#REVIEW: “INSIDIOUS: OUT OF THE FURTHER”

Review by Amanda Gilmore for Mr. Will Wong

In 2010, Blumhouse delivered the beloved Insidious that followed the Lambert family. That film ignited a franchise for the company with five instalments, two of which deviated from the Lamberts. We thought this franchise had come to an end in 2023 with the release of Insidious: The Red Door. This entry brought the Lamberts back and concluded their story. Now 16 years after the original’s release, Blumhouse and Writer-Director Jacob Chase impressively resurrect the franchise with this sixth instalment.

Insidious: Out of the Further has no trace of the Lamberts or the iconic Lipstick. Instead, we follow single mother Gemma (Amelia Eve) and her young daughter Maya (Island Austin). After finding a ring in her deceased mother’s packed-up belongings, Gemma finds herself travelling in and out of the Further. Yet, Gemma isn’t just a Traveller…she’s a Courier. She can bring things from the real world into the Further and vice versa. When Cyrus (Sam Spruell), a demonic cult-leader spirit, learns of Gemma’s power, he plans to use it to bring himself and all his deceased followers back to the living world.

Watching each entry of this franchise became increasingly mundane. It felt like the same story on repeat. Yet, Insidious: Out of the Further has reinvented this redundant story. Gemma having the ability to carry things back and forth between each realm gives it new life. We become invested because we don’t know exactly where the story is going to go.

Additionally, Chase has written a villain that feels rooted in reality, rather than a demonic spirit. Cyrus was a cult leader in the living world who convinced his followers to kill themselves so they’d be together in the afterlife. Now they’re in the afterlife, and he’s promising to bring them back to the living world. Spruell is magnetic as this Manson-esque villain.

It’s clear that Chase is a big fan of the Insidious world. He’s kept the atmosphere and visuals the franchise has been known for, while succeeding in making this entry feel entirely his own. This is due to the original take on the story and the spine-chilling scares. The majority of these are successful jump-scares where the dead pop out from the shadows. Yet, there are two inventive standout scenes worth mentioning. Both happen pretty early on and include a claustrophobic sequence where Gemma becomes trapped in the cushions of Maya’s fort, while another takes us to the most horrendous trip to the dentist that manages to make us feel bad for the dentist.

The best Horrors don’t just scare us, they have something to say. Insidious: Out of the Further includes a story centred on familial trauma. A theme it often hits with a heavy hand, but it’s elevated by Eve’s nuanced performance. Unfortunately, the script often forces things to be said when her performance speaks volumes in the silence.

Sony Pictures Canada release INSIDIOUS: OUT OF THE FURTHER in cinemas Friday, August 21, 2026.