I’m not quite sure what to make of Sinister 2. On the one hand to call it a horror movie just wouldn’t be right, on the other hand there is actually a pretty solid movie lurking behind the not so scary veil.

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After a brief re-introduction to the Sinister’s Boogie Man Bughuul we meet Courtney (Shannyn Sossamon), single mother of two boys Dylan (Robert Daniel Sloan) and Zach (Dartanian Sloan), doing a bit of shopping in a local grocery store. They have a freaky encounter with some strange man and run off to the eerie farmhouse they are staying in and the even eerier church that is on the property as well. It’s a nice secluded home for the trio as the young brothers spend time exploring the big home while Courtney goes about restoring the church.

The thing is that of course there was a string of horrific murders that took place at the farmhouse over the decades and one in the church to boot. Bughuul has a strong hold on the house and dispatches his little army of ghost children to befriend the youngest of the two boys, Dylan. He is plagued by scary nightmares and his new ghost friends get him to secretly join them in the basement to watch reels of home movies depicting their gruesome deaths, continuing with the theme from the original movie that Bughuul’s murders must be done with an artistic flair. Introduce private detective and ex-deputy So & So (James Ransone) who is investigating the murders left behind by Bughuul. He becomes a close ally to the family after it becomes apparent that they are seeking refuge from an abusive husband and father.

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The problem that I found was that really the only “scary” factor to the movie is the series of home movies that young Dylan has to endure to make his nightmares stop. In the first place, they’re not so much scary as they are cruel and gruesome. Secondly it just isn’t enough to pack in any scare factor. However, the overall story and relationships between the main character was good enough to make me not really be too bothered by that. What I found to be most disappointing though is that when the inevitable change happens where the family becomes victim to the hold of Bughuul, there is nearly no where enough detail or time spent to show this transition. Instead we are literally taken from the beginning of this transition and find ourselves thrown straight into the action. I think if writers C. Robert Cargill and Scott Derrickson put more time and thought into this, there could have been a great build up of intensity and a harrowing scene of realization.

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Sossamon and Ransone both deliver solid performances and bring to life two characters that are easy to like and have you backing them straight from the get go. I thought the Sloan boys did a great job as well and both gave some good performances as well. Director Ciaran Foy captures the scenery and dark nature of the farmhouse and its corn field surrounding really well. The pacing is fast and the movie moves on briskly, but still using enough time to establish the characters well.

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Horror movie? No. Watchable and enjoyable movie? Yes. Sinister 2 can easily pass for a good movie to curl under the blankets and switch your mind off to. Sinister 2 is available on DVD and Blu-Ray now.

Last Updated: June 3, 2016

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