Director: Jacob Chase
Writers: Jacob Chase, David Leslie Johnson-McGoldrick, Leigh Whannell
Stars: Amelia Eve, Island Austin, Lin Shaye
Synopsis: Gemma, a young mother raising her daughter in the house she grew up in, discovers she can travel into The Further, where she possesses an ability to bring what lives there back to the real world.
We’re in the final days of summer. Most of the big blockbusters have already been released, and now a mix of indie films and studio projects are competing for the attention of audiences. The new installment in the Insidious series will certainly draw in fans familiar with the franchise and hungry for some scares in the comfort of a cold theater. Insidious: Out of the Further steps away from the Lambert family and introduces a new cast of fresh faces who venture into the Further.
Gemma (Amelia Eve) is a dental hygienist in a small town and a single mother to her daughter Maya (Island Austin). Twenty years earlier, she witnessed her mother seemingly commit suicide in their home after battling what she believed was depression and a manic episode. Gemma has tried her best to leave the past behind and raise her daughter to have a normal life, but her past refuses to stay buried. There’s unfinished business between her, her mother, and the place franchise fans know all too well: The Further. Gemma slips between the real world and The Further in a race to protect the people she loves — with help from a familiar face guiding her along the way.
In 2026, we’re now six films deep into the Insidious franchise. Every story has been connected through Elise Rainer, played by the wonderful Lin Shaye. I’ve always enjoyed her role as the paranormal investigator willing to help anyone, but she deserves a stronger script. In this installment, she’s given limited screen time, and her appearance feels like an Avenger popping up in a non–team‑up Marvel movie — just long enough to say “Hey!,” have a quick fight scene, and disappear into the darkness.
We’re introduced to new characters like Brandon Perea’s Nick, Gemma’s boyfriend who wants to pull her out of the constant state of franticness caused by living in her childhood home. His character would’ve worked better as a paranormal investigator rather than someone tied to the police force. Then there’s Maisie Richardson‑Sellers as Clare, a tattoo artist who can astral project and is clearly meant to serve as a spiritual guide for Gemma, stepping in for Elise within the Further. Blumhouse still struggles to write characters of color with little backlash from fans of color, and Clare is no exception. She’s not given a proper backstory — how she can astral project, how she knows Elise, or even why she’s a tattoo artist. These new characters feel like tropes checked off a list of “people typically found in a horror movie.”
One aspect of the film I genuinely enjoyed was the practical effects and makeup on the spirits from The Further. The prosthetics remain slimy, colorless, and creepy as ever. The makeup department’s work is never a disappointment and is one of the elements that keeps me coming back. The cinematography by David Garbett is reminiscent of the earlier films. I appreciated the increased POV shots, the wide establishing shots of the Further, and noticeable improvements from The Red Door. Garbett, who worked on Ash vs Evil Dead, Evil Dead Rise, and Lee Cronin’s The Mummy, is a mainstay in the horror genre. If he continues to refine his craft, I think award wins could be in his future.
Joseph Bishara’s score, however, is lacking the tension and unsettling energy that made his work in earlier entries so memorable. It feels like he copied and pasted cues from past Insidious films. Nothing stood out or made me sit up and think, “Oh, Bishara is cooking now!”
Blumhouse makes their movies on cheap budgets, and they always turn a profit — that’s their model. But is it wrong to want them to put more effort into their scripts and storytelling? I wasn’t pleased with much in this movie aside from a few decent scares in the first half, strong practical effects and makeup, and solid cinematography. I’m happy for Lin Shaye, though, because she’ll be back for the next film. Let’s hope she brings a better story with her.
