes and then stay fixated on a shorter period throughout the rest of the film is an odd decision. Cooper isn’t sure what the focus of the film should be, veering between Bernstein’s early conducting success, his relationship with Felicia and his debauchery and the result is a film that feels superficial. One can learn more about Bernstein from his Wikipedia page than from Maestro. 

Even Matthew Libatique, Darren Aronofsky’s preferred cinematographer, fails to inject his signature personality into the film. This is despite the stylistic use of black-and-white and a classical Hollywood 4:3 aspect ratio used in Bernstein’s early years which then switches to widescreen and colour. 

Maestro is a disappointing failure that fails to meaningfully explore Bernstein’s career and Cooper’s direction and performance comes across as smug and desperate for Awards success. Luckily, with Oppenheimer and Killers of the Flower Moon likely looking set to dominate, I’m hopeful Maestro won’t win anything but it’s a shame a film as desperate as this will almost certainly still receive undeserved recognition. 

⭐ (Terrible)

Director: Sam Esmail
Starring: Julia Roberts, Mahershala Ali, Ethan Hawke, Myha’la, Kevin Bacon
Certificate: 15
Run Time: 141 mins

Leave The World Behind is a post-apocalyptic thriller written and directed by Sam Esmail, most notable for creating the TV series Mr Robot. It is an adaptation of the 2020 novel of the same name by Rumaan Alam, which opens with Amanda Sandford (Julia Roberts) waking up one day and deciding to take her family (husband Clay and children Rose and Archie) on a spontaneous Long Island holiday. After a trip to the beach where an oil tanker runs ashore, they notice there is no WiFi or television signal when they return to their rental home. Later in the night, George H. Scott (Mahershala Ali) and is daughter Ruth (Myha’la) show up at the house, claiming to be the owners and that they have fled a blackout in the city. Amanda and Clay (Ethan Hawke) debate, at nauseum, whether they trust George’s alibi and are willing to accept them into their home, despite George’s offer to make things right financially for the unusual disturbance.  

Leave The World Behind is an utter car crash of a film – an overlong slog with an ear-scraping script, unlikeable characters and terrible performances. It makes M. Night Shyamalan’s The Happening appear a masterpiece. The dreadful script makes itself known in the very first scene where Amanda justifies her decision to take her family on holiday through her narrow-minded view of humanity and doesn’t let up throughout the film. Characters talk unnaturally, engaging in inconsequential, insufferable monologues and the film is full-to-the-brim with pointless exposition.

Julia Roberts has a pretty spotty track record and her character is insufferable and entitled. While perhaps that means Roberts does a good job of depicting a despicable character, the poor dialogue she is saddled with means she can’t be taken seriously. I’ll watch Ethan Hawke in anything Sinister, Boyhood, First Reformed and The Black Phone but even he’s terrible in this – Clay is just a nonsensical individual. Amanda and Clay’s two children, Rose and Archie (Farrah Mackenzie and Charlie Evans) are also insufferable and while Rose is clearly meant to represent the innocent figure, she’s already well on a non-returnable path to loathsomeness. The always-reliable Mahershala Ali also isn’t given a lot to work with as the homeowner and Myha’la’ angsty teenager is a just a know-it-all brat. The only actor who comes out of the film with his reputation relatively unscathed is Kevin Bacon, who satisfies the brief of playing an untrusting survivalist.

While a collection of contemptible characters isn’t automatically reason to dismiss a film, the unsubtle and showy storytelling is. There is no tension at all to any of the scenarios the characters are put through and the attempts at horror aren’t effective, thanks to obvious CGI or green screen. A sequence with a flamboyance of flamingos is particularly laughable and although Tod Campbell may regard his cinematography as edgy with events framed in disorienting angles to try and mask the horrible script is just distracting. This is in combination with Mac Quayle’s annoyingly erratic score, with the soul and rap choices particulary ill-fitting.

Leave The World Behind is one of the worst filmic experiences I’ve been subjected to in quite some time and is a complete and utter failure. There are no stakes whatsoever and with the exception of Kevin Bacon, the cast are uniformly terrible. The film is obviously trying to analyse and form an opinion on modern culture, with examples such as the rise of driverless cars and the demise of physical media, as well as the themes of race, class and identity. But the film faulters because it’s either overly explicit or not explicit enough in its meaning and the result is a miserable experience with no satisfying conclusion. I genuinely don’t understand the positive critical reception Leave The World Behind has received and I’d highly recommend avoiding this turgid and tediously-paced work at all costs.

⭐ (Terrible)

Director: Paul King
Starring: Timothée Chalamet, Calah Lane, Keegan-Michael Key, Paterson Joseph, Matt Lucas, Matthew Baynton, Sally Hawkins, Rowan Atkinson, Jim Carter, Tom Davis, Olivia Colman, Hugh Grant
Certificate: PG
Run Time: 116 mins

Wonka is a prequel to Roald Dahl’s Charlie and the Chocolate Factory novel, telling the chocolatier’s origin story. There have already been two excellent adaptations of Dahl’s novel – Mel Stuart’s 1973 Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory with a scene-stealing turn by Gene Wilder in the lead role and Tim Burton’s more faithful but equally dark 2005 adaptation starring Johnny Depp. While the thought of an origin story may seem like a cynical cash grab (and goes against Dahl’s wishes), it’s written and directed by Paul King, who struck gold with his Paddington films. While I found Paddington overrated, Paddington 2 represents the gold standard of sequels with its infectious energy. 

Timothée Chalamet has big boots to fill in place of Wilder and Depp, and Wonka opens with the young chocolatier arriving at an unnamed European city that feels like a hybrid between Dickensian London and upmarket Paris. He’s hoping to fulfil his dream by opening a chocolate shop at the Galeries Gourmet. However, the Galeries’ main chocolatiers Slugworth, Prodnose and Fickelgruber (Paterson Joseph, Matt Lucas and Matthew Baynton) have a monopoly over the city. Dubbed the ‘Chocolate Cartel’, they even control the Chief-of-Police (Keegan-Michael Key) and their large reserve of chocolate is stashed underneath a parish, run by the corrupt Father Julius (Rowan Atkinson) and his ‘chocoholic’ monks. Wonka also has his own problems to contend with, when he is banished to work 10,000 days performing laundry to repay his debt at a hotel he stays at, run by Mrs Scrubbit (Olivia Colman) and her henchman Bleacher (Tom Davis). There are five other captors who have fallen foul to Scrubbit’s con and Wonka hatches a plan to sell enough chocolate to free them all. 

I went into Wonka with low expectations and while I didn’t come out a changed individual, it’s much better than expected. The film has King’s stamp through and through and while there’s some laughs to be had, it’s combined with a decent story with a lot of heart. While there are some dark undertones to the story, it doesn’t really feel one of Roald Dahl’s creations – there are no Dahlian lessons for children about the consequences of bad behaviour, for instance. 

Chalamet is solid as the titular character and while he doesn’t amaze in the musical numbers, he’s more than good enough but he’s no Wilder or Depp. His Wonka lacks the terrifying element of either of his predecessors but that is partly a limitation of the film’s story. Chalamet’s decision to lead a kids film is also a shrewd move, given his more brooding adult fare with films such as Dune, Bones And All and Call Me By Your Name.

Wonka’s greatest asset are the performances all round. The Boggis, Bunce and Bean-like villains trio are all excellent (there’s a particularly funny gag with Baynton’s Fickelgruber who resents the poor). Paterson Joseph is particularly sinister as Slugworth and although he’s had a long career, I hope his propels him into the limelight. Atkinson is also excellent as the clergyman, albeit underused and Jim Carter is a highlight as Abacus Crunch, who was previously an accountant for the villains. After his terrific turn as the antagonist in Paddington 2, Hugh Grant steals the show as the Oompa Loompa, who is given an entertaining story and gets to revive the 1971 film’s original tune. 

Like the 1973 film (although Tim Burton’s remake also includes some songs), King’s film is a musical. Although there are more musical numbers than the original, King gets the balance of song to story right and although Neil Hannon is no Candyman with the quality of the songs – they’re just not as memorable as any of the creations of Leslie Bricusse or Anthony Newley (although he reprises Oompa Loompa and Pure Imagination) – they’re good enough. A duet between Chalamet and newcomer Calah Lane, who plays Noodle who becomes Wonka’s assistant, is the highlight and helps to really furthers their relationship. Joby Talbot’s supporting original score fares well and also respectfully reprises notes from the original. 

Wonka also looks gorgeous with its eye-popping production design, although its cinematography by Chung-hoon Chung, one of director Park Chan-Wook’s key collaborators, feels uncharacteristic of him considering his back catalogue, lacking a surreal edge. This would have lent well here, considering many of the characters have dreams they’re looking to fulfil. 

Wonka is ultimately a surprising success for what seemed like a misjudged prequel and I admired King’s kind-hearted and amiable tone. Although it occasionally feels a little like a Christmas pantomime with its low stakes and musical numbers, there’s some good chuckles to be had and the sumptuous, sugar-rush production design is worth experiencing in the cinema. I don’t think Roald Dahl would have appreciated it (although he was a tough critic of many adaptations of his literary works) and it feels more Dickensian than Dahl with its workhouse elements and conniving characters. However, as a piece of candy, Wonka more than does the job even if it doesn’t reach the sugary heights of the other adaptations). I’d certainly be game for a sequel that explores how Wonka morphs into the darker character we meet in Dahl’s novel but it wouldn’t feel fitting of King’s directorial style – still one can hope. 

⭐⭐⭐ (Good)

Director: James Mangold
Starring: Harrison Ford, Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Antonio Banderas, John Rhys-Davies, Toby Jones, Boyd Holbrook, Ethann Isidore, Shaunette Renée Wilson, Mads Mikkelsen
Certificate: 12A
Run Time: 154 mins

Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny is the long-awaited fifth instalment of the swashbuckling series, despite many assuming the underrated Kingdom of the Crystal Skull represented Harrison Ford’s swansong. How wrong they were, as Ford is once again front and centre of the action at age 80. Dial of Destiny is the the first time Steven Spielberg isn’t in the director’s chair with James Mangold stepping up to the challenge. Mangold is more than up to the task as he is no stranger to concluding chapters – just take a look at the excellent Logan, a grim and fitting closing chapter that framed the X-Men frontman as a relic of the past. 

Dial of Destiny is set in 1969, 12 years after the events of Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. An elderly Jones retires from his teaching role, only to be shortly visited by his goddaughter Helena (Phoebe Waller-Bridge), who also happens to be an archaeologist. She hopes to find the titular dial built by the ancient Syracusan mathematician Archimedes, which Jones happens to have half of. The pursuit of the dial drove Helena’s father Basil (Toby Jones) mad, who we meet in the film’s opening 25 minute prologue set in 1944 alongside a de-aged Indy where they first lay eyes on the dial. 

If both halves of the dial are combined, it can allow for possible time travel. However, astrophysicist (and former Nazi) Jürgen Voller (Mads Mikkelsen) is also after the dial so he can time travel to 1939 to assassinate Adolf Hitler and lead Germany to World War II victory. 

Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny is a disappointing finale on a number of levels. It’s overlong, the visual effects are unconvincing and it’s the first film in the series to lack a sense of fun in its action sequences. James Mangold clearly has a vision as his depiction of Jones immediately after the prologue shares parallels with Logan, a drunk and miserable shadow of his former self with his head stuck in the past. I suspect Disney didn’t want to take a risk and watered down Mangold’s treatment. 

It’s a film that clings onto nostalgia and visually, certainly intends to be in keeping with its predecessors. However, considering the film has a mammoth $300 million budget, the visual effects are surprisingly ropey. There’s an overreliance on CGI throughout and the de-aging of Harrison Ford in the prologue is largely unconvincing. While Ford looks younger, the way the character talks and moves is like an old man. The prologue’s action sequences feel formulaic, is dimly lit and lacks any spark in its action, content to just go through the motions. While Mangold-regular Phedon Papamichael’s cinematography is admirable in later set-pieces, they too lack the energy of previous installments.

The film could have really benefitted losing half an hour and it would have really tightened everything up. It’s a whole twenty five minutes than the previous longest entry Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, and its story doesn’t warrant the extra length.

Harrison Ford turns in a committed performance but he expectedly lacks the physicality given his age. The way in which Jones constantly gets himself out of perilous situations feels too neat. To be honest, Ford’s performance in this, Star Wars: The Force Awakens and Blade Runner 2049 are all pretty interchangeable. 

Phoebe Waller-Bridge joins the cast as Helena and while she’s tolerable, she just doesn’t share a palpable chemistry with Indy. Mads Mikkelsen makes for an excellent villain and receives a decent amount of development and if he were in a better film, he’d be a real highlight. 

However, much of the rest of the star-studded cast are squandered. The two biggest casualties are Antonio Banderas and John Rhys-Davies. Banderas fails to make an impression as Reinaldo, a frogman with more of a glorified cameo and Davies is underused. Logan villain Boyd Holbrook plays Mikkelsen’s henchman but doesn’t receive much development. Shaunette Renee Wilson and Toby Jones are two of the film’s bright spots and give it their all with characters that don’t have much meat to the bone.

John Williams returns on scoring duties and it’s largely successful and he even introduces a couple of new themes, a piano-based riff in an early chase sequence makes a strong impression. 

Overall, Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny is a disappointing finale to the series. It’s lacking in stakes, as well as the Spielberg magic that made his four entries complete blasts from start to finish. The film’s not a complete failure as I admired the hints of how Mangold wanted to explore the character in its early scenes and Mikkelsen stands out, despite his relatively straightforward villain. However, in all other respects, it’s the thorn in what was a four-strong series and is a big disappointment considering the talent involved. 

Director: Dan Trachtenberg
Starring: Amber Midthunder, Dakota Beavers, Michelle Thrush, Stormee Kipp, Julian Black Antelope, Bennett Taylor, Dane DiLiegro
Certificate: 15
Run Time: 100 mins

Prey is the latest instalment of the Predator series. The series has experienced a tough life, with the Arnold Schwarzenegger original leaving a lasting impression on critics and audiences. However, none of the sequels have managed to capture audience and critics to the same extent. Director Shane Black tried to reinvigorate the franchise with The Predator in 2018 but it unfortunately achieved negative reviews. My experience of the franchise has been quite the opposite however, and Predator 2 and Predators are both highly underrated. 

Prey is directed by Dan Trachtenberg, his second major film after 10 Cloverfield Lane, which left a barnstorming impression. The film is strangely heading straight to Hulu or Disney+ in the UK, foregoing a traditional theatrical release. 

Trachtenberg smartly takes the series back to its roots, positioning the film as a prequel. The film is set in 1719 in the Northern Great Plains and centres around Naru (Amber Midthunder), a skilled Comanche warrior in a tribe. She dreams of becoming a great hunter like her brother, Taabe (Dakota Beavers). When a Predator makes its way to Earth and the tribe believe a lion or bear to have caused destruction amongst the local fauna, Naru knows from her experience the creature causing carnage is no lion or bear. What follows is an intense cat-and-mouse chase between the Predator and its prey. 

Prey is an excellent prequel and is just the gut-punch the series needs. Trachtenberg directs with flair and the film features some terrific performance among its almost exclusively Native American cast. The very fact Trachtenberg has opted to centre the film around an underrepresented community is to be commended, too, with the only exception to the rule being a group of French fur trappers Naru encounters. 

Amber Midthunder makes for a formidable screen presence and it’s great the film focusses on her humanity. She is portrayed as both a skilled hunter but also an individual who makes mistakes. Trachtenberg’s mirroring of smaller animals hunting each other and the Predator and anything that steps in its way is also an excellent creative stroke. 

Prey features a rousing score by newcomer Sarah Schachner, at times reminiscent of the sound of Nick Cave and Warren Ellis but not quite as memorable.  It is a shame she doesn’t revisit Alan Silvestri’s iconic original themes, though. 

The film is very well-shot by Jeff Cutter, who beautifully captures the Great Plain landscape. All of the action sequences are exciting and kinetic and Cutter doesn’t resort to quick cuts. The final climax is particularly gripping, as is an altercation between the Comanche, French fur trappers and the Predator. 

Prey is an absolute blast and it’s a real shame the film isn’t being released theatrically. I’ll need to rewatch it but it’s certainly up there with Predator 2 and Predators as the best in the series for me. Trachtenberg is two-for-two and I can’t wait to see both what he directs next and how this franchise continues to evolve, now that it’s been granted a well-needed breath of fresh air. 

Director: Adam Robitel
Starring: Lin Shaye, Angus Sampson, Leigh Whannell, Spencer Locke, Caitlin Gerard, Bruce Davison
Certificate: 15
Run Time: 103 mins

Insidious: The Last Key is the fourth installment in the so-far, very robust series spearheaded by horror maestro James Wan. Each installment in the franchise has been very solid so far – the first a great exercise in horror filmmaking with some memorable scares. I admired how well Wan ties up the narrative in the second film, even though the film did not recieve great reviews. Writer Leigh Whannell directed the third film, which is underrated, boasting some excellent scares and has a multi-layered villain who I weirdly empathised with.

This entry is directed by newcomer Adam Robitel, picked after his work on The Taking of Deborah Logan. Whannell remains on scripting duties and like with the third, Wan still produces so both pioneers of the series still have influence. The Last Key, narratively, is a sequel to the third film but is set before the first two films, which the back-end of The Last Key leads into. So in chronological order – 3, 4, 1, 2. This installment continues to follow Lin Shaye’s paranormal investigator, Elise Rainier, who investigates a haunting in her childhood home, a place that has caused her many pains.

Insidious: The Last Key begins with a powerful extended sequence which explores Elise’s difficult childhood and introduces her dysfunctional family. It’s quite emotive and her relationship with her father in particular is haunting, more so in fact than the rest of the scares in the film. And this is where the film faulters. It can never regain the same momentum that propels its opening and instead, resorts to cliche and its mechanical scares are dismally second-rate. There is a particular plot point which even threatens to undo the good work Robitel does in the opening.

That’s not to say the rest of the film is terrible. The main villain, played by Javier Botet, continues to prove why Botet is a key innovator of the horror genre and visually, he’s very impressive. It’s just a shame that his characterisation lacks the complexity of other villains in the series. There are also some good performances as well as Botet’s. Of course Lin Shaye proves again she is able to carry a film with such ease – without Shaye, the film would be far worse. Tessa Ferrer and Josh Stewart as Elise’s parents are excellent, as is Bruce Davison as Elise’s younger brother. Robitel also does a good job in directing the film. It’s clear he’s put a lot of effort and thought and the film flows quite well and he manages to do the best of poor material.

Unfortunately, other than these factors, the film is painfully average, in what has so far been an above-average series and the narrative that follows the opening is too familiar. What tips my verdict into the ‘Poor’ category however, is the lazy plot device introduced to sort the dilemma Shaye’s character finds herself in and also as a means of securing more sequels. Equally as offensive is the fact that the film, a film in the horror genre, it fails to do what it says on the tin, the scares obvious and mechanical.

Ultimately, Insidious: The Last Key is a big disappointment and is easily the worst of the franchise so far. However, the film isn’t a complete waste as its direction, performances and a powerful opening are to be admired but are nowhere near enough to mask the poor narrative and financial future-proofing the film leaves itself in. At least for a January horror release, typically notorious for the worst of the worst horror films to be scheduled for, Insidious: The Last Key is far from it, which perhaps was my greatest fear. Whilst deep down, I hope this franchise doesn’t go the way of Saw or Paranormal Activity in their endless sequels which continue to decline in quality, I suspect it will. This is a great shame, particularly like both aforementioned series, they all started out so well and Insidious did a better job in having at least two great sequels.