Sinister II

Sinister II (Rotten.T)
Sinister II (IMDb)

Directed by: Ciaran Foy
Written by: C.Roberts Cargill, Scott Derrickson
Run time: 90 Minutes
Rating: 15


Rotten.T: 3.9/10
IMDb:      5.5/10
Me:           3/10
Audience: N/A

There aren't a good deal of scary movies out there that actually scare you. For me most of them actually make me laugh, and not at awkward laugh because I just jumped out of my skin. The sequel to Sinister, released three years previous, was highly recommended for a watch. It truly had me excited, as I can imagine, it did for a lot of others and to tell you the truth, I was thoroughly disappointed. The first sinister played on a family that new of the murders and the father investigating it, bringing his family in to the cycle. In the sequel there is no evidence for the mother to realise that anything 'unholy' is happening and she remains anonymous to the whole plot undergoing by some disappear-reappear ghost children manipulating the brothers. 

With some knowledge from the first film you will know how the cycle works, revealed towards the end, and you know that this will not be linked with anyone in the family from the first film. However in the opening scenes of Sinister II you see the officer from the first who was inevitably fired due to being a suspect for the murder of the first films family. Of course
not much of the story will change from the first because there isn't much you can change however it did have some potential to do some good which the film never seemed to do. I mean horror watchers, nowadays, are very critical and do not want to see disappear-reappear ghosts which is easily the worst part of the film. We saw none of them in the first, hence why we loved it so who's light bulb above head moment was it to think, let's make them disappear. That'll scare the shit out of them. Who ever it was should get the sack. It certainly doesn't take a monkey with half the IQ of a walnut to figure that one out. Let's hopes it the latter so we can excuse them for their first but not only mistake they made in this film. 

It took me roughly 5-10 minutes to already find an inconsistency with the film. I wasn't even trying to find it, I may have looked around the scene by chance when it appeared but it near enough jumped out and said hello. This scene was right at the beginning when the officer from the first came to burn the house and the mother  ran over to speak to him. At this point when the camera changes from him to her then her to him the wooden boards on the windows of the church disappear and reappear just like the children. I wasn't sure there was wood heaven but I suppose we already have the magic children so why not? 

The beauty of the first was no one had any idea what was going to happen, how it was going to pan out and why the hell the children were near enough executing their parents. I mean I know my mum got me a razor for Christmas and my brothers portable gaming devices but that doesn't mean I want to stab her a few times then hang her upside and wait for her to bleed out. However this would of course made it difficult to write and direct the second. We already knew what happens to the children, what the cycle is and why this Pagen god does it so what knew can you give us? I know it wouldn't be disappear-reappear 
ghosts because that's an awfu.... oh okay never mind. 

The first thing I said when the film finished,however, was. WHY THE HELL DID YOU NOT SMASH THAT CAMERA THE FIRST TIME? To be honest he should have hit the kid harder with the car and kept the camera. The whole idea with the manipulation was good though and upped the film for me. Using the 'favourite' child against the 'bully' one creating a lust for the 'bully' child to take over and do a better job. I have never wanted to kill my parents to prove a point to my sister but there you go. 

And the films, jeese louise. They just added to the already good but messed up few from the first. These ones were even better and more messed up. Using more barbaric and medieval ways to kill the parents making it a bit more painful and taking longer to die. My personal favourite being the rats. I wasn't sure how I felt towards the children showing off what they did because would they really still be that happy with what they have done?

I also loved how the Pagen God only keeps the successful children, and near enough destroys those who fail. Showing exclusivity of the 'Killed my Family' Club. This does answer a the question from the first: what happens if they fail? They are touched by him and are ultimately destroyed from the face of the earth and the only evidence being the pile of ash that is slowly drifting away.

The main thing that ruined it for my other half was the face at the end, not only is that a GIANT horror cliche but it changes your perception of the Pagen God. Throughout both the first and second film, he is a very cool and collective God, who has no need to run, no need for fast movements because he is a friggin GOD. So why on earth would he swiftly appear from the side whilst someone turns on by itself. He should just appear behind him.

I really want your opinions on this so please leave your thoughts on this film on the comments box or if not contact me to the right of the page and I may quote you in my review. 

Thank you!

Happy Reading

Categories: Horror