Canada, United Kingdom, United States of America

HorrorThrillerMystery

DrowningPennsylvaniaUsaWritingChild murderSnuffTapeHome movie footageMurderMassacrePower outageHeld captiveHangingDeathCar fireAtticOccultSuper 8mm footageMoving inCrime novelistNovel writingSupernatural horror

Scott Derrickson

Ethan Hawke, Juliet Rylance, Vincent D'Onofrio, James Ransone, Fred Thompson, Clare Foley

C. Robert Cargill

Automatik Entertainment, Blumhouse Productions, Alliance Films, IM Global, Summit Entertainment

Taglines: Once you see him, nothing can save you.

True-crime writer Ellison Oswald is in a slump; he hasn't had a best seller in more than 10 years and is becoming increasingly desperate for a hit. So, when he discovers the existence of a snuff film showing the deaths of a family, he vows to solve the mystery. He moves his own family into the victims' home and gets to work. However, when old film footage and other clues hint at the presence of a supernatural force, Ellison learns that living in the house may be fatal.

Reviews:

Author: John Chard
Bughuul the Bastard! After moving himself and his family into a new house that was the scene of a horrendous crime, true-crime writer Ellison Oswalt (Ethan Hawke) finds a box of 8mm "snuff" films that suggest the murder he is currently researching is the work of a serial killer whose career dates some way back still further... It is becoming the un-reviewable genre, horror that is, there are just too many splinters of horror to choose from and so many people to cater for. There are many who stand up and proudly proclaim that they will watch any horror film and view it on its own terms, yet in this new millennium age that doesn't appear to be the case. I know I'm at fault, I hate torture porn and excessive grue type films, they just bore me, so can I review Hostel 9, Saw 27 and Wrong Turn 12 fairly? No, I don't think I can. I mean the human body can only be sliced up in so many different ways, right? Right? Vice Versa, can someone who loves Argento, Roth and the like, review fairly a boo-jump ghost story that caters for those who want to wet themselves when something jumps out of a cupboard? I really don't think so, but I digress... Sinister is a wonderfully creepy movie that deals firmly in the realm of demons who come into the real world to cause unmitigating terror and heartbreak. It has no "axe" to grind with the blood thirsty who want to see arteries sliced and diced, it just wants to put a protagonist front and centre as he gets in way above his head, have his family come under serious threat; especially the child (oh my, the children...), and throw in the odd "boo-jump" moment to keep the pant wetters happy. The video footage used to show us the previous crimes unnerves greatly and there's a strong mystery element to keep the intrigue level high, whilst the ending doesn't cop out in the slightest. Hawke is excellent, perfectly portraying a man horrified yet submerged by the need to unravel the story, but his turn is sadly balanced by Juliet Rylance as the wife who seems unable to generate believable emotion. This film really isn't for any horror fan who isn't into the "demon in the real world" type horror; like Insidious for example. While those who like this splinter of horror and still decry it brings nothing new to the table, I'll ask again, well what would you like to see brought to the table then? I love this sub-genre of horror, and I feel Sinister is one of the best films of its type in recent years. Its reputation amongst like minded adults is well founded...just don't watch the trailer first, mind! 8/10