Written by: Kevin Berge
You may think that face made out of blood doesn't look that scary, but you haven't seen it look right at you yet. (Image Courtesy of: zyzixun.net)
Quick Take: Sinister has an intriguing mystery to tell that allows it to be truly frightening from start to finish even if it overutilizes tropes of the genre to get there. With a capable director and writers at the helm as well as a strong lead performance from Ethan Hawke, it is easy horror for any fan of the genre to enjoy.
***This is a spoiler-filled review that will look at moments and twists throughout Sinister that should be seen before reading the review. Those who have not seen the movie should not read ahead if they ever plan to.***
Horror has evolved over time from the demonic to the slasher to the self aware to torture porn. Each time, the change came with a degree of understanding about what audiences wanted out of their horror. In the modern day, there is not a clear dominating archetype beyond the sequel/reboot storm.
What is the modern horror film? It looks a lot like Sinister. This film follows a true crime author Ellison Oswalt (Ethan Hawke) attempting to make it big again by moving his wife (Juliet Rylance), son (James Ransone), and daughter (Clare Foley) into the house of an unsolved family hanging.
Using old Super 8 reels in the attic, Ellison begins watching the gruesome murders of families with their connection only through a mysterious masked figure in the background. Slowly but surely, the deaths begin to haunt Ellison until he realizes his family could very well be next.
This is not an overly original film, and it clearly relies on old horror tropes to get its scares across. However, that is just a strong description of most modern cinema. It does not say much about the actual movie which certainly succeeds in being unsettling and outright frightening.
Where this film shines is in its simple use of lighting. Throughout the movie, we are shown that darkness is danger as all the horrors come at night. Thus, even in early evening as shadows begins to envelop the house, there is a tangible fear of what could be living in that darkness.
As the movie progresses, it gets more direct with its storytelling, often skipping through the daytime to get to the next scare. The gradual nature of escalation pushes into overdrive which works even if it could have been handled with more nuance. It also rarely takes the time to explain why Ellison does not just turn on the lights at night.
Horror has evolved over time from the demonic to the slasher to the self aware to torture porn. Each time, the change came with a degree of understanding about what audiences wanted out of their horror. In the modern day, there is not a clear dominating archetype beyond the sequel/reboot storm.
What is the modern horror film? It looks a lot like Sinister. This film follows a true crime author Ellison Oswalt (Ethan Hawke) attempting to make it big again by moving his wife (Juliet Rylance), son (James Ransone), and daughter (Clare Foley) into the house of an unsolved family hanging.
Using old Super 8 reels in the attic, Ellison begins watching the gruesome murders of families with their connection only through a mysterious masked figure in the background. Slowly but surely, the deaths begin to haunt Ellison until he realizes his family could very well be next.
This is not an overly original film, and it clearly relies on old horror tropes to get its scares across. However, that is just a strong description of most modern cinema. It does not say much about the actual movie which certainly succeeds in being unsettling and outright frightening.
Where this film shines is in its simple use of lighting. Throughout the movie, we are shown that darkness is danger as all the horrors come at night. Thus, even in early evening as shadows begins to envelop the house, there is a tangible fear of what could be living in that darkness.
As the movie progresses, it gets more direct with its storytelling, often skipping through the daytime to get to the next scare. The gradual nature of escalation pushes into overdrive which works even if it could have been handled with more nuance. It also rarely takes the time to explain why Ellison does not just turn on the lights at night.
All you had to do was not go to the terrible house. Why did you go live in the murder house? (Image Courtesy of: youtube.com)
As with all horror, certain scenes stick out more than others. The scariest moment of the entire film is the climax where Ellison's senses begin to deteriorate before he climbs the ladder to the attic he had been avoiding and finally sees all the children who have been following him around before the evil demon Bughuul appears in front of him.
There are also some strong visual terrors including when Bughuul's head turns toward Ellison despite being a static image. Every Super 8 film shown in this movie is terrifying in its portrayal of frightening death, the best being the terrifying lawn mower scene. The movie though does rely a bit too much on jump scares despite the entire movie being driven by frightening imagery rather than multiple moments of actual violence.
The primary issue with this movie is that it is all building to a single moment while everything else in the film is merely meant to keep us on edge. It is a building mystery that uses its horror to keep the audience on edge despite the monster only acting when the end result is already clear even if the final scene is a true nightmare.
The mystery is quite interesting with twists and turns that are not spelled out but carefully developed. By the time Ellison returns to his home, it is possible but not too easy to see where the rest of the movie is going before the final hints are laid out officially. It is also nice to see a movie unafraid of killing off its cast and walking away.
The first horror movie I ever saw was this film's director Scott Derrickson's first full-length film The Exorcism of Emily Rose, and even watching in theaters I found it dull. He is far better here in creating and executing the horror, keeping a constant unease while never skipping steps or cheating with his characters.
Unsurprisingly, Ethan Hawke (Gattaca) is the heart of this film as he sells his growing unrest as well as showcasing a character who is complex and often unlikable. The story from Derrickson as well as C. Robert Cargill, both of whom would go on to write Doctor Strange, focuses on Ellison and dives into what makes him who he is with some great subtle storytelling.
As a whole, Sinister is simply a solidly made scary movie, but, thanks to solid acting and a carefully written script, it stands out. It could have been smarter or taken more risks in its presentation, but it succeeds by being a horror movie made for horror fans, a simple but often underachieved concept.
There are also some strong visual terrors including when Bughuul's head turns toward Ellison despite being a static image. Every Super 8 film shown in this movie is terrifying in its portrayal of frightening death, the best being the terrifying lawn mower scene. The movie though does rely a bit too much on jump scares despite the entire movie being driven by frightening imagery rather than multiple moments of actual violence.
The primary issue with this movie is that it is all building to a single moment while everything else in the film is merely meant to keep us on edge. It is a building mystery that uses its horror to keep the audience on edge despite the monster only acting when the end result is already clear even if the final scene is a true nightmare.
The mystery is quite interesting with twists and turns that are not spelled out but carefully developed. By the time Ellison returns to his home, it is possible but not too easy to see where the rest of the movie is going before the final hints are laid out officially. It is also nice to see a movie unafraid of killing off its cast and walking away.
The first horror movie I ever saw was this film's director Scott Derrickson's first full-length film The Exorcism of Emily Rose, and even watching in theaters I found it dull. He is far better here in creating and executing the horror, keeping a constant unease while never skipping steps or cheating with his characters.
Unsurprisingly, Ethan Hawke (Gattaca) is the heart of this film as he sells his growing unrest as well as showcasing a character who is complex and often unlikable. The story from Derrickson as well as C. Robert Cargill, both of whom would go on to write Doctor Strange, focuses on Ellison and dives into what makes him who he is with some great subtle storytelling.
As a whole, Sinister is simply a solidly made scary movie, but, thanks to solid acting and a carefully written script, it stands out. It could have been smarter or taken more risks in its presentation, but it succeeds by being a horror movie made for horror fans, a simple but often underachieved concept.