I’ve been a huge fan of the Insidious franchise since the first film was released back in 2010. The world has changed a lot over the past 16 years, and the franchise has evolved right along with it, for both better and worse. Over that time, we’ve seen a steady stream of sequels arriving every few years, with Insidious: Out of the Further serving as a direct sequel to 2023’s Insidious: The Red Door.
Gemma (Amelia Eve) witnessed the traumatic death of her mother as a child but has grown into a successful dental hygienist living in the very same house where she grew up. Unwilling to share the painful details of her past with her daughter Maya (Island Austin), she keeps her mother’s belongings boxed away in the attic, a fitting symbol of the trauma she has buried within herself.
Haunted by recurring nightmares depicting the deaths of loved ones and the arrival of a greater evil, Gemma spends much of her life avoiding sleep and focusing on raising Maya. One morning, while walking her daughter to school, she encounters three elderly and unsettling strangers who become the catalyst for a literal life-and-death struggle against the forces seeking to once again cross into the world of the living.
As the title suggests, much of the film takes place in the Further, a purgatory-like realm inhabited by spirits unable or unwilling to move on. Gemma possesses the rare ability to walk between the worlds of the living and the dead, whether she wants to or not. With the help of spiritual medium Clare (Maisie Richardson-Sellers) and the spirit of Elise Rainier (Lin Shaye), she must learn to harness her abilities before the evil lurking within the Further finds a way to cross over and wreak havoc on the world. No pressure.
Insidious: Out of the Further leans heavily into the franchise’s established strengths. There are plenty of jump scares, a number of genuinely unsettling scenes set in the dentist’s office (those with dental anxiety have been warned), and a constant sense of dread hanging over nearly every moment. In an era where many horror films seem determined to outdo one another with graphic violence and gore, Out of the Further opts for a more psychological approach.
After films such as the latest Evil Dead entry and Lee Cronin’s The Mummy, that restraint feels refreshing. Graphic violence certainly has its place in horror, but I prefer it when it serves the story rather than existing solely for shock value. Insidious understands that sometimes what you imagine is far more frightening than what you actually see.
While the story occasionally veers into overly ambitious territory, the performances help keep things grounded. Island Austin is excellent as Maya, and her chemistry with Amelia Eve gives the film an emotional core that many modern horror movies lack. Brandon Perea, playing Gemma’s boyfriend Nick, provides comic relief without ever becoming caricatured. It’s refreshing to see a humorous character who contributes meaningfully to the story instead of existing solely for a few easy laughs.
Finally, the always-reliable Lin Shaye returns as Elise Rainier. Her appearance not only helps connect the film to the larger franchise but is handled in a way that feels natural rather than forced fan service.
Insidious: Out of the Further doesn’t reinvent the wheel, nor does it stray far from the formula that has made the series successful for more than a decade. It delivers plenty of scares, an engaging cast, and enough suspense to keep horror fans entertained without resorting to excessive gore. It’s not the kind of film that will leave you sleeping with every light on in the house, but it is exactly the sort of movie that feels right at home during the Halloween season.
I wouldn’t recommend rushing out to pay full price for a ticket, but if you’re looking for an enjoyable escape and something to help get you into the Halloween spirit, you could certainly do far worse.
Rating: 3.5/5
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