The high concept of Saw put writer Leigh Whannell on the map, and to a lesser extent director James Wan. Insidious marked James Wan as a future Master of Horror. A basic haunted house idea that quickly gets mired in convoluted mythology, something only made worse by the time-jumping franchise that followed. (The sequels are all logged, but we won’t get to any until we are outside the Top 1000.) The budget was less than $2 million, something that becomes especially noticeable in the ambitious finale through The Further. However, Wan makes the film work beyond all its story and financial limitations.
His cast is an interesting mix, with Patrick Wilson and Rose Byrne as the main couple, back when you would think they were too classy for a Horror film. Barbara Hershey gives the film extra credibility. Lin Shaye found a new avenue for her career as the psychic. She’s flanked by Whannell and Angus Sampson as the comical Tucker and Specs. A lot of different energies, but Wan harnesses them into a crack ensemble. Meanwhile the keeps the scares coming. A nice warm-up for The Conjuring, there are a lot of creepy build-ups and jump scares that actually make you jump. This includes one with a demon that makes everyone think Darth Maul has entered the film, but that first appearance is an All-Timer.
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