Insidious: Chapter 3
Focus Features | Release Date: June 5, 2015
6.5
USER SCORE
Generally favorable reviews based on 247 Ratings
USER RATING DISTRIBUTION
Positive:
136
Mixed:
84
Negative:
27
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6
MarcDoyleJun 5, 2015
This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. It's a solid horror flick - the lead actress plays her role well, Dermot Mulroney is quality, and the older lady psychic is excellent, as usual. What I can say is that the final jump-scare a the VERY end of the movie is terrifying. Reminded of the old "Quart of Blood Technique" from 48 hours... You know that some scary is coming when they roll out an extended, benign resolution.… Expand
4 of 4 users found this helpful40
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4
lanceeyyJun 12, 2015
The movie is forgettable. The first one was the best of the three. Insidious 3 relies on jump scares and not so much on the creepy, disturbing terror that the 1st movie employed so well. Not only that, but the trailer gives away A LOT of theThe movie is forgettable. The first one was the best of the three. Insidious 3 relies on jump scares and not so much on the creepy, disturbing terror that the 1st movie employed so well. Not only that, but the trailer gives away A LOT of the jump scares that the movie uses, so you'd know what to expect in this particular scene. It just ruined a good chunk of the movie. Acting was mediocre, and it just wasn't a good movie overall. There were a few gems here and there but is it enough to save the movie? Don't count on it.… Expand
3 of 3 users found this helpful30
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5
StevieGJDJun 10, 2015
Decent. albeit formulaic, horror movie. Some of the "clever" turns in this film are references to the other films. The acting is inconsistent: some are good, others are very stiff. It is a relatively fun ride with a number of good scares.Decent. albeit formulaic, horror movie. Some of the "clever" turns in this film are references to the other films. The acting is inconsistent: some are good, others are very stiff. It is a relatively fun ride with a number of good scares. This is not torture porn, none of the images are more than "disturbing" or "cringeworthy." Decent little movie.… Expand
2 of 2 users found this helpful20
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5
thewindowseatJun 18, 2015
It isn't a great horror flick, most of the scares feel earned, definitely not all of them, and there's a little too much subtlety for it's own good. But it isn't a bad one either, relying heavily on crazy loud banging and crashes in sweatyIt isn't a great horror flick, most of the scares feel earned, definitely not all of them, and there's a little too much subtlety for it's own good. But it isn't a bad one either, relying heavily on crazy loud banging and crashes in sweaty effort for cheap surrender of fear. One scene in particular will actually keep you sitting still until it finishes, involving a lead teen played convincingly by Stefanie Scott, lying on her bedroom floor and looking adjacent to a pair of clawed feet walking toward her from the other side of the bed. The 3rd installment in the franchise is actually a lot closer to the 1st one, despite it being a debut from Leigh Whannell, rather than horror veteran James Wan. This film gets him on base for me, I'll stick around and see what else he's got up his sleeve, fingers crossed for more neat tricks.… Expand
2 of 2 users found this helpful20
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5
TVJerryJun 19, 2015
Even though it's the 3rd in the series, this is actually a prequel. It's another haunting story with a teenager (Stefanie Scott) who's terrorized by an evil presence. Psychic Elise Rainier (Lin Shaye) is thrown in the mix for continuity. TheEven though it's the 3rd in the series, this is actually a prequel. It's another haunting story with a teenager (Stefanie Scott) who's terrorized by an evil presence. Psychic Elise Rainier (Lin Shaye) is thrown in the mix for continuity. The ingredients are typical: ominous music, dark hallways, ghoulish specters and jump scares. There were 2 or 3 genuine jolts, but the rest is just fearsome atmosphere and mild suspense. Nothing original or particularly frightening.… Expand
0 of 0 users found this helpful00
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5
PlanByHeroSep 1, 2015
Meh. Average modern horror flick that doesn't come close to touching the first two Insidious films. I wish studios would occasionally have the sense to stop and say "Hey, we made a couple of great films. Lets move on to something new." ratherMeh. Average modern horror flick that doesn't come close to touching the first two Insidious films. I wish studios would occasionally have the sense to stop and say "Hey, we made a couple of great films. Lets move on to something new." rather than "Lets keep making these until we completely bleed the franchise dry and then milk it some more".… Expand
0 of 0 users found this helpful00
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6
Fb29Jun 29, 2015
This one is probably the scariest one of the 3, but it's the kind of scary where things are jumping out and surprising you. I watched it alone in a movie theatre in Vegas. I was literally the only one in there. So this movie got my adrenalineThis one is probably the scariest one of the 3, but it's the kind of scary where things are jumping out and surprising you. I watched it alone in a movie theatre in Vegas. I was literally the only one in there. So this movie got my adrenaline going, which helped my get over my hangover faster (this is science, right?).

Hard to give this 7 or higher because it's really just rehashing same ideas. They need to get creative with "the further" or retire this series. Like what if a good spirit took over a bad person's body? Get creative.… Expand
0 of 0 users found this helpful00
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4
jppl1999Jul 13, 2015
"The man who can't breathe" gets to be the only enjoyable character from the hole film and the "trama" that surrounds him; the rest tends to remain as mediocre enough for a Chapter 4 that would only exist if the franchise wants to apologize"The man who can't breathe" gets to be the only enjoyable character from the hole film and the "trama" that surrounds him; the rest tends to remain as mediocre enough for a Chapter 4 that would only exist if the franchise wants to apologize to the public.

*Actually, if you think about it, it can also become a "suspense"-comedic movie.… Expand
0 of 0 users found this helpful00
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5
oDjentoJun 10, 2015
This film showed so much potential at time but still fell to an unsatisfactorily average level overall. First i'll start of with the positives.
This film did actually try to bring some psychological uneasiness to the table with ceratainThis film showed so much potential at time but still fell to an unsatisfactorily average level overall. First i'll start of with the positives.
This film did actually try to bring some psychological uneasiness to the table with ceratain scenes that out matches most from Insidious 1 and 2. These were subtle and worked brilliantly, like in one scene were the demon shuts out all light in the room slowly, really building the scene up. There were more great scenes like this but for the sake of not spoiling the film i will refrain from typing them. However, i found these scenes brought the films score up dramatically.
Now the negatives.
This film still suffers from the problem pretty much every modern horror film other than recently The Babadook and It Follows suffers from; it's reliance on jump scares. How many times do we have to tell you jump scares aren't scary, they just make us jump. STOP RELYING WHOLE HORROR FILMS ON THEM. They are fine to be used occasionally. Also, the fact Elise is able to have "super powers" of sorts in The Further is a ridiculous addition to the Insidious canon, WHY HAVEN'T WE SEEN ANYONE DO IT BEFORE?!? It looks ridiculous at points to say the least. Also, the introduction of how some characters met seemed so forced, along with the chemistry that becomes of them later in the film. It was cringe worthy to watch. Also, the film suffers from a lack of an interesting colour scheme that the first film even had, only the iconic red door still stands. Additionally i must say, the dad's performance of him being a struggling father was just so overplayed.
Now finally I must make 2 more points as to why the film ultimately fails. The plot is so bland, boring and uninspired that it is literally kind of annoying to watch. The first 2 Insidious films wrapped themselves round each other quite nicely plot wise but this film is just typical "girl tries to contact someone. Girl gets haunted. Girl almost gets possessed/ taken. Family call for spiritual help. Family save daughter." HOW MANY TIMES HAVE WE SEEN THIS? WHY MAKE A PREQUEL THAT DOESN'T EXPAND ON ANYTHING IF THE PLOT IS THE MOST UNINSPIRED STEREOTYPICAL HORROR SCRIPT EVER?!??!?!
And that brings me into my last point, the connection between the films. This film isn't the third film, it is a prequel so I was already a bit annoyed about the title. This film then also has no connection to Insidious 1 OR 2, other than the red demon from the first film popping up at the end. THAT IS HOW YOU CONNECT THE FILM AND SELL IT AS A PREQUEL?!??!? The film shows promise for what they can hopefully do in Chapter 4 but don't count on seeing anything originally scary here. Just get that popcorn in your lap firmly and wait for the jump scares to pop out as usual, which by the way, a lot of them were even in the trailer.… Expand
0 of 0 users found this helpful00
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6
ydnar4Sep 23, 2015
Insidious 3 is far better than most threequel horror movies. James Wan has left the franchise but he was replaced by Leigh Whannell who has written several scripts for Wan's films over the years and even though Whannell never directed a movieInsidious 3 is far better than most threequel horror movies. James Wan has left the franchise but he was replaced by Leigh Whannell who has written several scripts for Wan's films over the years and even though Whannell never directed a movie before you can trust him with this film. I feel like Chapter 3 is almost on a smaller scale than the first two movies were, the plot just doesn't feel as significant but the acting was pretty good with several familiar faces returning that have been in the franchise since the first film. I was never a huge fan of the Insidious movies but I think if this is the conclusion to this series it is acceptable.… Expand
0 of 0 users found this helpful00
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5
MattBrady99Jun 8, 2015
Boo.

Insidious: Chapter 3 is a prequel that takes plays years before the Lambert family experiences own haunting. A younger Elsie Rainier, still a gifted psychic, reluctantly uses her power to contact the dead when a young girl is targetsBoo.

Insidious: Chapter 3 is a prequel that takes plays years before the Lambert family experiences own haunting. A younger Elsie Rainier, still a gifted psychic, reluctantly uses her power to contact the dead when a young girl is targets by a supernatural entity.

Well in Insidious: Chapter 3 we don't have James Wan on the directing chair this time but we do have Leigh Whannell directing this movie and he previous wrote the other Insidious movies and was in the 2004 film Saw playing a character. Now this isn't very new with a first time director who previously wrote movies, did stunt work, acted and people who did the soundtrack to the movie have taken the directors chairs and most of the time it can come off good, but also bad, and in this one it comes off average at best when it comes to film making and the film itself.

Leigh Whannell who has worked with James Wan in every movie that James did and in this movie I think Leigh cough the tone of the other two movies just about right, I mean this movie isn't has scary as the first movie (In my opinion) because the first movie had that unsettling tone and it's brilliantly use of it's shots which are terrifying and sets up the first movie, yeah it can get a bit ridiculous at times even towards the end but still the first half was some of the most best suspense horror film in recent history. Leigh Whannell did a fine job directing this movie as it's not easy directing for the first time and he did good, at least he caught what made the other movies so horrifying and put he's own twist to it.

The acting in this movie was alright for the most part. I thought it was better from some from horror movies I've seen so far this year, but the real stand out this movie was Lin Shaye as in this movie she gives a better and strong performance as I can see she really did care for this movie and I better the other cast members did too, but as I said before she was the true stand out of the movie as she did a excellent job.

The movie does have it's scary parts and yes some of them involves jump scares, now listen you can hate this and the other two movies but you got to admit these movies take jump scares and at least do something with them and they use jump scares at perfect moments where the jump scare can be effective and actually make you jump with terror.

Now for problems: All the positives for the film pretty much ends here as this movie really doesn't do anything new with storytelling and the movie is kind of predictable at times with it's scares and how it's going to end. The character's in the movie are pretty flat and I'm not going to remember them soon as I finished this review.

The movie doesn't do anything new as I said before and overall it's kind of forgettable, I mean I won't remember this soon as the year comes to a close.

Overall Insidious: Chapter 3 isn't a god awful horror film, but it's nowhere near great or even alright, it's stuck in the middle of not so good but not so bad.… Expand
0 of 0 users found this helpful00
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6
UrbanlistenerNov 20, 2015
A little bit of fresh air in the franchise, the movie is acceptable, better than 2, but still easily forgettable. Its well constructed, well acted, but on the scare part; not so impressive... There is two or three creepy moment, but most ofA little bit of fresh air in the franchise, the movie is acceptable, better than 2, but still easily forgettable. Its well constructed, well acted, but on the scare part; not so impressive... There is two or three creepy moment, but most of the time its only jumpscares and loud sounds. For those who enjoyed the first one, I have to say you will like the ending a lot.… Expand
0 of 0 users found this helpful00
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5
iitsLuaks1415Jun 8, 2015
This is a really good film, i like this film because it physiological makes you think about the film and what the twist is. The bad thing about his film is how it drags out the scene and makes everything pop out, in some sort of viewing thatThis is a really good film, i like this film because it physiological makes you think about the film and what the twist is. The bad thing about his film is how it drags out the scene and makes everything pop out, in some sort of viewing that what gives the film the story line.… Expand
0 of 0 users found this helpful00
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5
ReysonPointJun 7, 2015
2010 was the year that director James Wan (Insidious, The Conjuring, Furious 7) introduced us to as well as scared us with the film Insidious. By 2013 James Wan gave us a pretty good sequel by the name of Insidious: Chapter 2. Now, this year2010 was the year that director James Wan (Insidious, The Conjuring, Furious 7) introduced us to as well as scared us with the film Insidious. By 2013 James Wan gave us a pretty good sequel by the name of Insidious: Chapter 2. Now, this year (2015) James Wan decided to produce a third film and pass the director’s chair to actor/director Leigh Whannell (Saw, Insidious Trilogy) who in my opinion did a decent job with this third installment Insidious: Chapter 3.

The plot and vibe of the film is very similar to the previous ones. Insidious: Chapter 3 is definitely better than most horror movies that are released now a days but still are nothing compared to other James Wan’s horror classics, like the original Insidious, or The Conjuring. The film involves seventeen-year-old Quinn Benner played by Stefanie Scott (Jem and the Holograms) who shows up to Elise’s (Lin Shaye) house seeking her help in order to contact her dead mother from the paranormal world. Elise tries to help Quinn but midway through her reading finds that things don’t go as planned. This is when Elise discovers that an evil spirit/demon is stalking Quinn. As the film goes on we see how the demon does everything in his power to make Quinn’s life a living nightmare until he eventually takes her to “The Further”.

Now, as for the characters none of them really made a good impression unlike the original. Along with the great original characters, the evil spirit and demons from the originals, made the films creepier and far more intense than this one. Sadly this time around everything fell flat and was ineffective or unsatisfying. The only person that made the movie for me was Lin Shaye (There’s Something About Mary, Insidious 1 & 2) who played Elise. Elise was a sweet surprise for me; she was the bad ass of the film. Some of her scenes made the movie far more enjoyable. Her role expands far more than it ever did in previous films which I love. Here we learn from where she comes from and what she’s been through. As for Leigh Whannell as an actor he did a great job embracing the same character that he portrayed in previous films. as for the director, he does a great job, especially exploring different themes within the characters like Quinn, and Elise.

In conclusion Insidious: Chapter 3 is a decent horror film that has some great moments that allowed great characters like Elise to finally shine on screen. As for the scares, some are visually good scares that contain great imagery while sadly, the rest consist of jump scares that we have been seeing a lot of recently. With all that said it was obvious that director James Wan was not in the director’s chair, which made the film lack suspense and good character development. Because of this, the film ended up being enjoyable to watch but also forgettable.

Final Score: 5.9/10… Expand
0 of 0 users found this helpful00
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6
CineAutoctonoAug 26, 2018
"Insidious: Chapter 3" is a slightly good movie, the good point shows the one case that the character of Lin Shaye had to solve before the Lambert case, and that handling of the prequel was good. The story itself was good and the handling of"Insidious: Chapter 3" is a slightly good movie, the good point shows the one case that the character of Lin Shaye had to solve before the Lambert case, and that handling of the prequel was good. The story itself was good and the handling of terror was improving, although the characters did not show some impact than the previous ones.… Expand
0 of 0 users found this helpful00
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6
kyle20ellisApr 16, 2020
This review contains spoilers. It's a solid horror flick - the lead actress plays her role well, Dermot Mulroney is quality, and the older lady psychic is excellent, as usual. What I can say is that the final jump-scare a the VERY end of theThis review contains spoilers. It's a solid horror flick - the lead actress plays her role well, Dermot Mulroney is quality, and the older lady psychic is excellent, as usual. What I can say is that the final jump-scare a the VERY end of the movie is terrifying. Reminded of the old "Quart of Blood Technique" from 48 hours... You know that some scary is coming when they roll out an extended, benign resolution.… Expand
0 of 0 users found this helpful00
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6
FiniteFreistenAug 11, 2015
This trilogy is awsome ! After wating for decades for a movie that scares you without you need nausea bag while you watch the movie ! But I feel there was no good screenplay that you admit that !
0 of 0 users found this helpful00
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5
TheRussianatorDec 18, 2017
Insidious: Chapter 3 is directed by Leigh Whannell, the writer of the first two movies. Unfortunately, its refurbished script just repeats the previous two, with really no surprises or twists, the third chapter of this horror franchise hintsInsidious: Chapter 3 is directed by Leigh Whannell, the writer of the first two movies. Unfortunately, its refurbished script just repeats the previous two, with really no surprises or twists, the third chapter of this horror franchise hints at the fact that it is time to end the adventures of Elise Rainier.… Expand
0 of 0 users found this helpful00
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6
ErikTheCriticSep 26, 2018
The third instalment does not top its predecessors, but at least it still has potential and talent, unlike most other horror sequels nowadays.
0 of 0 users found this helpful00
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5
JLauSep 27, 2020
This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Teenager tries to contact her dead mother through a medium but gets possessed when doing so but her mother helps her defeat the demon later.… Expand
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5
DunkaccinoNov 13, 2022
Still, I expected more in Insidious: Chapter 3 than your average demonic entity movie.
0 of 0 users found this helpful00
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5
royalguy07Jul 10, 2023
Maintaining a certain level of competency but risking nothing at all, prequel structure doing nothing here.
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