From the director of Exorcism Of Emily Rose comes another scary film and this time it involves a Hollywood heartthrob. Sinister is a supernatural horror film, which stars Ethan Hawke, and is directed by Scott Derrickson and c0-written with C. Robert Cargill. The movie is inspired by a mix between The Ring, Bogeyman and (probably) It. It’s no surprise that Cargill got the idea for the story from a nightmare he suffered after watching The Ring.
Sinister (2012)
Director: Scott Derrickson
Writers: Scott Derrickson, C. Robert Cargill
Stars: Ethan Hawke, Juliet Rylance, James Ransone
A true-crime writer finds a cache of 8mm home movies films that suggest the murder he is currently researching is the work of a serial killer whose career dates back to the 1960s.
When you have the brains behind some of best scary films in recent history working together, you can be assured of 110 minutes of good spooks. Ethan Hawke’s character moves into a house with a gruesome history in an attempt to recreate the success of his last best-selling book (which was a while back). Hoping to shed light on details the police may have overlooked, he stumbles upon some video tapes. The eerie tapes not only reveal some dark secrets but they put him and his family in the middle of a life-threatening, sinister series of events.
The Shakes
The movie doesn’t waste any time in setting the mood. The very visual of an entire family being hung by a tree is disturbing enough. If you aren’t into gore movies (though this film isn’t one), then the murders might be a little graphic.
Scenes to watch out for is when Hawke’s character’s son suffers a night terror attack (the film, at one point, talks about the difference between nightmares and night terrors, which is a discomforting concept in itself.) The videos on 8mm tapes are pretty creepy too. But what really sets the mood in the film is the background score which, unlike in most scary films, is a dark drumming theme (a good change from the build up orchestra in most films).
The Flipside
The main antagonist’s name, Bagul, is kinda funny if you are a full-on Bollywood freak (c’mon, it rhymes with Babul!) On a more serious note, this movie can be a tad predictable for the pro horror-lover. The make-up on the ghostly kids is a bit too forced and in a way dampens a realistic feel on things.
The Verdict
All in all, despite some trivial low-points, Sinister is a pretty scary film to watch on a Friday night (if you plan to sit at home and cuddle up). Coming from the producers of Paranormal Activity and Insidious (review coming up), Sinister was a good watch and Ethan Hawke is every bit worthy of the ‘love’ !
Do: Watch it with the volume up. The background score plays a great role.
Don’t: (at least try not too) Watch it on a iTouch, iPad or smaller screens. The bigger the screen, the better the scare… obviously!
For another scary film on MissMalini, click here.