Insidious: The Last Key (2018)
Parapsychologist Dr. Elise Rainier faces her most
fearsome and personal haunting yet - in her own family home.
Director:
Adam RobitelStars:
Language:
EnglishRelease Date:
5 January 2018 (USA) See more »Also Known As:
Insidious: Chapter 4 See more »Filming Locations:
Santa Clarita, California, USABox Office
Budget:
$10,000,000 (estimated)Opening Weekend USA:
$29,581,355, 7 January 2018, Wide ReleaseGross USA:
$29,581,355, 7 January 2018Cumulative Worldwide Gross:
$49,515,565, 7 January 2018Company Credits
Show more on
IMDbPro »
Technical Specs
Runtime:
Color:
ColorAspect Ratio:
2.35 : 1Did You Know?
Trivia
The poster is similar to 1985 horror movie titled HOUSE. See more »Quotes
Elise Rainier: I'm going to get the attention of all the spirits in this house. I need things that were important to Garza. Specs, go upstairs. There is a bible he held very dear to him. It was a red, King James version; I need you to find it. Take Imogen with you.Specs: Okay.
Elise Rainier: And do not let her out of your sight.
Specs: I won't.
[Specs and Imogen head upstairs]
Elise Rainier: Tucker and I are going down to the fallout shelter.
Tucker: What- I get the death chamber and he gets bible camp with the most beautiful girl on earth? That's not a ...
[...]
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Connections
Follows Insidious: Chapter 3 (2015)
Don't go alone if you must see the tepid, but mostly adequate ghost
story "Insidious: The Last Key." Really, don't even bother to see this
third sequel in theaters unless you really, really want to. Yes, I too
know the Siren call of a new horror film on opening night.
But really,
whatever you do, don't watch "The Last Key" without the
emotional support of a buddy who can confirm that you're not just
imagining this: these movies are still getting incrementally better, a trend that began with "Insidious: Chapter 2." And "The Last Key" does feel like it's 70-minutes dripping wet (even if it's a shocking 103 minutes?). And the makers of "The Last Key" do pull
enough punches that you'll actually wish the rest of the movie weren't
as dependent on jump scares to establish terror. No, you may think you
should see "The Last Key" with a friend because being sociable is a good
excuse for poor life choices. But the best rationalization for seeing
"The Last Key" with another person is being able to look at another
soul, and realizing you're not losing it when you think: wait, this one
is almost good.
If you must know what this one is about, you should be forewarned that plot, themes, and characters barely matter in the "Insidious" films.
That's not a good or a bad thing, it's just something you should accept
now that you're presumably committed to watch the third sequel in a
cheapo horror series. That said: when we last saw broody psychic Elise (Lin Shaye),
she was more convinced than ever that she must use her ability to
communicate with ghosts to help unfortunate home-owners who are too
stupid to cut bait, and move into less supernaturally busy environs. In
this lofty goal, Elise is aided by ostensibly lovable tech-savvy
goofuses Tucker (Angus Sampson) and Specs (series co-creator, and "The Last Key" screenwriter Leigh Whannell). And that's about it, that's their story.
Now,
Elise must return to her childhood New Mexico home to relive formative
traumas involving the mysterious murder of her angelic, but powerless
mother Audrey (Tessa Ferrer).
Mind you, the house where Elise was raised overlooks some kind of oil
derrick and a prison too. It's also where she and her poor brother
Christian (Pierce Pope, who is replaced in the film's present day with the somewhat more mature Bruce Davison) were given corporal punishment by deadbeat dad Gerald (Josh Stewart),
who may or may not have been haunted by a demon. Also, Christian has
two adult daughters, and they're also in danger, even if they don't live
in that one house.
None of that really matters here since "The Last Key" is, like its predecessors and the other horror franchises begat by "Saw" and "The Conjuring" co-creator James Wan, as
programmatic as a Rube Goldberg machine. These shock-dispensing
mechanisms are all so shoddily produced that you should know by now that
they will inevitably go off the rails when they must wrap up with a
good climactic jolt.
Thankfully, the build-up to several major
scare scenes in "The Last Key" is relatively subtle. There are
even several moments where the filmmakers psych you out, and make you
believe that something's going to jump out at you ... but then nothing
does. Which is usually when something really jumps out at you.
But in this film, you have to wait a little longer. That kind of
defiance of expectations is much appreciated if you go into this new
"Insidious" film expecting it to not be good enough to coast on
its artful sound design—some really nice floor-boarding creaking, and
doorknob jiggling—and even some (dare I say) atmospheric sets.
Ultimately, "The Last Key" just isn't good enough to break the
years-hardened mold of expectations that was established and
then confirmed by the last three "Insidious" movies. Everything looks
different, but nothing has changed: Shaye performs a thankless task
admirably, and constantly looks vulnerable enough to cry at the drop of a
hat. Whannell never develops his ideas enough to offer a sensible take
on personal loss, survivor's guilt, or domestic abuse. And there are
several moments where you can't help but wonder "Are these characters
really that dumb," "Why aren't they calling the cops," or "What does
that even mean?"
So yes, "The Last Key" is still rather ...
limited in its appeal. But it's also good enough to feature a
momentarily clever twist (if you don't overthink it), and it's got a
couple of good fake-outs. And it is awfully fun whenever you can
contrive an excuse to turn to your neighbor, and (discreetly) whisper
a joke whenever something silly happens (even when it's not always
intentionally silly). With these limbo-low expectations in mind: you may
enjoy "The Last Key" well enough. Just don't forget to bring a friend.
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