Insidious: Chapter 2

Insidious: Chapter 2 takes the elements introduced in its predecessor and runs with them, to mostly good effect. Thanks to Insidious' shock twist finale (spoiler alert), poor Renai (Byrne) may have suspicions about her husband Josh (Wilson), but we already know why he's gone full Jack Torrance. Josh is, however, generally left to lurk ominously while Renai, Josh's mother, and recently-deceased medium Elise's comedy sidekicks (the film's weakest links) bear the brunt of the terror.

Writer-director James Wan demonstrates a self-assured style, with the first hour filled with numerous familiar, though effective, scare tactics. All the elements of a low-budget, well executed haunted house/possession story are present, and there are plenty of nods to established horror fare. Then the fog-filled realm of 'The Further' is reintroduced, along with the inevitable setting up of the third instalment – it's disappointing that once the actual plot kicks in, the scares vanish. [Becky Bartlett]