Scream Stream: A recap of Insidious film series to prepare you for the dark realm ruled by the red-faced demon

Horror films are addictive. The adrenaline rush you get watching the jump-scare scenes that builds up the thrill is fun. However, the usual scenes and stories of haunted houses can get boring and monotonous after a point in time. To break that monotony, watch Insidious. It offers a scary and thrilling ride with a completely different storyline, a rarity in horror cinema.  

Even though the film was made with a low budget, it stood out as one of the scariest films with its out-of-the-box story. It is a series where essentially nobody dies, a rarity in horror films as horror stories always have death. Unlike other horror films, Insidious explores the afterlife and ghosts in the astral plane. 

The real answer to why this film franchise is so popular could be for its portrayal of the strength of a family and how far one can go to protect it. The film does not have gory bloodshed scenes or gruesome deaths but it still manages to keep you engrossed in its story. Also, the film is created by the horror films genius James Wan and Leigh Whannell who has written the first three films, starring in them and also directed the third film of the franchise. The franchise, which has four films so far, has grossed over $500 million. 

And now, to much surprise, the franchise will deliver another sequel. The fifth film in the franchise was confirmed at Blumfest in October last year. Insidious 5 will mark the directorial debut of Patrick Wilson. He will also be seen reprising his role as Josh Lambert. 

Before Insidious 5 hit the theatres, here's a recap of the four films to familiarise you or get your timelines straight.

Insidious

The first film of the series revolves around a couple with their son who slips into a vegetative state. With no medical explanation for his condition, the couple then finds the reason behind the coma of their son - he's being haunted by ghosts in an astral plane or 'The Further' who are trying to grab what they want the most: life. The story then follows them trying to save their son whose soul is stuck behind the red door. His father Josh Lambert succeeds in bringing him back alive after he enters into the other world himself. 

Insidious: Chapter 2

Josh also returns to the real world after saving his son but it isn't actually him who gets back to his family. Much later into the story, his wife Renai realises that it isn't her husband who has returned to her but one of the spirits. She then unravels the horrifying secret that's been haunting the family. The film became a box office success grossing over $160 million worldwide.

Insidious: Chapter 3

The film is a prequel to the first two films that show the Lambert family being haunted. It follows the story of a girl Quinn who gets haunted by a demon after she tries communicating to her dead mother. Lin Shaye, who plays the paranormal investigator, then help rescue her. 

Insidious: The Last Key

The fourth instalment of the franchise, the film is actually the second in the chronology of the story running through the series. The story revolves around parapsychologist Elise Rainier as she investigates a haunting in her childhood home. Elise returns to her childhood home after she receives a call from her niece who spots another paranormal activity in the house. Elise decides to take the case on to repair her relationship with her brother whom she abandons and runs away to escape her abusive father. Though the film did not really open to positive responses, it grossed the highest of all films in the series. It grossed $167 million worldwide and Shaye's performance in the film was praised by the critics. 

Insidious 5

The fifth instalment is likely to be titled Insidious: The Dark Realm and will release in 2022. The film will mark the directorial debut of Patrick Wilson. It will also have Patrick Wilson and Ty Simpkins reprising their roles as father and son, Josh and Dalton Lambert respectively.