Sinister is a new horror/thriller from the producer of Paranormal Activity and Insidious and stars Ethan Hawke as true crime novelist, Ellison Oswalt who moves into a home where a previous family was murdered and finds old film footage to help him find out what happened to the family.
Sinister, is a pulse-pounding, suspense machine which packs enough scares that mixes both the high octane inventiveness of Insidious with the long tension and suspense of Paranormal Activity.
The good about Sinister:
The main attraction with Sinister is the casting, which is more watchable than Insidious in terms of the acting, Ethan Hawke is brilliant as the struggling novelist who is in desperate search of his next story and feels that moving into the new home could be the big break he needs. Ethan Hawke is always watchable and reliable as seen in previous Oscar winning films such as Training day or to crime thrillers such as Brooklyn’s Finest. It’s a change of genre as well as role that makes it so attractive and when the scares do finally arrive, his character is likable and we do actually care about what happens to him and his family. The first 20 minutes gives you time to invest in the characters.
Sinister’s main weapon is the use of tension letting it build until a point where you can’t breathe and then surprises you. There are some genuinely inventive and jumpy moments that will have you leaping out of your seat. Also in some cases that are some disturbing and graphic moments where sometimes should been given an 18 certificate instead of a 15.
The film is also shot beautifully and captures some great moments filming certain suspense moments or dramatic scenes from unusual angles and close-ups. This all adds to the tension and the drama for later on. There is also the use of music which is one of the key components in horror movies for the atmosphere and building up to the scares.
The bad about Sinister:
The main fault with Sinister is it’s cop-out of an ending, which I thought was going to be more creative. I didn’t know where the film was going to go and disappointingly ended with a familiar scenario. Sure it does stick in the mind and is disturbing but I was hoping for something a bit more creative. It that had been right this potentially could’ve been one of the best and surprising horror films of 2012.
Final Thoughts on Sinister:
Overall, Sinister is a suspenseful, disturbing scarefest which offers an enjoyable mix of thrills and spills, which come thick and fast as well as offering great, solid performances from a decent cast. A perfect film for Halloween!