Sinister

9

SolInvictaMay 24, 2015

One of the very few modern horror films that manages to be chilling, thrilling, frightening, and disturbing. Great acting and a clever premise are just the icing on the cake.

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8

calebowensmallJan 23, 2016

This was a truly creepy horror film. I wish it was a little scarier, but Scott & Blumhouse knew what they were doing with this film. I was super pumped about the sequel, and I loved this movie, despite wanting more scares. However, it's worthThis was a truly creepy horror film. I wish it was a little scarier, but Scott & Blumhouse knew what they were doing with this film. I was super pumped about the sequel, and I loved this movie, despite wanting more scares. However, it's worth watching and owning, and you should watch it… Expand

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7

FilmClubMar 27, 2016

Ethan Hawke stars as a crime novelist obsessed with a missing-girl case in Scott Derrickson's latest scary movie.

A true-crime author stumbles onto something beyond his beat in Scott Derrickson's Sinister, which follows Ethan Hawke'sEthan Hawke stars as a crime novelist obsessed with a missing-girl case in Scott Derrickson's latest scary movie.

A true-crime author stumbles onto something beyond his beat in Scott Derrickson's Sinister, which follows Ethan Hawke's Ellison Oswalt as he grows increasingly obsessed with a missing-girl case he hopes will lead to a bestselling book. Occasionally stupid (stretching even fright-flick conventions) but scary nonetheless, the pic should please horror fans.

When Oswalt's wife (Juliet Rylance), just uprooted to a new town (so he can investigate the new story) and already getting bad vibes from neighbors, asks "We didn't move a few doors down from a crime scene again, did we?," he assures her they didn't. She asked the wrong question: Oswalt has bought the very house in which four members of a family were slain, with the fifth abducted. An ornery sheriff (Fred Thompson) stops by before the boxes are even unloaded to warn the author he's not a fan of his books, and doesn't cotton to a fame-hungry scribbler second-guessing his department's work.

Local lawmen are soon the least of Oswalt's worries. He finds a box of Super-8 films in the attic, each showing a family being murdered in a uniquely grisly way. Believing he's stumbled across his own In Cold Blood, he stays up nights scrutinizing the films and looking for connections between killings whose locations and victims are still unknown.

Derrickson borrows the vibe of Joel Schumacher's 8MM as Hawke, swigging whiskey and giving the crease between his eyebrows a workout, struggles with the horrible things he's seeing. But the film soon shifts into bump-in-the-night mode, with an unseen visitor leaving clues for Oswalt in his own house and taunting him with increasingly unsettling (and harder to explain) stunts.

Setting aside Oswalt's infuriating unwillingness to turn on the lights when homicidal intruders infiltrate his home at midnight, the movie has him doing some pretty unjustifiably dumb things -- like walking with a butcher knife thrust in front of him when he has every reason to think his sleepwalking young son might suddenly leap out at him.

We allow him some of this, thanks to the picture's coy suggestions that Oswalt might be going a little nuts due to the nature of his investigation. But Derrickson and co-screenwriter C. Robert Cargill are eager to draw in more familiar supernatural elements -- an occultologist (Vincent D'Onofrio) identifies a crime-scene marking as a pagan symbol "dating back to Babylonian times" -- and the movie's proceduralist pleasure takes a backseat to ghosts and a mysterious figure known as "Mr. Boogie."

The scares are effective throughout, helped a good deal by Christopher Young's glitchy electronic score. While the end clearly points toward a possible franchise, though, many of the ingredients that make Sinister compelling wouldn't make sense a second time around. Some of them barely hold up for the first.

Enjoyably edgy fright flick meshes serial-killer and haunted house ingredients.… Expand

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5

MovieMasterEddyApr 4, 2016

Something wicked comes creaking along the floorboards in “Sinister” before racing prematurely out the door. Ethan Hawke plays a true-crime author who, when this creepy horror flick opens, is moving his family into a house where another familySomething wicked comes creaking along the floorboards in “Sinister” before racing prematurely out the door. Ethan Hawke plays a true-crime author who, when this creepy horror flick opens, is moving his family into a house where another family was slaughtered. He’s investigating the murders for his next book and tells his wife it’s the only house they can afford. The tree from which members of the other family were hanged — a scene that the director Scott Derrickson, who shows it several times, is clearly proud of — looms in a picture window like an omen.

A twitchy Mr. Hawke builds a persuasive portrait of desperation with little help from the script and despite playing a character who makes so many mistakes he might as well be on a suicide mission. Mr. Derrickson, keeping the lights dimmed, effectively puts his pieces into play, even if their familiarity — a man struggling with his art, his foolishly supportive wife, children in peril, possible evil — brings to mind superior entertainments like “Rosemary’s Baby” and “The Shining.” Mr. Derrickson’s cleverest detail is the box of Super-8 home movies that turn out to be diabolical mementos and which suggest that film, even when it’s small gauge, is one awesomely powerful medium.… Expand

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5

TrailesqueApr 14, 2021

This has awesome images and scenes aplenty, but an unsatisfying finish. The ending points obviously to volume 2, but I didn't get around to seeing it. I had mixed feelings about this one.

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8

TheRussianatorDec 18, 2017

Scott Derrickson's "Sinister" is a very suspenseful horror flick with a great atmosphere, interesting characters, and a mysterious villain, who will undoubtedly keep the weak-spirited up at night

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7

FilipeNetoApr 25, 2018

When I watched this movie I had few expectations about it, but I ended up being satisfied with what I saw. The story revolves around a true-crime writer who, inadvertently, stumbles on a bunch of old movies with macabre scenes of murder. ButWhen I watched this movie I had few expectations about it, but I ended up being satisfied with what I saw. The story revolves around a true-crime writer who, inadvertently, stumbles on a bunch of old movies with macabre scenes of murder. But if you're expecting gore and litres of blood, forget it. What is more frightening in the film is precisely what the cameras don't show but know how to suggest. The crime scenes are truly remarkable, and they were done cleverly in a long-disused (Super 8) video film that was cleverly honoured. The film is getting more and more intense, as events occur that reveal the true nature of the killer. The ending is at least unexpected. The soundtrack accompanies every moment with great discretion, managing to avoid imposing itself on the action of the film. Scott Derrickson, the director / writer, deserves the laurels, as does Ethan Hawke, who brings the lead actor to life.… Expand

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6

GrantD243Oct 3, 2018

Sinister is an average horror film for the most part that isn't very scary. The jump scares are pretty poorly done, and at times it feels a bit silly and cliche. But, I am a fan of how dark the actual story is, and how a decent bit of theSinister is an average horror film for the most part that isn't very scary. The jump scares are pretty poorly done, and at times it feels a bit silly and cliche. But, I am a fan of how dark the actual story is, and how a decent bit of the murders is actually shown in the rolls of film that are found by Ethan Hawke's character. Take out the silly jump scares and the demon children running around the house in the second half of the runtime, and it's a pretty solid horror movie.… Expand

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6

EgeBerkJan 15, 2019

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Firstly what do you expect from a horror movie?The answer is scary you.I think that it succeeds.
Frankly I'm scared, but the points as low as the reason why other horror movies I find a little more absurd.Let's explain that the main event in our movie children,
this creature is effective when you watch the same as in the ring movies but whoever watches this time comes home and only affects the children in that house.Same like the ring movie just a little over played.
I actually like it, but it's ridiculous that the children actually did the murders, as we learned at the end of the film.Some events it is absolutely impossible that the kids can not.

it was an average movie, but as I said at the beginning, it managed to scare me.… Expand

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7

ErikTheCriticSep 26, 2018

It has its original ideas, and it does manage to freak you out. Although it does have a few jump scares, the tension leading to the shock is very effective. And yes, this film had the living **** scared out of me.

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8

AdrianOst07Feb 15, 2021

One of the memorable horrors of the decade. Sinister has impressed me with the cinematography and its use of sound along with the music that keeps you on edge. Some of the scares are predictable but at times, the use of sound, suspense andOne of the memorable horrors of the decade. Sinister has impressed me with the cinematography and its use of sound along with the music that keeps you on edge. Some of the scares are predictable but at times, the use of sound, suspense and surprise does get you. I would say that most of the scares are unique to any horror I've seen, whilst some are cliché, easy to predict and sometimes are put in place to try and get a good final scare out of you. The movie took the concept of murder mystery and "found footage" and did it properly, less cliché and much more interesting, cutting out the cheesiness where there is a happily family vlogging their happy life where the ghost starts terrorising them after a while *cough* *cough* Paranormal Activity *cough*. This movie got to the point quick which grabbed the attention of the viewer from the start as it should. Personally, I enjoyed this movie, good cast featuring Ethan Hawke and Juliet Rylance and the director showed himself off and wasn't a stranger to this particular horror genre with movies that he directed in the past such as "The Exorcism of Emily Rose" which I have heard good things about. The cuts, shots, cinematography, special effects and especially the sound and music made for a good horror movie and definitely a memorable one, maybe even a future classic our current generation will look back on in a few decades as we have with movies such as "The Exorcist".… Expand

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5

zNeverSleepingApr 20, 2020

Sinister brilha no que se diz respeito a trama, mas falha no que se propõe: terror.

O suspense elevado ao redor do filme é magnífico. Os elementos são postos no seu momento exato, fazendo com que nos adentremos ao filme e com que tenhamosSinister brilha no que se diz respeito a trama, mas falha no que se propõe: terror.

O suspense elevado ao redor do filme é magnífico. Os elementos são postos no seu momento exato, fazendo com que nos adentremos ao filme e com que tenhamos uma maior empatia com os personagens. As atuações do casal são satisfatórias e ambos personagens são bem escritos. Os filhos também fazem bem seu papel. Porém, algo me incomodou muito: os jumpscares.

Eu não consegui adentrar na atmosfera de terror que o filme se esforçava tanto em passar, verdade seja dita, me senti mais num suspense do que tudo. Vários Jumpscares são jogados a tela e, além de serem muito previsíveis, nem se quer assustam. Fazendo uma analogia simples, é como se o terror dependesse de um balde d'água. A água pertencente ali é a atmosfera. Sem que o balde esteja cheio, sentimos uma sensação de previsibilidade e acomodação, pois nada nos incomoda. De acordo com que a água sobe de nível, vamos nos sentindo mais inseguros e ansiosos, e ao chegar ao topo, seria então permitido um jumpscare, pois ai seria eficiente. Ou então que se faça como alguns filmes que simplesmente o deixa transbordar. Aqui há um rush, onde tudo parece muito desesperado e clichê.… Expand

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9

tarekaliNov 13, 2021

There are some movies that cause a visceral reaction, that lodge into your subconscious for days on end and leave a lasting scare. These movies also age well, and offer the same feeling of dread and helplessness years later. I last felt thisThere are some movies that cause a visceral reaction, that lodge into your subconscious for days on end and leave a lasting scare. These movies also age well, and offer the same feeling of dread and helplessness years later. I last felt this way with the original remake Grudge of 2004, to the point of sleeplessness for days. Since then I became immune to horror as it's a steady diet of ours, but Sinister scarred again and opened old terrors, even after a rewatch years apart. The movie disturbs on multiple levels, particularly in the thought that innocent kids can be turned into monsters of unimaginable cruelty, a sad parallel to the world today. In the case of Sinister it's particularly terrifying to imagine what ancient evils [and demons] lurk amongst us, silently moving from one victim family to another. Just how many crimes go unexplained and filed away into cold case status, with supernatural aspects that no one wishes to root cause or cure. The found footage aspect of Sinister is heart chilling, the cold methodical way in which entire families are put to death. All the time you swing between pity and disgust at the character played by Ethan Hawke, an obsessed writer aware of the impending danger but unable to resist the temptation to exploit it.… Expand

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6

Dungeon00XNov 23, 2019

Sinister is pretty disappointing once you put all the pieces together before the protagonist does. I say that because it's hinted at throughout the movie, and how Ellison doesn't get any of this through his thick skull is an incredible signSinister is pretty disappointing once you put all the pieces together before the protagonist does. I say that because it's hinted at throughout the movie, and how Ellison doesn't get any of this through his thick skull is an incredible sign of stupidity.… Expand

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10

Tanmay1222Sep 25, 2019

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Amazing story and movie.good characters and mysterious film. A horror movie should be that level frightening!! Nice starting and ending.… Expand

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6

rappM95Jul 19, 2020

Standard horror trope movie with good execution on the cinematography. The opening scene is very ominous, and hooks the viewer. I've not seen a lot of movies that have something like that. Ethan Hawke is a good leading man. Not a lot of 'jumpStandard horror trope movie with good execution on the cinematography. The opening scene is very ominous, and hooks the viewer. I've not seen a lot of movies that have something like that. Ethan Hawke is a good leading man. Not a lot of 'jump scares', but the atmosphere is dark and the score induces subtle anxiety.… Expand

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8

akshatmahajanMay 24, 2021

Sinister was different horror experience for me. It had well written story, quality actors and a genuinely creepy atmosphere. Ethan Hawke's role as true crime author is well performed. The chilling tone is set from the opening scene and itSinister was different horror experience for me. It had well written story, quality actors and a genuinely creepy atmosphere. Ethan Hawke's role as true crime author is well performed. The chilling tone is set from the opening scene and it slowly builds throughout the film. Overall, would recommend this to horror drama fans.… Expand

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7

MrPajamasJun 29, 2022

It looked pretty cool at first, but nothing that really caught my attention. What got me right away, though, were the scenes from the footage that pulled this film the most for me. I really liked that. I love watching tapes like that, or anyIt looked pretty cool at first, but nothing that really caught my attention. What got me right away, though, were the scenes from the footage that pulled this film the most for me. I really liked that. I love watching tapes like that, or any recordings in a horror movie. Boogie Man was also good, and scared the crap out of me twice. I really can't remember the last time I got scared at a horror movie. Maybe it's because I was really into it because of how much I liked it, or just hilarious jumpscares. The ending was also in style. Pleasantly surprised. I didn't expect it to end the way it did. Summarum, in my opinion a very successful horror film, lacking perhaps only an even better soundtrack, which was not bad at all, but nothing I will always remember. However, I thought it was a good film and I can recommend it to fans of horror.… Expand

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9

JLauSep 25, 2020

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. True-crime writer moves into a murdered family's house when writing a book without warning his wife about it but doesn't know the rules, so by moving house again, gets his family killed.… Expand

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9

SeislmveiaJun 23, 2021

It's a great horror film, is one of the best one I've seen in all my life. The stories that are involved just are incredibles and gripping, and I like the sense that they put on it, the sensibility of the children to that type of scary things.

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7

atabeyordekciAug 18, 2021

Washed-up true crime writer Ellison Oswalt finds a box of super 8 home movies in his new home that suggest the murder that he is currently researching is the work of a serial killer whose legacy dates back to the 1960s. (7)

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8

KiKlJul 29, 2022

Sinister is a very horrifying and creepy movie. Without spoiling too much, I thought the movie was disturbing due to the plot and the way it was displayed. I quite liked the balance between jump scares and other more psychological ways ofSinister is a very horrifying and creepy movie. Without spoiling too much, I thought the movie was disturbing due to the plot and the way it was displayed. I quite liked the balance between jump scares and other more psychological ways of scaring the audience. However, I did not like the way that the movie turned towards spiritualism in the end, since it was really unexpected and it felt like a quick and not very thought through way of ending the movie. Overall, I think Sinister is a great horror movie, and for somebody like me who does not watch a lot of horror movies, it gave me a good scare.… Expand

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Sinister

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