Read Mixed User Reviews for Sinister

6

MovieManiac83Apr 25, 2015

Someone finally figured out a way to make the concept of "found footage" interesting, and it's by incorporating it into the film's overall scope rather than employing it as the governing factor. Sinister is an intense horror film that startsSomeone finally figured out a way to make the concept of "found footage" interesting, and it's by incorporating it into the film's overall scope rather than employing it as the governing factor. Sinister is an intense horror film that starts out masquerading as something more mundane. It's hair-raising and gripping, although some of its narrative turns require a significant level of "suspension of disbelief." In true horror movie tradition, characters do things that are head-scratchingly dumb. Once you accept those logic-defying moments, the movie works with diabolical effectiveness. And, even though the ending is inescapable (and therefore predictable), that does little to diminish its effectiveness.

Sinister opens with a disturbing scene: a Super-8 "home movie" that shows the hanging deaths of four people. As the narrative progresses, we learn that this is one of several amateur snuff films in existence. There's one of a family burning to death in a car, one of a multiple drowning, one where victims have their throats slit, and a particularly nasty one in which the murder weapon is a lawn mower. During the course of Sinister's running, we see all (or almost all) of these Super 8 movies; the rest of the film is presented using traditional, 3rd-person cinematography (non-shaky cam variety). One element that makes the "found footage" approach work uncommonly well in Sinister is that it doesn’t hijack the style. There's no lingering question about why someone is always filming.

For about the first 30 minutes, Sinister unfolds more like a mystery/thriller than a horror excusrion as Ellison's investigation points toward the possible involvement of a serial killer. Then unexplained things begin to happen: loud noises in the attic, a film projector starting on its own, and a demonic face moving in a supposedly "still" photograph on a computer screen.

Sinister features its share of effective "boo!" moments. The makeup for the mysterious figure is well-done. It's genuinely unsettling and doesn't feel like a re-harsh of any of the horror movie icons. Also, because it's shown only fleetingly, it never loses its power to disturb as a result of overexposure. Director Scott Derrickson (whose resume includes the first-person horror film The Exorcism of Emily Rose as well as the big-budget remake of The Day the Earth Stood Still) develops an atmosphere that emphasizes isolation and claustrophobia. Aside from a friendly local deputy (James Ransone), Ellison has no one beyond his immediate family to turn to for support. There's no generic best friend or brother. The suspense builds in tandem with a burgeoning sense of doom. It's a slow-burn approach that may not work on those infected with a need for brash, fast-paced gore-fests. Sinister is plenty grisly, but some of the bloodiest instances are left to the viewer's imagination.

In developing Sinister, director Derrickson and his co-writer, C. Robert Cargill, display an unerring understanding of what will unsettle viewers in a darkened auditorium. They borrow liberally from earlier horror efforts, with The Shining being the most obvious influence. Derrickson's use of sound is particularly important. The bumps in the night are loud enough to cause viewers to jump in their seats and Christopher Young's discordant score is perfect for the material. It has been a long time since there has been a genuinely creepy horror movie available to audiences in search of a good Halloween scare; Sinister provides that missing October ingredient.… Expand

1 of 1 users found this helpful10

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4

AkaLiaDec 7, 2012

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Sinister is one of those paranormal, occult movies I've been waiting to play in theaters; however, after watching this film I was left disappointed. The ending was too obvious. The storyline was dragged on, wasted, and never even met it's climax. The character's names aren't even memorable. It had the stereotypical annoying, jobless wife or the "housewife", creepy kids, and an obsessed writer. The writer of this film took no authentic advantages of the daughter who was seeing Stephanie, or the son and his night terrors. The son could of been dreaming and the demon thing could've started appearing in his dreams as if it was trying to possess him and that could've been why his night terrors were progressive; and, the daughter was used at the very end, but there were no evident changing behaviors like her drawing pictures of their family dying or her saying weird things. But, instead, It's like the children were just "there". There are no other settings in the movie, in which eliminates the chances for striking, memorable scenes or encounters. Happenings like the skinny policeman or deputy sneaking data for the dad's book and the old deputy/sheriff guy getting suspicious, or the old guy checking up on the dad trying to see what he's up to or taking his tapes and data. Or, kids being bullied, and teachers worried about the son or daughter's behavior or drawings. Or, neighbors and townspeople giving the family crazy looks or disapproval like the wife said they were. Or even, the dad could have hallucinated the demon/children soul-eater thing in a library when researching or asking neighbors about the past family who lived in that house. In his son's room, IT could've been standing or kneeling beside his son's bed while his son is sleeping and whispering into his son's ear of something to possess him all while the dad can't even see IT, then later his son has another night terror. Or, the dad could be hallucinating about IT in public places because of obsession to his "detective work". They never even showed the dad trying to start writing his new book. After they moved, that should have been the half-mark of the movie, because so much could have happened then. At the end, they could've at least added a special scene where the police find their bodies, take the tapes into evidence, then watch them appalled. Overall, although I expected more out of Sinister, the eerie sounds and music, the disturbing kill scenes, the creepy pool scene where you first see IT, the use of the manual, old, and new technology (homemade evidence board, film projector, and the laptop), and seeing Ethan Hawke in a new movie made it likeable.… Expand

2 of 3 users found this helpful21

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5

tropicAcesOct 12, 2012

This film is more creepy and messed up than it is actually scary. All but one of the films scares are jump scares, and they're shown in the trailer. Really this is just like "Insidious" just with more gruesome killings. Not an awful movie,This film is more creepy and messed up than it is actually scary. All but one of the films scares are jump scares, and they're shown in the trailer. Really this is just like "Insidious" just with more gruesome killings. Not an awful movie, just not really scary. I will sleep fine tonight.… Expand

8 of 13 users found this helpful85

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6

wishmasterOct 26, 2012

The goal of a horror movie is to scare you, it succeeded. the script a little loose in the middle and the end nothing relevant, perhaps more of the same, but if the film is good.

1 of 2 users found this helpful11

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6

TheQuietGamerAug 30, 2013

While it's one of the better horror movies I've seen, "Sinister" fails to bring any real scares. It's got a creepy tone, but it never manages to turn creepiness into terror. The plot about a failing true-crime writer trying solve a murderWhile it's one of the better horror movies I've seen, "Sinister" fails to bring any real scares. It's got a creepy tone, but it never manages to turn creepiness into terror. The plot about a failing true-crime writer trying solve a murder that the cops can't in order to relive his glory days is a good anchor point, and watching him do this at the expense of his family gives the film a certain bleak tone that sets it apart. The movie is at its best when you watch the main character witness gruesome murders through these mysterious recordings, and seeing how it affects his sanity. These moments succeed because they have a sick and creepy voyeuristic feel to them, and also because they give the film a feeling of mystery that has you dying to know just what the heck is going on. The movie suffers when the main character is investigating bumps in the night, which is disappointing because this usually happens right after the good parts. This is when the movie should get scary, but instead it lets us down. Rather than providing a terrifying moment the movie gives us a lame jump scare, or even worse, nothing at all. Why the film chose to build up the tension only to let it fizzle out here is beyond me. But by far the most disappointing thing in the movie is when it finally reveals what is going on. After watching the mystery build and build, and have you get more and more invested, it falls flat on its face an incredibly disappointing and un-scary reveal. It ruins the whole tone of the movie and even opens up one big plot hole, ending the movie in disappointment. I haven't been scared in a horror movie in forever and "Sinister" was no different. The one thing that keeps the movie watchable is the fact that it is creepy, which is more than I can say for most other horror movies. It's just a shame it never takes the next step to make it scary.… Expand

1 of 2 users found this helpful11

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6

Compi24Nov 28, 2012

Although its ending isn't exactly satisfying, "Sinister" still offers up a rather fresh story, a great lead performance from Ethan Hawke, and some impossibly horrifying imagery throughout.

1 of 2 users found this helpful11

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6

Wes_BrewerJan 20, 2013

Sinister is refreshing and omni-effective as a horror film; the blend of anxiety and discomfort forces the viewer to attach the character

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6

BritishWolfSep 15, 2015

The constant red herrings and cliche plot points prevent me from giving this film a 7 or 8. The film could have been a lot better, but it isn't a bad film by any means.

1 of 2 users found this helpful11

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6

perfectbabyOct 13, 2012

I will agree with tropicAces with the "creepy more than scary" description, but I think that is the reason for whatever success the film has. The weakest parts of Sinister were the force-fed "ghosts" that seemed to interrupt the decline ofI will agree with tropicAces with the "creepy more than scary" description, but I think that is the reason for whatever success the film has. The weakest parts of Sinister were the force-fed "ghosts" that seemed to interrupt the decline of our protagonist's state of mind. Their participation was inconsistent and didn't really make all that much sense to me. Sinister works because it is unsettling on several levels, one of which is a real-life conflict that I am sure strikes fear into the hearts of many people on a daily basis: failure. With a career, family, marriage, and mental stability all in danger of failing, a sense of desperation leaks into every corner of Hawke's character's life. That combined with a new angle (though not fleshed out entirely, the villain is kind of freaky) make it a worthy watch.… Expand

1 of 3 users found this helpful12

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5

vernOct 14, 2012

With all of the hype that had garnered around "Sinister", admittedly I expected a bit more from it. On the plus side, there are a few jumps scares that work well, a palpable sense of dread throughout, and an undeniably effective soundtrackWith all of the hype that had garnered around "Sinister", admittedly I expected a bit more from it. On the plus side, there are a few jumps scares that work well, a palpable sense of dread throughout, and an undeniably effective soundtrack (a major highlight). On the down side, there are some gaping logic holes (especially in a few of the jump-scare scenes), a wandering script, and some weak acting. "Sinister", although better than most of the horror movies released so far this year, is only a moderately effective horror film.… Expand

0 of 1 users found this helpful01

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5

Knicksfan7Oct 17, 2012

The only horror film i had hopes for this year and once again i was disappointed. It definitely had a few moments of terror throughout the film but as a whole this movie was a letdown. Especially the ending, i was expecting something awesome,The only horror film i had hopes for this year and once again i was disappointed. It definitely had a few moments of terror throughout the film but as a whole this movie was a letdown. Especially the ending, i was expecting something awesome, but then it was just like "oh, exactly what i thought was going to happen happened" i honest to god predicted the ending in the first five minutes of the movie. Sinister is a letdown for me but im sure others will enjoy. Give it a shot but whatever you do, don't get your hopes up. 4.5/10… Expand

0 of 2 users found this helpful02

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4

glacier777Nov 11, 2012

I'm not really a fan of horror movies and this one proved exactly why. I worked out what would happen very early on, the whole thing felt so formulaic and typical, not very original. It wasn't even scary either, in parts it was just slightlyI'm not really a fan of horror movies and this one proved exactly why. I worked out what would happen very early on, the whole thing felt so formulaic and typical, not very original. It wasn't even scary either, in parts it was just slightly creepy and I even laughed at some 'scary' parts. Let me put it this way - the best part was when someone in the cinema fell over when they went to the loo.

I have given it a four because it was made quite well and the acting wasn't bad.… Expand

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5

vladschMar 28, 2013

Many people still consider the horror genre a marginal cinema, and if you watch movies like Sinister you can fast jump to that conclusion. There is here a very good story, however, quite badly told, and the blame falls on the many clichesMany people still consider the horror genre a marginal cinema, and if you watch movies like Sinister you can fast jump to that conclusion. There is here a very good story, however, quite badly told, and the blame falls on the many cliches that are essential to keep the narrative going on. But what is more harmful for the movie is how much aseptic and clean its horror and violence are depicted, how light is the treat and how faded is the fate of the main characters, in a way the movie ends up being self censored probably to hit more audiences with a lower rate. So, what remains of a movie not scary, not terrifying or disturbing, qualities of the horror cinema, are lame cliches that make the final act as predictable as the end of a soap opera. Don't rely on Sinister to judge horror cinema, this is the hollywoodian horror cinema. Stick on extreme french wave if you wish a real evolving of the genre or at least, stay away from, most of, the horror that comes from US.… Expand

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6

SimpleMethodJul 6, 2013

Fairly bland, honestly. It's not all that scary. Ethan Hawke does a solid job. The lighting is terrible. There are literally never lights on in the house for whatever reason. Slightly above average horror fare, but nothing remarkable. 5.8/10

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5

emcoffey3Feb 27, 2013

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. A man moves his family into a house where a family was brutally murdered. Will they suffer the same fate? What do your instincts tell you? Sinister offers plenty of thrills and chills. Story-wise, however, this isn't anything you haven't seen done before.… Expand