INSIDIOUS: THE RED DOOR (2023)

Genre: Horror/Thriller
Director: Patrick Wilson
Cast: Patrick Wilson, Ty Simpkins, Hiam Abbass, Sinclair Daniel, Andrew Astor, Rose Byrnem
Runtime: 1 hr 47 mins
Rating: NC16 (Horror)
Released By: Sony Pictures
Official Website:

Opening Day: 12 July 2023

Synopsis: In Insidious: The Red Door, the horror franchise’s original cast returns for the final chapter of the Lambert family’s terrifying saga. To put their demons to rest once and for all, Josh (Patrick Wilson) and a college-aged Dalton (Ty Simpkins) must go deeper into The Further than ever before, facing their family’s dark past and a host of new and more horrifying terrors that lurk behind the red door. 

Movie Review:

For non-Insidious followers out there, this latest entry of the successful horror franchise from James Wan and Leigh Whannell is a direct sequel to the Insidious: Chapter 2 (2013) following two prequels which focused more on retired demonologist Elise Rainer (Lin Shaye). With that being said, even if you have not been following the franchise closely, you will still be able to keep up and enjoy Insidious: The Red Door as a stand-alone horror thriller.

Set nine years after the event that haunt the Lambert family, Josh’s (Patrick Wilson) memories of The Further have been repressed but his family life is in some sort of ruins. His mother has just passed. He is divorced from his wife, Renai (Rose Byrne) and his relationship with his eldest son, Dalton (Ty Simpkins) is strained. In short, Josh’s mental state is worrying consider he continues to experience supernatural entities and dreams.

In the meantime, Dalton despite having his mind wiped off as well begins to venture back into The Further using a method called astral projection. He even ropes in his fellow college classmate, Chris Winslow (Sinclair Daniel) in joining him in his experiments. Of course, that ominous gateway doesn’t lead one to Disneyland but the return of the infamous lipstick-face demon.

Without the participation of long-time Insidious creators, Wan and Whannell (who only has a story credit this time), The Red Door suffers as a result of a weak story and under-developed scares. To be fair, Wilson who also makes his directorial debut here delivers an entry that focused primarily on family trauma and psychotic fear. The frequent appearances of a man dressed in 70’s outfit heralded of what exactly happened to Josh’s absence father in the past. The latter’s constant blaming of his late father reminds viewers of his current estranged relationship with Dalton and it’s no surprise that there is going to be a big reconciliation in the end

The scares are few and far if you are here to scare yourself silly although there’s one particularly terrifying scene set inside a MRI scanner. There’s a couple more jump scares littered all around including Josh playing a memory cardboard game. Yet again, the scares are not exactly spine-chilling or memorable. Even the entities appearing to haunt Dalton are equipped with cheap Halloween make-up that effectively lower the scary factor.

The origin of lipstick-face demon continues to remain a mystery. God knows how he ended up as the ruler of The Further but it’s evident that the demonic entity possesses a myriad of abilities that allowed it to transcend bodies and realms. In the end, Wilson’s direction and the screenplay by Scott Teems (Halloween Kills) fails to bring the story of the Lambert family to a rousing closure. Much of the hauntings occurred insignificantly like a TV-like horror fare and the plot development doesn’t add much to the entire experience. Fortunately, the character of Chris Winslow provides some need be comedy bits while father-son, Josh and Dalton mostly bore us with their hazy and foggy stares.

Movie Rating:

(Low on genuine scares and underwhelming storyline, an unremarkable entry in the Insidious franchise)

Review by Linus Tee