October Horror Challenge 2023 #84: "Insidious: The Last Key"

Another day, another Insidious sequel. Actually this is still the first day and im just bingeing all these movies like a psychopath. Such is the life of a horror movie fan. This movie goes even further back than the last sequel did. It shows us what Elise's childhood was like as a child with special gifts. Even then, she could see and talk to ghosts. I'd imagine that would be a tough gift for a kid to have, especially since no one would believe you and people would think she was crazy. As a former child who no one believed and everyone said was crazy, i can confirm that it sucks and it can really mess with your head. It's a wonder that Elise turned out as normal as she did considering how rough her childhood was. This movie goes to some pretty dark places, and i didn't realize how harrowing it would be until it was too late to go back. Here there be Tygers.

We begin this movie with a flashback. Young Elise is just coming into her powers, and she can see and talk to dead people. We learn that her mother believes in her gift, but her father thinks it's evil and punishes her horribly when she claims to talk to ghosts. Flash forward and adult Elise is a mostly well-adjusted adult psychic who helps people get into contact with spirits. A man asks for her help, but helping him would force her to go back and face the demons of her childhood. At first she refuses, but then she eventually relents and agrees to help him. With her two trusty sidekicks in tow, she goes back to her childhood home to try and suss out why spirits seem to be hanging around the place. Who are they and what do they want? Will Elise be able to find out, or will she be defeated by her own personal demons?

Since this takes place before the events of the first movie, we already know that Elise survives her ordeal with the spirits here, but even though I knew that, I still feared for her health and safety throughout this movie. That's how good it is. Elise's father really pissed me off in this movie. If your kid can see ghosts, you don't try to beat it out of them. That's not going to help the situarion. Her dad is played by Josh Stewart, and he does a good job of making me hate him. Kirk Acevedo plays the man who calls Elise for help, and he does a good job too. I cared about him and wanted them to be able to help him. There's a pretty big twist at the end of this movie, and i really didn't see it coming though I probably should have. This one may actually be my favorite of all the movies which is pretty good for a third sequel in a series. I can't wait to see part 5.