Insidious Inferno (2023) Review
Insidious Inferno (2023) Review
In INSIDIOUS INFERNO, a secluded cottage becomes the stage for a terrifying sequence of gruesome murders. Unbeknownst to the unsuspecting inhabitants, a malevolent and otherworldly presence lurks within the very walls they call home.
As the body count rises, a couple residing in the cottage finds themselves at the heart of this nightmarish ordeal. Determined to uncover the truth and break free from the clutches of this supernatural entity, they embark on a harrowing journey to solve the mystery of the cursed grounds they inhabit.
Time becomes their enemy as they delve deeper into the dark history of the cottage and encounter unsettling paranormal occurrences. With each step they take towards unravelling the chilling enigma, they inadvertently open the door to a fiery inferno that threatens to consume them and everything they hold dear.
As the couple’s sanity is pushed to the brink and their lives hang in the balance, they must summon every ounce of courage and resilience to confront the malevolence that has taken hold of their once-idyllic sanctuary. Can they uncover the sinister secrets hidden within the cottage’s walls and put an end to the murderous rampage before it’s too late? Or will their relentless pursuit of truth and escape ultimately lead them to a fate worse than they could ever imagine?
INSIDIOUS INFERNO, written and directed by Calvin Morie McCarthy, wears its influences heavily on its sleeve. There’s a scene where Monica (Stephanie Leet) stares off to the side of camera, manically grinning into space as the camera slowly zooms in, that screams of a similar scene where THE SHINING’s Jack Torrence does the same. Elsewhere there’s more than a nod or two to Lucio Fulci’s GATES OF HELL trilogy, especially THE BEYOND, whereby the imagery trumps any semblance of narrative logic.
Initially INSIDIOUS INFERNO is a bit of a slog, and it doesn’t help matters that Monica’s husband André (Neil Green) is such an arse. Every time Monica says or does anything André is there ready to let her know that he knows better than her and you’re left longing and hoping that he’ll meet with a grisly end sooner rather than later.
When he comes across a blind woman Mary (Chynna Rae Shurts) in the woods – who seems to have materialised out of nowhere – wearing a ghostly white dress, André fails to comment on the oddness of such a circumstance and we are left thinking that it must be every day for him that a young, blind woman, who evidently knows more about Monica and himself that she should do, warns him that they should leave the house.
The second half is better constructed, plays better and is just about worth sitting through the slow and aggravating first half to get to. It’s very silly and nonsensical but captivates you all the same as the small cast gamely tackle the supernatural and murderous aspects of the script with straight faces. And on a superficial level Steve Larkin as Dorian Tobin Ryan, and who previously caught my eye and delivered an impressive performance in EXORCISM IN UTERO, is easy on the eye and brightens up every scene that he’s in.
