North Texas Daily

Harrison Long | Editorial Writer

@HarrisonGLong

Three years ago, director Scott Derrickson startled audiences with a terrifying new horror franchise.  The plot was fresh, the characters likeable and pleasingly intelligent, and the bad guy was something of a nightmare.

Fast forward to today, we are picking up shortly after the end of the original Sinister. The sequel had a lot to live up to, but as these things often go, Sinister 2 falls flat. It forgets what made its predecessor so much better than the average horror film: we hadn’t seen anything like it before. Simply changing the names of the characters and the location of the action, all while keeping the plot line as an extension of the first is nothing short of disappointing. We wanted originality, and what we got was a mere carbon copy.

James Ransone’s deputy, as he’s come to be called (we never get to know his actual name), has evolved from a supporting character in the original Sinister to the main protagonist in the new film. He is no longer associated with the Sheriff’s department, and has continued to investigate the murder of Oswalt Ellison, who was murdered in the last film.

His travels take him on much of the same trek Ethan Hawke’s Ellison embarked upon, and we see most scares coming from a mile away. There is a pseudo-confession with a priest at the beginning of the film, letting us know what our hero is about to face as he takes on Baghuul the Demon.

There are extensive encounters with a troubled family, which the deputy inexplicably latches himself on to for most of the film. The movie has several shockingly calm encounters with Baghuul’s minion children, whose souls he has collected in the wake of his murderous past.

An academic professional warns the deputy of Baghuul’s capabilities, citing specific graphic examples of his handiwork in past cases. All of these typical ingredients make for a sub-par horror film leaving fans of the original “Sinister” with an empty feeling.

The saving grace of the film comes in the narrative of the estranged family the deputy is sworn to protect. Courtney Collins, a mother of two boys, is on the run from her wealthy, yet wholly abusive husband Clint. She is doing everything she can to keep her children safe. Strangely enough, Mrs. Collins’ idea of a well-balanced home life involves shacking-up in an old farmhouse where her sons are visited by the demon seeds of Satan himself.

Despite Mrs. Collins lapse in judgment, the tale of her family is the driving force of the film.

The greatest moment of satisfaction for us comes in the final act where Deputy comes to their rescue right on cue, and most of the (living) antagonists have their punishment swiftly delivered.

What could have saved this film would have been a separate story from the first film, and much more screen time for Baghuul. Had the filmmakers been as inventive and creative as in the first, there would likely be talk of a third film. Instead, Sinister 2 will fade into obscurity, much like its brothers and sisters before it.