31 by 31 Challenge #8: INSIDIOUS: THE LAST KEY (2018)

There's no doubt that the Insidious franchise is one of the stronger horror series to emerge in the 21st century, but even the mighty must fall. The quality scares started with the James Wan (The Conjuring, Saw)-directed original back in 2011 and was followed by a lackluster but passable sequel, Insidious: Chapter 2 (2013) also directed by Wan. Series writer Leigh Whannell then took over the director's chair for Insidious: Chapter 3 (2015), a prequel to the first movie that was surprisingly solid and which the fourth film, Insidious: The Last Key, follows. Confused by that timeline, yet? Anywho, though the magnificent Lin Shaye delivers another great performance, the requisite jump scares and plodding story don't add anything exciting or original to the Insidious universe and we're left with yet another unnecessary sequel-prequel.

Insidious: The Last Key
Released: January 5, 2018
Director: Adam Robitel
Screenplay: Leigh Whannell

Tagline: "Fear comes home."

Cast:
Lin Shaye as Elise Rainier
Angus Sampson as Tucker
Leigh Whannell as Specs
Spencer Locke as Melissa Rainier
Caitlin Gerard as Imogen Rainier
Bruce Davison as Christian Rainier
Kirk Acevedo as Ted Garza


Shortly after the events of Chapter 3, Elise Rainier and her two tech assistants receive a call for help from a man named Ted Garza, who is living in Elise's childhood home in Five Keys, New Mexico. His plea for aid in dealing with ghostly apparitions convince Elise to return to the home where he was ostracized and beaten by her father for her spiritual gift, and where, after being tricked by a demon, tragedy ripped her family apart. While confronting old memories, Elise also reunites with her estranged brother, Christian, and his two grown daughters, pulling them into the dangerous problems of the past.

The Last Key attempts to pack in a lot, and I suppose we have writer-actor Whannell to thank for that. The overlong prologue concerning Elise's childhood is illuminating in that it provides layers to the woman who has become the icon of the Insidious franchise, but those new layers feel somewhat hollow and glib. The abusive backstory sparks a certain interest for the viewer, but it doesn't actually add anything new to Elise as a character. Given that she's the focal point of the film, we have to view this as a failure on Whannell's part.

Narratively, The Last Key follows the map set out by the previous Insidious films, culminating in a third act confrontation deep inside The Further. It's here that we see the one or two tricks unique to the film rather than the recycled jump scares laden throughout the rest of the runtime. There's also a brilliant but brief plot twist that could have taken the story in a very intriguing direction, but it's quickly glossed over once the movie reverts back to its expected narrative path, you can feel the air drain out of the story as everyone slogs to the end credits.

For all these faults, though, there are some shining moments that set The Last Key as an okay movie worth your time on a lazy afternoon. Elise has become one of the best final girls in horror, and it's all thanks to Shaye, who owns the film. It's pretty miraculous that a septuagenarian woman can headline a major horror film in 2018 and on that merit alone, we should applaud The Last Key and everyone involved in the production.


The Last Key is a passable sequel-prequel, but it is also the weakest of the Insidious movies by far due to the fact that it plays it far too safe with the scares and opts to offer up more of the same fare rather than conjure up new nightmares. But given Shaye's heartfelt performance, horror hounds could do a lot worse. And we certainly have before, haven't we?


Insidious: The Last Key
5 - Totally Terrifying
4 - Crazy Creepy
3 - Fairly Frightening
2 - Slightly Scary
1 - Hardly Horror