Sinister: Movie Review

Sinister: Movie Review






Synopsis:

Ellison (Played by Ethan Hawke: Daybreakers, Brooklyn’s Finest, Training Day, Gattaca) is a true crime novelist. He and his family have moved into a new home where a brutal murder occurred and a child went missing. While in the attic, he discovers a projector and what appear to be home movies on some super 8 films. He watches one at night and discovers it’s a film of the very murder taking place. He discovers the other tapes are also brutal murders of different families in different states spanning decades apart. Amongst the disturbing imagery, he comes across a demonic ritual and the house becomes more haunted.  




What I Liked:

This sounds a little crazy to say and it might not sound appropriate, but there is something about the film that has subtlety. Maybe it’s the fact that the scares and haunting become a little more intense over time, giving it a slow but suspenseful pacing, or maybe it’s the fact that it lets the audience figure things out and come with their own conclusions instead of blurting everything out. I don’t know, but there is something subtle to this film that I actual enjoy.

I like how it lets the audience come to conclusions, even though it might be pretty straight forward and easy to figure out. It is a mystery as much as it is a supernatural horror movie. It doesn’t treat its audience like complete idiots.

Ethan Hawke is in it. He’s just one of those good actors that no matter how bad a film might be, he’s never the problem and often times is one of the stronger parts of the film.

The night scenes of the movie are very dark and give a very creepy atmosphere. I know that sounds obvious, but there are some movies where it’s supposed to be dark, but it’s too bright (exp. The Descent Part 2).
There is a very interesting and inventive twist that is both creative and a great concept, though it might make you hate it as well.

It’s an R rating for disturbing images and scary moments alone! Now I don’t find this movie as scare as most people. I think I’ve seen too many horror movies when I was younger that I think they just don’t really affect me. It has to be scary beyond belief and even then I might just find it really creepy. So, did this movie scare me? Not really, but it does disturb me. The Super 8 film is the most disturbing clips in this movie. There is something eerie and haunting about every single one. And while there is very little blood in this film for an R-rated film, it lets you imagine the brutalist kills, such as the lawn mower kill. That one is a well-paced scene. All you see is a lawn mower and a light shining on the ground. The lawn mower just rides over the lawn for a bit when suddenly you see a brief image of a body in the middle of the lawn being run over and it quickly cuts away before you can see any carnage.    






What I Didn’t Like:

The first 2/3rds of the movie is pretty predictable with lots of haunted house cliques.

Almost all the scares are just very loud jump scares.

The demon is disappointing because it just looks like a big Jason-like guy with greasy black hair and a mask. But then again, it is probably supposed to look like a guy in the mask so the main character can come to that conclusion.






Rating:

4 out of 5 stars