Insidious

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1:43

Insidious

PG-13

2011

1h 43m

Horror

Mystery & Thriller

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Popcornmeter

66%

Tomatometer

175 Reviews

62%

Popcornmeter

100,000+ Ratings

A family looks to prevent evil spirits from trapping their comatose child in a realm called The Further.

Critics Consensus

Aside from a shaky final act, Insidious is a very scary and very fun haunted house thrill ride.

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Jim Schembri

The Age (Australia)

06/16/2011

3.5/5

Director James Wan here proves himself very adept at building dramatic tension and making you anxious about the things going on in your peripheral vision.

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David Stratton

At the Movies (Australia)

05/12/2011

2/5

If the film was attempting to be more than just a horror movie, it doesn't work on that level either.

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Philip French

Guardian

05/01/2011

A supernatural horror flick by and for horror buffs.

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Grant Watson

Fiction Machine

Dec 15

6/10

I think one of the reasons Insidious has never quite reached the popularity (or noteriety) of the other Wan-Whannel creations is the everything-but-the-kitchen-sink scattershot approach it takes to genre.

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Patrick Cavanaugh

The Wolfman Cometh

Sep 11

2/5

There's a handful of big, effective scares, but the tonal imbalance between the front half and back half don't really align in a satisfying way.

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Brian Eggert

Deep Focus Review

07/31/2023

2.5/4

Wan knows how to use his familiar bag of tricks to make us squirm and jump at the right moments, and today that’s rare among this brand of haunted house fright movie.

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Esra Y

@RT95409318 2d

James wan is very good at using Hitchcock's methods for creating atmosphere and captivating the audience. It's smart for a horror to movie to tell story within a story for it to turn into a franchise.

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Blake- N

@PBSAniDom 4d

Insidious is a pretty interesting horror film that stands out with its eerie atmosphere and steady build of tension. Much like other Screen Gems-style horror movies, it leans into mood and unsettling imagery rather than constant noise. What makes it work is how it slowly pulls you into its world. The story unfolds in a way that keeps you curious, always hinting that something is just out of sight rather than showing everything outright. The performances help ground the supernatural elements, and the direction creates a strong sense of unease without relying too heavily on excessive effects. It’s more about what you feel than what you see, which adds to its effectiveness. Overall, it’s an engaging watch if you enjoy atmospheric horror with a few good scares and a strong sense of mystery. I’d rate it a 7/10.

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Maki S

@MAKI-8 May 2

Traumatized me as a kid. What’s better is that all the mysteries are explained in the second one, the one who was knocking on the door and trying to enter the house in the first film was actually Josh, who was lost in the Further! Having his real-life body impersonated by the old dead parasite woman! Really good!

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maddie R.

@maddierod00 Apr 22

One of the first horror movies I watched as a kid and still to this day it’s one of my favorites. The story is unique for a paranormal horror film, and the plot that arcs into the second movie is chefs kiss

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wynn T

@RT25775981 Apr 20

it not the best but it so good at the same time I would watch this over and over again

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Saydi M

@RT16401451 Mar 21

MY FAVORITE HORROR MOVIE! Insidious is not super scary but just creepy and eerie. The story is great. Good jump scares and overall scary plot.

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Insidious: Trailer 1

1:43

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Synopsis

A family looks to prevent evil spirits from trapping their comatose child in a realm called The Further.

Director: James Wan
Producer: Jason Blum, Steven Schneider, Oren Peli
Screenwriter: Leigh Whannell
Distributor: FilmDistrict
Production Co: Alliance, Sony Pictures Television, IM Global
Rating: PG-13 (Frightening Images|Brief Strong Language|Terror|Thematic Material|Violence)
Genre: Horror, Mystery & Thriller
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Apr 1, 2011, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Jun 3, 2015
Box Office (Gross USA): $54.0M
Runtime: 1h 43m
Sound Mix: SDDS, Dolby Digital