Starring Ty Simpkins, Patrick Wilson as Josh Lambert, Rose Byrne, Sinclair Daniel, Hiam Abbass, Andrew Astor and Juliana Davies

Directed by Patrick Wilson

Sony, in cinemas now

A decade after the events of Insidious 1 and 2, the Lambert family are scattered. Josh (Patrick Wilson) is divorced from Renai (Rose Byrne). He’s estranged from his kids, especially Dalton (Ty Simpkins) and his mother has recently passed away. What Josh and Dalton can’t know is that this fog, this lack of focus, is caused by the memories they’ve both had suppressed. Memories of the Further, and the creatures that prey on people who travel there. Memories of the Red Door.

Insidious is the oddest of Blumhouse’s constellation of horror franchises and the fact the running order is actually 3, 4, 2, 1, 5 speaks to that. It’s also interesting that for the most part the series has more fun when it isn’t focused on the Lambert family. 3 and 4, especially 4, are hidden gems that put psychic Elise Rainier (Lin Shaye) and Radio Shack ghostbusters Specs (Leigh Wannell) and Tucker (Angus Simpson) front and centre. Red Door doesn’t do that, instead returning to the original story and it’s less fun. But it is, ultimately, as interesting.

Wilson directed as well as starred in a script written by Scott Teems who created the story with series creator (And Specs), Leigh Wannell. Wilson has talked at length about how personal the movie is for him too. The first hour, near enough, is a lightly supernatural family drama as Wilson and Ty Simpkins, who you’ll also know from Iron Man 3, play the Lambert men struggling to re-connect and not quite knowing why. The two leads are really, really good here and there’s an explosive argument that comes out of nowhere and plays out in a manner a lot of people will find realistic. Wilson’s Josh is furious, unfocused and has no idea why. Simpkins’ Dalton is driven, directly haunted and far more up for answers. As the two men slowly get out of their own, and each other’s, way, the door opens in every sense.

The back half is tremendous fun,  helped immensely by Sinclair Daniel as Chris Winslow, Dalton’s room-mate and very much the emergency nice person the movie needs. She’s talkative, direct, completely aware that she needs to ask questions and utterly unprepared for the answers. I sincerely hope there’s more to come with her as she’s great. Regardless, her cheery motormouth and Simpkins’ not-quite-goth-enough artist are a great double act. Wilson is less well served, and Byrne, his usual scene partner in the early movies is relegated to a cameo here. That hurts the entire movie, and there’s a case for saying it takes that first hour to recover.

But even if you believe that, it does recover and the ending is really strong. The franchise-standby jump scares land well and the ending is a clever new perspective on the events of the first movies that’s very much in keeping with the franchise’s style. Plus the actual climax is a very pleasant surprise, Dalton’s best weapon becoming the last thing he expects and the most open-hearted, sincere thing he has in his arsenal. That opens the door (ha!) to an epilogue that’s hopeful and light and has a grace note of fan service that sends the movie out on a high. Plus the closing credits song, performed by Wilson and epic goth-metal cover experts Ghost is either the best or weirdest thing you’ll hear this month.

Verdict: The Red Door isn’t as weird as its predecessors or as fun but it’s just as open hearted. If you’ve not seen the others, there is nothing for you here but you should maybe give them a try. If you have, this is proof you can go home again. As long as you close the door when you do. 8/10

Alasdair Stuart