SINISTER

Sinister Movie Review

True crime author Ellison Oswalt (Ethan Hawke, Alive, The Purge) moves his family into the house the subjects of his work in progress lived in when they were killed; it's there he discovers a bunch of old reels that reveal the family may have fallen victim to a serial killer that has been around since the 1960s, but it turns out the truth is much more...malevolent.

What, you expected me to say sinister?

This 2012 horror film plays out like many films of the past ten or so years--it tells a creepy ghost or possession story, builds the story somewhat slowly, throws in scares here and there, and culminates with a big ending. There are a couple things that separate this one from the pack, however, starting with the film's lead--Ethan Hawke turns in a performance that outshines practically every other actor in a similar role. Vincent D'Onofrio stops by for a brief, uncredited appearance, and is his usual awesome self. The death scenes are some of the most brutal and imaginative ones in recent memory. Take away the obligatory jump scares and the the movie is scarier than most similar films.

Bughuul is a scary dude

The story, while not entirely original, is an interesting one that will keep you hooked, and to say the ending is memorable would be an understatement. On the down side, a lot of the supporting performances are a bit weak, the movie plays out a bit long, and some of the aesthetics need to be taken with a grain of salt. Sinister stands as one of the finer horror films of the last five years, and certainly one of the better ones to hit theaters in that time.

On A Scale Of One To Ten:7

Sinister Movie Trailer