Sinister - Movie Review by Chris Stuckmann

Chris Stuckmann reviews Sinister, starring Ethan Hawke Vincent D'Onofrio and James Ransone. Directed by Scott Derrickson.

[@megthewanted123]

The music in the tapes was what messed me up the most in this movie. Oh and the lawnmower scene.

[@jordana6463]

Yes, I felt like my stomach clenched and I had to vomit with the lawnmower. I felt sick and sacred at the ending with the daughter, what got me annoyed is that he should of talked to the daughter more but I think that's what the sequel is for. 😀😖

[@hugosantos989]

+megthewanted123 i didn't find the movie scary but the aftermath of watching the movie was scary, for 2 days every rime i was alone i was paranoid and freaked out at everything, thats how you know you just watched a good horror movie

[@MasterEsreveer]

+Hugo Santos same, like the jump scares were super annoying but when i left the theater everything was terrifying lol.

[@hugosantos989]

MasterEsreveer worse part is that in the movie the kids always disappear, so when i looked i was like ''well, of course if they were they now they aren't''

[@MasterEsreveer]

***** Legit the only jumpscare that got me xD, everything else was pretty corny.

[@ArgoX2007]

I hated the fact that everyone in this movie seemed to enjoy walking around the house at night without turning any lights on...

[@sugandhakohli]

more like every horror movie ever

[@Xsector360]

ArgoX2007 If you rewatch the film you'll see that the power actually gets cut quite early on.

[@AyanaSioux]

Personally, my family walks in the dark. But we don't really fear the dark. Anytime I walk downstairs in my house, it's in the dark.

[@GoddessArkasha]

Omg I said that too it was way to dark and creepy

[@eugenkramaric1173]

@@sugandhakohli hahahaha

[@5carecrow94]

That lawnmower scene. That GOT DAYUM lawnmower scene.

[@Luke-fj2dj]

5carecrow94 it was so unexpected just lawn mower..still lawnmower...BAM HERES A BODY LAYING IN THE PATH OF THE LAWNMOWER

[@B.Love88]

My heart almost stopped at that scence! There are not many horror mpvies that scare me! That god damn lawnmower scene is the most intense scene I have ever watched!

[@lunalaver2379]

I'm ashamed to say I let out a scream at that bloody scene. It got me.

[@lesperdants]

i know this is a really old comment but could any of you tell me this scene again ? i watched this movie a long time ago and i don't remember this... (and don't wanna watch again, of course)

[@1Haaku]

@@lesperdants just search it up on yt ^^

[@nicetsukki]

god, the opening shot will stay with me forever. Sinister will always be one of my favourite horror films.

[@siriplaydopethrone8973]

I just watched it. Holy FUCK.

[@millsykooksy4863]

same

[@headcaptainyamamoto7015]

Same, it disturbs me so much i have only watched like two times ever since it came out

[@Stardust_7273]

Me too. That scene hooked me and I couldn’t get it out of my head

[@extrememachine3293]

I just watched it end I thought it was pretty bad

[@ArchdukeOfBelgrade]

Honestly one of those films that actually got me scared.

[@mikeyestrada1674]

How is this movie scary lmaoooo 😂😂😂 this is the worst and cheesiest film with zero horror in it. It’s just terrible.

[@darkhaven9119]

@@mikeyestrada1674 you have shitty taste

[@vincentbedard4267]

To me the highlight of the movie are the tapes scene . These legitimately put me on on edge when I saw them.But the ending was kind of underwhelming though .

[@ryanadams1433]

Agree

[@jakethesnake6873]

I respectfully disagree. the ending was one of the best scenes in the movie

[@vincentbedard4267]

I have seen this movie a few months ago , maybe my memory isn't very accurate.

[@raycocker639]

+Vincent Bédard I agree, the ending could've been executed better in my opinion.

[@Xsector360]

Vincent Bédard I thought the ending was good, but the final scare was really cheap.

[@clairedrew7335]

the thing that made the movie for me was the sounds. the music gave off a very unsettling vibe, especially during the tapes (probably most notably the sleepy time tape).take away the music and it wouldnt be that scary to be honest.

[@elicola123100]

Every time he was watching the tapes at night (which is very stupid) I used to lower the volume to 10.

[@miltonweinhold6859]

dude! same

[@sirnoba5507]

the car BBQ gave me night terrors, the tribal music was just... i basically had to cover my ears when re-watching it...

[@ztlabraptor211]

Sir Noba I'm so glad somebody else mentioned this! The music is so unsettling in this scene and I just felt so disturbed and I couldn't explain it

[@TheSonicChaotix]

I personally thought this movie deserved an A. The first movie in YEARS to actually scare me. I could not sleep in the dark for a week after seeing this film in the theater. It was truly terrifying, as it was a creepy movie that didn't have (THAT MANY) jumpscares, or at least down to a minimum.

[@hibye-by3yb]

ur safe as long as you don't have kids

[@emilengen7825]

hi bye you're*

[@Kelarys]

If he had typed your, fine, but ur is just the lazy way, not the actually wrong way, and it was also posted 4 months ago. I normally have no issue with grammar nazis, but that was completely unnecessary

[@misswiss278]

@@hibye-by3yb what if you are the kid?

[@hibye-by3yb]

MissWiss then ur absolutely fucked

[@Bobbybg33k]

I kept yelling at Ethan Hawk to turn on the lights. Why didn't he just turn on the light? The lawnmower scene is the one that got to me the most.

[@bane1504]

Dude, that clip was fucked. It was simple yet horrendously effective. You KNEW what was coming and yet if anything it made it more disturbing and scary. One of the rare effective executions of dread in a horror.

[@kyokun47]

Marlon Shepard Or maybe it was just the loud jumpscare sound. Naaah.

[@WoWGirl6]

That’s hilarious. Though I doubt supernatural entities would care if the light was on or not 😂

[@FazeFysix]

There’s was actually a power outage early on in the movie if you even pay attention to the story

[@TheArmouredAlechemist]

I was home alone a little while ago at night and Sinister was on the TV. I thought I would watch it because I love horror like the Conjuring and insidious and I've heard it was a good film. Twenty minuets into the film I turned the TV off and went to bed with the bed sheets over my head and curled up into a ball hoping I would be safe. Do not watch this film alone in a house by yourself.

[@annestrelle1024]

Did it and I was so terrified by that movie that I thought I wouldn't get through the night xD

[@TheArmouredAlechemist]

Annelie Steinke I did warn you!

[@Elldorado12]

+The Armoured Alchemist I did it too, I couldn't sleep for a week, whenever I close my eyes, I see his face

[@TheArmouredAlechemist]

Outhmane Rassili Funny thing is now I've seen the movie all the way through and I didn't find it scary or anything like that I thought it was a weak move. *sighs* I got worked up other nothing hehe.

[@taiyo1008]

+The Armoured Alchemist bruh I watched this at my grandmas in Japan, a big house in the middle of NOWHERE in an old wooden house, minimal lighting....bruh bruh BRUH

[@BradyMatteson]

The monster looks like mick from slipknot. Now all I see is that when I see the monster lol.

[@rafaeltrivino1790]

Brady Matteson finally someone said it.

[@michaelsmith4691]

+Brady Matteson SAME though, that's the first thing I said to my brother when I saw it.

[@RisaPlays]

+Brady Matteson My first thought was Michael Jackson XD

[@MasterEsreveer]

+Risa Plays XD

[@loscopihues2343]

+Brady Matteson i can't unsee

[@dennisbeck4197]

I really liked the movie, but i think the 4th wall breaking jump scare at the end was just a stupid ending :/

[@12ealDealOfficial]

It was. I thought the jump scares with the kids running around was dumb as well. Film didn't need it, in my opinion.

[@MangaSlayer102]

SpongeBob SquarePants I personally liked it it made my closest friend almost flip the recliner he was sitting on

[@StayFractalesque]

jump scares are fine but they just need to be balanced against true tension, which this movie does in spades

[@WoWGirl6]

Yeah but it was minor. I agree they could have left it out. They overdid it a little. But they already won me over when they revealed the daughter’s cruel intentions. So it didn’t bother me as much.

[@MangaSlayer102]

CrowdControlQueen the daughters cruel intentions were because that’s what the boogie man did manipulated children

[@cawimmer430]

I'm a huge horror movie fan. But lately, horror movies have been really disappointing. Except THIS ONE. This movie scared the **** out of me, and had me on the edge of my seat (and hiding beneath my blanket). Loved it.

[@kreater120]

+Christian W IKR I swear man, I was watching this movie with a half meter distance of my monitor xD

[@sarcasticdude2320]

But it is not scary.

[@kedricmanson9873]

@@sarcasticdude2320 What don’t you find scary? Those super 8 films were definitely scary and it has an unsettling atmosphere.

[@sarcasticdude2320]

@@kedricmanson9873 but I was not scared.

[@sarcasticdude2320]

@@kedricmanson9873 plus and to elaborate a little more the movie as a whole was not scary or frightening.

[@Nightmare096]

My one issue with this movie is the part during "Pool party '66" when he paused the 8mm. You can't do that without IMMEDIATE burning of film.

[@SKULLYkiid]

It did catch on fire thoooo

[@Nightmare096]

True, but it would have been quicker. Maybe about two seconds.

[@1m2a3t4t5]

+Nightmare096 who cares?

[@Nightmare096]

1m2a3t4t5 I've always been a stickler for accuracy. Maybe a little too much, but when someone gets everything right it boosts my opinion of them greatly.

[@Yessir432]

+Nightmare096 Another inaccuracy: if the films regenerate after Ellison burns them all, why can't the pool party ending scene regenerate after it catches fire?

[@Didymusartist]

I completely agree, but the best thing about this movie for me is the fucking soundtrack! Best horror movie soundtrack Ive ever heard. The contrast with almost soothing tracks used in the murder scenes are just from another world.

[@betheprotag]

If you watched this movie in the dark at night and actually focused on the entire movie and say it "didn't scare you," I call bullshit, because I can't sleep for shit tonight, I just keep thinking about it all, and the tapes just flash through my head. Can't wait to be able to sleep again...

[@Urban_King1]

Just saw it at 4:30am and yeah this one is creepy, it kinda feels like this is the only horror film i have seen in 2 years and now i'm going to sleep... but i hear weird noises in my house...

[@TheRegretedURL]

It turned 4:56AM when I finished the movie... I was sleepy as hell but could not sleep with the image in my head. It did not scare me that much while watching it (here and there, occasional scares), but the image of baguel (or however his name is spelled, the child eater), was burnt into my head, and I couldn't go to sleep imaging that I'd wake up with a fucking box on the end of my bed.

[@TheRegretedURL]

suckyamotha Same here, I was hearing them throughout the movie and was freaked the fuck out. I heard one loud bang near the end of the movie... Turns out it was just my parents, they knocked something over *wipes sweat off forehead*. But I still don't know what the noises in the wall were O_O

[@123foolers]

was not scared one bit i loved it

[@ArcLightShock37]

It didn't scare me. It creeped me out a bit now and then, but it didn't genuinely, bone deep scare me. Only two things (delivered by artificial medium) ever have. Amnesia the Dark Descent (game) and Antichrist (movie). Now those fucking scared me.

[@MondoConnie]

I want to watch this again. The ropes in the trees. The creaking!!!... It was relentless. It had a Raimi feel to it. It builds and builds. The silence was deafening. It shows how simple it is not to fuck up a scary movie.

[@CornIsYellow]

The first few Super 8 reels were terrifying because of the soundtracks. The lawnmower reel was terrifying because it had no sound. How can a movie absolutely nail it like this? It's crazy.

[@jgwentworth34]

i first watched this 2 years ago in the basement with all lights off with nobody home and when that lawnmower scene came on i was probably the most frightened I've ever been. cant believe i finished it down there.

[@BarryHart-xo1oy]

You’ve got nerves of steel.

[@moviechic07]

I can honestly say I can only watch this once. I slept with the lights on and that movie traumatized me.

[@brianmiller7447]

I liked this because the main character acted like a real person. He didn't immediately assume something supernatural was going on and he got out when there was no questioning it. Also his alcoholism along with not wanting to scare his family makes it convincing for him to try and keep calm and not wake his family.

[@zamirstuff]

The only thing I hated about this movie was the very ending *Spoiler Alert* The jump-scare, and wasn't even scary because was too predictable, there were betters ways to end the film than the jump-scare

[@m00rons]

+Zamir A. Hernandez When I saw Sinister I was seriously thinking to myself "This is the best film of 2012", until I watched the end. The end was so shit, it left me in a shock, cos I really loved the movie up to that point. So well made and creepy.

[@hugosantos989]

+Zamir A. Hernandez true, for 2 minutes i was expecting a jumpscare

[@aderemiporsche]

Damn. Chris has changed. Speaking from 2019.

[@eldonmati]

Am I the only one who hated the thing with the children? Like when they were running around behind Ethan Hawke or like when the little girl at the end was "possesed" or something... I just didn't like it. The make up on the kids was lame and I don't know... The whole thing with the children being the ones that commited all the murders was just ridiculous to me...

[@Luke-fj2dj]

Steven Matthews I thought the children twist was good since they are satisfying that demon by feeding him their soul but the scene with the children behind him wasn't very good. It was well shot just it wasn't necessary. And at the end it made my jaw drop when the deputy so and so told him the pattern after watching the kids do it and all you could think of was "he's next oh my god I'm gonna watch that film where the kids kill him" just the scene with the long lost children running rampant in the house was a bit unnecessary

[@eldonmati]

Luke6 I don't know man... It just didn't work for me :(

[@jonk5628]

Steven Matthews I agree. Why bring such a tired, over used and irritating cliche as children with creepy voices, unrealistic make up and their heads tilted at 45 degrees whenever they speak. I liked elements of this film but when the cliches all came pouring out ... it just had my eyes rolling. The cheap jump scare at the very end? Come on!

[@horrorstateofmind2724]

loved the soundtrack to this movie, it was eerie and surreal

[@gagabitch54]

You should review a Spanish horror film called [Rec]

[@mahmudurlimon76]

man of culture

[@nicolemenzies8438]

My favourite scene in this movie is when Ethan Hawke walks down the hallway and the ghost boy is running behind him and when he turns around he disappears , it's in slow motion and beautifully done!!

[@sauronbastard1307]

This was genuinely a very creepy movie, when i first saw it, it really scared the shyyte out of me, the music is so unsettling when he watches those home videos, and that bit when he is in the garden at night and with the dogs wow.and that boogy man is also scary. vincent Dinofrio gives some great acting as the professor giving us insight to what is happening and my only nagg really was the cop, his character as the akward cop there to help settle the tension didnt really work!! give it a B+ ,

[@gelm9992]

god, sinister was so terrifying to me. it genuinely scared the heebie jeebies out of me! esp in theaters.. cuz when i watched it at home again, i wasnt as scared.. still. there was just something about it. the overall feel/ambiance of it was so creepy! definitely on my list of top 20 best scary movies. i just have to add, though, that the second one - sinister 2- TERRIBLE! absolute crap. wasnt scary at all, didnt do the first one justice, and just sucked mad ass, imo. but i still loved the first one, and would say its actually a really well made film! two thumbs up!

[@deanomontano9820]

Gel M great horror competes with insidious and the conjuring the scene were he was going around the house at night were kids kept following him that was scary as hell😂

[@maureen100001]

exactly. why did they even make a second one. it ruinee the franchise beyond repair

[@Shannirae]

Yep. It’s the Lawnmower scene.... watching the film clips was by far the creepiest aspect of this movie for me, but the final film reel.... beyond messed up! Not as scary as some others, but very well done ... a slow overall uneasiness descends that sticks with you. 👍🏻

[@ImTroxic]

Godammit, I just found you and know I have to go through and watch everyone of your amazing reviews on every movie I've ever seen.

[@Locadel2003]

Top 5 most terrifying horror movies of the 2010s

[@manmaw_prod]

wait, THERE'S A MAN CARD???????????

[@Command720Z]

You didn't get yours?

[@manmaw_prod]

no one told me about...

[@alice6035]

animeguy3231 Not knowing about a man card is reason for removal of man card.

[@manmaw_prod]

but what if i never had one to begin with

[@alice6035]

animeguy3231 That's because you didn't know about it

[@Jwal98]

The lawnmower part was the only scene that made me jump

[@allinthereflexes6302]

The music makes this film! Boards of Canada , so fitting!

[@Itsvicu]

coming back to this review the basement tapes scene with the music and everything is definitely iconic you don't forget that type of thing.

[@AwesomeBrains]

I got it on Blu-ray when it came out and it was way better than I originally thought. I already knew that I could put my faith in Cargill's writing but I was cautious of everything else. Then I watched the movie and it was the first horror film to really unsettle me. The characters were so real and the situation so intense that I fell in love with it. I rewatched it with some friends up in a cabin and I had to sleep with the light and TV on. The only time a horror film scared me the 2nd time!

[@amycurtis535]

That demon looks too much like Michael jaskson to be scared of.....

[@swaggidyswaggins375]

holy shit i was thinking the same thing.

[@ArushiDhawanxoxo]

OMG yes!!!!!!!!!!

[@mrmcman100]

I don't know Michael Jackson looked pretty scary

[@RisaPlays]

I was calling him Michael Jackson through the ENTIRE movie! XD lmfao Spent the whole movie lightening the atmosphere for myself with that. XD

[@IDyce88]

the demon is called bagul (or bughuul) and he is a real myth creature...I'm not surprised it is a Babylonian story...the Babylonians always did have the most fu£$ed up stuff. as it says in the film bagul is a "child eater" though more in the sense that it consumes them into his world and through them can do more harm to others...he doesn't technically in the real world and it is rare that people ever see him.

[@terrysilvester4720]

I think it would have been better if it didn't end up being supernatural and it was a weird cult instead

[@CyberLance26]

Whats wrong about it being supernatural? Supernatural horror is the best and scariest horror in my opinion because it makes it often feel like no matter how much you try to escape or fight back the evil will still get you eventually. Against normal human killers it feels more like it would be possible to escape from him or fight him.

[@puffwad]

Yeah for some reason the kids doing the murders didn't get to me at all.

[@terrysilvester4720]

CyberLance26 Nothings wrong with it, I just think that you more real it is, the more terrifying it is. Nothing is more scarier than if it could actually happen.

[@CyberLance26]

Terry Silvester Dont agree at all. Horror stuff about supernatural evil forces, demons and other similar stuff feels way scarier to me because with that kind of horror it often feels like no matter how much you try to escape or fight back the evil will eventually get you. With normal human killers its possible to escape or hide from them or fight back and kill them but against supernatural forces that kind of stuff usually does not work for very long. Also supernatural horror is often about the evil messing with the characters in different ways to drive them insane and that kind of horror is often about insanity. More realistic horror is usually only about surviving people that are trying to kill you. I think something being more close to real-life just makes it more boring and less interesting and fun most of the time. Dont understand at all why many people are so obsessed with things being realistic nowadays. You watch Movies, play video games, read books and other stuff to escape from the real world.

[@HeadCannonPrime]

CyberLance26 I agree with you 100%. The supernatural terror is the most scary of all. Stuff like the Ring and Grudge where you can't physically do anything to save yourself. Oh man that is terrifying. You can always just shoot a serial killer in the head. You can't shoot an incorporeal entity.

[@jenniferlloyd267]

This has been one of the greater films I have seen in a LONG time!! Cant wait to see how #2 turns out!

[@k.h.tanco.7303]

i love the opening, the lawnmower, and surprisingly, the laptop close up scene. The latter gave a solid one minute of goosebump.

[@RavenHouseMystery]

Definitely the scariest film I had seen in a while. What I liked about it was that it started out as this kind of twisted mystery (with the old movies), but the more I learned about what the actual supernatural threat was, the scarier the film got. Not an easy task with most modern horror films these days.

[@loudryka]

Chris, could you make a video of your top 10 scariest/freakiest movies that you have seen?

[@hskatkat]

For about a month after I saw this movie, I couldn't sleep in my room because I slept in the room that led to the attic. It was just so terrifying, I couldn't handle it for the longest time. And this movie definitely has rewatchability. I loved it and I still look back on it as one of the scariest movies ever. Yes, there were jumpscares, but there were also psychological aspects too, which I loved.

[@DogWick]

But the jumpscares were actually scary tho.

[@FreedomCinema88]

I have never been more scared from a movie in my life than that lawnmower scene. My heart actually dropped to the stomach.

[@jxbplayer]

Not to mention the creepy soundtrack, just made me uncomfortable and i love it! P.s agast sacrifice was my favorite soundtrack of this movie

[@Marsalien100]

I still can't get the image of Mr.Boogie out of my head. That shit is burned into my brain now and everywhere I look I see him!!!!! Thanks a lot Sinister.

[@matthewzimmerman3587]

This movie terrified me but at the same time I was watching with a massive grin on my face. I’m one of those film nerds he was talking about in the beginning, and I spent the majority of the movie gushing in my head about the sound, the lighting(or lack there of), the shots, everything! This movie was, from a technical standpoint, a masterpiece. Although (spoiler) I won’t be rewatching this one with my horror loving little sister, being as she’s the youngest in the family, and we all saw how that ended up. That shit ain’t happening to me. No sir.

[@jonfad1]

I watched this for the first time tonight, and I have to say, it was one of the better horror movies I've seen lately. It relied alot more on story elements and suspense rather than cheap jump-scares. So I have to agree on Chris' rating on this one.

[@RosieSquall]

The only thing that is actually good is the part where Ethan Hawke is watching the 8mm tapes. The combination of the footage and the sound the projector makes in the otherwise silent room creates a great atmosphere. The rest of the movie is crap, ESPECIALLY the demon. He looks like Gene Simmons walking out of Hot Topic.

[@christopherlowery3797]

While my opinion varies, gotta give a like for the last sentence of your paragraph. 10/10 not enough erectile dysfunction- IGN

[@RosieSquall]

Christopher Lowery Thanks???

[@PurushNahiMahaPurush]

Or someone from a Slipknot concert.

[@deanomontano9820]

RosieSquall the jump scares were scary

[@SebastianAceFawkes]

The movie was so terrifying that it has inspired me to make my own movies. Thank you, Sinister!

[@JaqenHghar.]

I've been watching you for awhile now and after your It review I knew you had good taste in scary movies so I had to see if you had reviewed this movie and what you thought. I'm satisfied. It's personally my all time favorite horror film

[@whatswithyous]

This is a good frikkin movie, everyone should watch this if you like scary movies (period)

[@NineBasher0063]

This is the first horror movie I watched in a cinema, I was 14

[@sealfromthesea8453]

That must have been a very bad first trip.

[@amelieg246]

Do you have a video listing the best old and modern horror movies?

[@kathleencaruanasmith8143]

I agree with this review 100% This movie terrified me and thats not something that happens very often coz i'v seen horror soooo much now and most horror these days you just get the same cliches which just aren't frightening anymore. But this movie really did it for me ! Those super 8 films and those kids ( particularly stephanie) were enough to keep me awake at night ! just the weird and brazen looks on their faces and the music in the background was so perfect, not too much not over the top, just enough sounds to make you cringe. Perfect ! and then that last scene when the mystery unfolds my god now thats the type of thing that really does get me rather than jump scares! I'v seen this movie sooooo many times now and it still has the same effect on me. I have to say its definitely one of my top favourite horrors of recent years simply because it did manage to effect me. Ethan's scenes during the night got on my nerves too sometimes. I totally agree with that ! I hate scenes like that coz its just really dragging and its a waste of time and you know whats gonna happen, we've seen it once too many times in horror ! Its almost as if they have to do those scenes to fill up the time coz they have no idea what else to do other than that! But other than that i really really loved it its one of my favourites.

[@miasworld5427]

This movie was creepy and unnerving. It was hella good and sent chills up my spine and gave me nightmares (I watch a lot of horror films and that never happens) he will haunt your dreams.

[@amyismynamey]

This movie scared the crap out of me hahaha

[@TheTedwms83]

Its been awhile since I seen this movie and just you talking about it, there are scenes that has & will Always stays with me. and also OMG the music is what I think made most of this movie!

[@nicholasratay1888]

Sinister is my favorite recent horror movies! Great review, Chris.

[@shotgunseraphim]

Honestly, I didn't really like it that much.

[@eldonmati]

Me neither, it's very well done and all but it just didn't feel that connection to it.

[@ahmadnngah]

SecondStopSam not scary at all.

[@LucianC137]

Thats because you like House at the end of the street

[@Marco.91]

It was boring.. And horrible acting

[@theprocrastinaut]

1:13 and then Getaway happened.

[@CASSOBLVCK]

I remember I watched this movie alone at night and due to the fact I've been watching horror movies since I was like 5 I thought I became numb to them but this shit left me with this weird feeling, not really scared but just disturbed... First horror film to give me that feeling in more than a decade 👍🏾👍🏾👍🏾

[@Guigley]

I'm with Master Stuckmann on this one. I was genuinely frightened by it. And it takes a lot for a movie to actually scare me. I think Hawke's performance is the key ingredient. In the scene where he's talking about what he's uncovered to the deputy, you can just feel his fear.

[@Oyabungaijin]

Jacob's Ladder review, please.

[@christopherlowery3797]

Seconded

[@christopherlowery3797]

+Christopher Lowery Fourthededed? But seriously, whenever people make comments about horror being a genre incapable of supporting an excellent film, I steer them towards Jacob's Ladder & The Shining.

[@NavySharkz]

"Ethan Hawke rarely attaches his name to bad movies"? The Purge and that one where he cures himself of vampirism with sunlight disagree with this statement.

[@TheLandShark0v0]

Two times can be considered rarely

[@NavySharkz]

+MaceTheAce Touche

[@RebootedGaming]

Personally I thought The Purge and Daybreakers were pretty enjoyable movies. Wouldn't call them bad. Then again, my measure for a bad movie may differ than that of yours.

[@NavySharkz]

Rebooted Hey I enjoy plenty of movies that people consider bad so to each their own, lol.

[@RebootedGaming]

NavySharkz Yeah but just because people consider it bad doesn't mean it's bad :P It just means you look for different things in a movie.

[@Peachycheekies]

Two videos into your reviews and I'm hooked.

[@TheUltimateCow]

To me what really made this movie was the sound track. It was fantastic and really set the mood. Extremely eerie

[@homeofthedeaad124]

Ulver - Silence Teaches You How To Sing. Have fun :)

[@patadams7282]

My main problems with this film can be summed up in seven words: f*cking jump scares and stupid f*cking people. Other than that, it was pretty good.

[@patadams7282]

***** Exactly. Those scenes would be scary in their own right, even without adding unnecessary noises or jumps. Like the scene with Ethan Hawke looking away from his computer and the image of Bughuul moves without him noticing. That would have been incredibly unsettling if they had left it alone and had not added the extra noises, trying to be scary. That is my problem with jump-scaring an already scary scene: trying to hard. As for stupid people, I mean that Ethan Hawkes character is obviously no idiot. He even starts to make the rational decision by starting to call the police, but is ultimately overtaken by his own ambition. While this makes for an interesting, morally grey character, it also isn't anything that any reasonable person would do. By choosing to get involved with the snuff films, he is getting himself tied into something that he knows is completely out of his depth.

[@patadams7282]

***** That is actually a really good point. But I still think that any sane person, rather than delving deeper, would follow through with reporting to the police. But I suppose that is the psychology of obsession and ambition that the film is trying to convey. And I am not actually referring to the music. I am referring to the fact that this already disturbing film insists on startling us into submission with loud noises at every opportunity rather than letting the imagery and atmosphere speak for itself. I know that this pretty much the norm in modern horror, but there are plenty of exceptions that are more effective for it. Case in point: "The Strangers". The scene where you see one of the killers standing in the threshold of the hall door in the distance for a full thirty seconds while the woman is moving about the kitchen, unaware (all with no jumps and only a bit of help from the sound design) is far more terrifying, tense, and atmospheric for it. But then again, I suppose that this is all just nitpicking.

[@hugosantos989]

+Pat Adams i only noticed 3 jumpscares, the one in the bushes that turns out to be his son, the one in the attic and the ending one, all pretty expected but the atmosphere made them alright, not like poltergeist lvl's of jumpscares where you can see them coming from miles away at all

[@Justmyhandle]

Maybe it's just because I've seen SO many horror movies, good and bad, but I personally was overall disappointed with this film. The premise seemed like just a big screen tweaking of Slenderman with an added scarecrow-like face. The story, while suspenseful at points, was mostly filled with cliches and generic jump scares that didn't even really try to stand out. The psychological aspect with the photos was eerie the first couple times, but quickly became stale. The only part that freaked me out, honestly, was the kid coming out of the box. And you know they're gonna milk the crap out of this with repetitive sequels, sigh...

[@1m2a3t4t5]

I agree with most of that, but this film is nothing without sequels, as long as they are good and more telling than this one.

[@Justmyhandle]

1m2a3t4t5 If given the chance, I would love to do a feature length psychological Slenderman film focusing less on the monster itself and more on the effect it has on various children it targets. It would start off normal, with mildly out of place images in otherwise normal photos, but get progressively worse. It would be similar to Noah Wiseman's performance in The Babadook, but primarily centered on kids trying to protect themselves and make their families believe them, the adults not getting serious until later. It would be realistic as possible in how 8-11 yr olds would react to this, crying, isolation and paranoia without holding back. It would sell the dread to the point where you almost want the monster to get them just to end it. And NO jumpscares!

[@1m2a3t4t5]

I have to say that I would absolutely hate to watch that. I really dislike watching children act usually, especially in the circumstances as you described. I watched babdook today and damn was it obnoxious. I want to see more of the monster myth creature, however not in the way the sequel trailer has so far. Cant say I like anything about what I saw in the sequel trailer.

[@Justmyhandle]

1m2a3t4t5 I think Noah Wiseman's behavior was part of the point of the plot, pushing Essie Davis as a mother, who is already dealing with grief and now worried that her son may need mental help. It is obnoxious, I agree, but I gradually came to empathize with why the characters were the way they were and how the Babadook plays into the overall story. Davis really carried the film, especially towards the end. And I know that kids are rarely good actors, particularly in horror, but some do give believable performances in context of the situation. It's just a matter of finding the right child, making sure they understand the material, and directing them well. They also, when done right, give a sense of vulnerability that partially surpasses adults, because they're so young.

[@1m2a3t4t5]

He was no where near obnoxious as the mother though.

[@IamSnoogans]

The director of this film knows how to build tension and create legitimate suspense. I was wound so tight, that by the time each elongated scare scene would be coming I was already on edge in anticipation.

[@thecontinuingadventuresoflenny]

I haven’t seen this but now I am intrigued. Thank you Chris 😃✌🏽

[@MWeistra]

The start was good (first 30 minutes or so)...all downhill from there. As soon as the name Bagul...Bughuul....Bughulala...Bacculla...Barbarapapa...Ballaban...came in to it, this movie was lost beyond repair.

[@ogfunk187]

yes first 45 min was great but the last 45mins was a disappointment ....

[@drvacuumbag]

Agree 100%. I thought that they messed it up by trying to show and explain too much. Less is more with horror.

[@MsStonedAgin]

People found this scary? Different strokes for different folks, I guess.

[@uwu_kms]

Is that a reference to that one song

[@laurarader6846]

After watching Sinister when it was released, I thought it wouldn't live up to the poster. I was SO wrong. It tops a list of horror/thrillers that I started 50 years ago. But now I have a fear of children! And the creepiest background "music". The pace, the tension and Ethan Hawke was excellent.

[@mikeyyyyyy3312]

The scene with the laptop where the image moves wow

[@MyWorld-hg1ge]

I didn't like this movie. I loved the idea. I thought it was such a creepy storyline, and the evil guy was creepy looking...but I thought it was kinda boring and stale. The idea was great, wasn't too fond of the delivery though...felt a little slow to me. Also, I found it more eerie than scary. I didn't think it was scary in the least actually. I did like the ending. You typically don't see endings like that, so props to that.

[@Justmyhandle]

Christine's World The Babadook was better, to me, because the suspense was built up with more depth and the atmosphere with more dread. Plus, you don't see the monster 90% of the film. With this, you just get hit with jump scares and close ups without much payoff. The ending, I agree wasn't bad, but I did kind of see it coming.

[@MyWorld-hg1ge]

Keith Harris Completely agree!

[@WokeDoinks]

NO! Just, NO!

[@Icelay4ever]

I feel like the KZbin reviewers tricked me into watching it. I bought the dvd & watched it with my little brother and he kept saying "when is the movie going to actually start?""How many minutes are we into this movie?" Lol. Its a stale movie that I felt like I've seen before.

[@aslindehecate]

Christine's World I know this comment is old, but the ending is the cheapest part of the movie lol. The eerie silences and the films were the best part, but Ethan Hawke's lack of forethought and peripheral vision was annoying.

[@DeSvenster]

It amazes me how many people actually think this movie was good and scary…Me and my wife watched it a while ago, and my wife is easily scared of movies, but Sinister simply did not deliver. The tone of the movie was ok, but we knew exactly when something "scary" was gonna happen because of the music…which messed up the entire movie. We could pin point exactly when we were supposed to jump of our seat…but didn't.Those moments were also things we saw in almost every scary movie. The antagonist was also very very poor and not creative at all. A guy wearing a slipknot/iron maiden eddy type mask just did not do the trick. In my personal opinion this was by far the most dissapointing horror movie. The opening shot, like you said, was indeed magnificent and it got my hyped. Maybe I expected too much, but no, for me it was a huge dissapointment.

[@xSk8r4LyF3x]

I feel like you define a movie as scary based on how many jump scares it has. The movie is supposed to stick with you..

[@itsgamingtime100]

I Agree

[@DeSvenster]

JustTooGood But then again, what's the point of making a Horror/scary movie? The entire idea behind those movies is to scare the viewer, and Sinister failed in every way. And sure we can go on and on about how well the movie was made and the soundtrack, but that still does not take away the fact that in the horror/scare genre this movie simply does not deliver. There's only one reason that Sinister sticks with me, and that's because it was such a great dissapointment. Take "The Conjuring" for instance and how well James Wan implemented the classic "jump scare" in this movie. You will scare because you do not expect it, similar to the first Halloween movie. Maybe this movie is good for the mainstream audience, but as a devoted horror fan I say Scott Derrickson seriously dropped the ball here.

[@xSk8r4LyF3x]

Skell09 Noooo Conjuring has very few jump scares but it is one of the scariest movies...

[@cidevant002]

I think the best part of the movie was the homevideos, specially the one about take care of the garden. Something about that particular part, the darkness, the silence, the fucking machine is in his was and from nowhere you see the people tied up. And the idea of have all this homevideos with normal names, just the everyday family stuff, and twisting in a really sick way, I just love it.

[@DontMissVideos]

Could you give your thoughts on Kevin Smith's "Mallrats"?

[@Lukkern]

Sinister is the best horror movie of the decade so far at least!

[@eldonmati]

of the decade? seriously?

[@deanomontano9820]

Steven Matthews this movie insidious and the conjuring

[@eah4452]

sinister is overrated

[@SkuIIKn1ght]

In what aspects? Because I actually somewhat agree, I think it could have been much better if they hadn't relied on jumpscares as much towards the 3rd act.

[@BrianDePalmaII]

Alex Hilbert I think it's underrated critics are split in it and audiences are as well

[@enthused338]

God damn, the soundtrack was amazing (plus I was so happy when Boards of Canada started playing). Ethan Hawke's performance was awesome and the shots (especially the super 8 film sequences) were shot superbly. The sequel wasn't as good, being less subtle and more action-oriented, but it was still pretty good as well.

[@SB-hc1nt]

Sinister is a damn good horror film I was surprised Hawke was in this. It is very scary and Christopher Young's work on the soundtrack as well as "Hellraiser" my favorite horror film of all time. He did the soundtrack for both films and it shows.

[@chappiescollectables]

This movie was terrible. So many cliche jump scares and ethan hawke has no peripheral vision.

[@antemarinkovic5602]

cinema cins ;)

[@Marsalien100]

Jump Scares aren't bad. You need something scary to happen in a horror movie to actually make it scary. Just because it's cliche does not mean that it fails to deliver. I got the shit scared out of me when he was looking at the photo out the window, and then he actually saw the bad guy out side. That scared the living shit out of me!!!!

[@bladeii869]

Give me a good horror movie without jumpscares... None? I see your argument was pretty invalid.

[@chappiescollectables]

Oliver Saunders the babadook

[@bladeii869]

Trying to tell the babadook doesn't have jumpscares? The babadook was so predictable. It got borderline boring towards the end + i watched it in the cinema.

[@m3l0dee13]

Chris, i watched this now, 2022/Jul/20 after watching your review of Black Phone. ❤️

[@battmarn]

I remember seeing this film at the cinema with a group of friends. Fucking terrifying. Also after the lawnmower scene one of my friends decided he couldn’t take any more and left the theatre sweating

[@bungerroyale112]

There aren't many films that grab my attention so quickly. This one did and freaked the shit out of me. Genuinely one of my favourite horror films

[@positronicfeed]

Just saw it last night. Scared the living daylights out of me. POSSIBLE SPOILERS: I also appreciate the different use of jump scares, as in when there's a jump scare it's real. It's not a cat, a dog, his daughter, his wife and it's not a dream. Something really is there, something really is going on. Also, that creepy music they played when he was watching the tapes, Hawke's reaction to the tapes. Creeped me way out.

[@3110hello]

This is one of my favorite scary movies ever. Disturbing and well acted, too 5 for me. Thx for your great reviews!

[@Rocky_A]

Watched it last night, best horror movie I've seen. No tasteless violence or gore just proper bone chilling creepiness. 10/10

[@BadSensation]

what you really really really forgot to mention here - and thats one of the most important parts - is the music!!!!!!! Perfect selection of creepy songs.

[@goblinb]

I had never heard of this film, never saw the trailers, etc. when I ran into the dvd at the rental store that was near me. It seemed interesting, so I rented it. This movie creeped the hell out of me. After I watched it I kept looking around the rooms in the dark shadows and had a feeling I couldn't shake off.

[@meribotti1388]

This movie came out when I was a teenager and my whole class went crazy over it. I remember how we'd go watch it together in the movies and then tell our classmates to go see it and they'd tell more of our classmates to go see it like it was A Thing. And I am so happy I finally found it again as an adult, I wanted to see it again and see how it lived up to memory. I still love it although as you say, it isn’t perfect. I think this movie would have been perfect if the supernatural aspects of it had veen left much more vague. But as you can probably tell by me commenting on an almost decade old video, my nostalgia trip ended with me seeing what all my favourite movie people thought of it.

[@InconsistentTechDad]

Subbed. Excellent reviews keep em up!

[@sowii]

Chris you're awesome!! When are you going to watch Skyfall? 10/26? Can't wait to see your review!

[@adiverma4712]

remember that scene when Ellison come outside to get his bat and encounters a dog, he says a similar line from The Shining

[@MurKGuild]

love your reviews Chris!

[@DMichiganWol21]

I love the Carlyle mention! Nice!

[@WoWGirl6]

I started this movie at midnight because I thought, “why not?!” 15 minutes in I was like, “nope.”