Another sequel that proves this franchise should’ve stopped long ago
I’m going to be honest with you – I only watched Insidious: The Red Door for two reasons: Patrick Wilson and the Insidious name on the poster. That’s it. Because if we’re being real, every single Insidious sequel has been worse than the one before it. And this fifth installment? It’s no exception.
The first Insidious back in 2010 genuinely terrified me. It had that perfect blend of atmosphere, creative scares, and an intriguing supernatural world called The Further. But since then, it’s been diminishing returns. And The Red Door feels like the franchise finally ran completely out of steam.
The movie picks up ten years after the Lambert family’s last encounter with The Further. Josh and Dalton had their memories wiped to protect them from trauma, and now they’re heading to college orientation together with this awkward distance between them. Here’s the problem: there’s barely any story here. Characters just do things. Stuff happens. But it never really feels like there’s momentum or purpose. Dalton joins an art class, starts painting a red door, and boom – demons are back. That’s basically it. No depth, no real exploration of what made the first film special.
The whole first half of the movie is just… nothing. Boring college scenes with terrible dialogue and cringe-worthy roommate characters that feel like they were written by someone who’s never actually met a college student. One reviewer described it as “divorced dad redemption, not really an Insidious movie,” and honestly, that’s painfully accurate.
Remember when Insidious movies were actually scary? Yeah, me too. This one? Not so much. The scares don’t even start until you’re halfway through the movie. And when they do come, they’re mostly cheap, obnoxious jump scares with loud noises that feel lazy and tasteless. There’s nothing creative, nothing that gets under your skin the way the first film did. The atmosphere that made this franchise special is mostly gone. It doesn’t feel like an Insidious movie. The tone is off. The pacing is terrible. The whole thing feels rushed and incomplete, like watching an extended TV episode instead of a feature film.
The one thing this movie has going for it is Patrick Wilson. He’s a talented actor and he clearly cares about these characters. He even directed this film, and you can tell he tried to bring something meaningful to it. But here’s the thing – caring about characters doesn’t matter if the script gives you nothing to work with. The dialogue is stilted and unnatural. The emotional beats feel forced. And honestly, as much as the movie wants us to sympathize with Dalton acting out, it just doesn’t work because we’ve seen how hard Josh tried.
Ty Simpkins returns as Dalton, but his character is written as such an annoying, bratty college student that it’s hard to care about his journey. The father-son dynamic that’s supposed to be the emotional core? It falls flat because the writing just isn’t there.
If you’re a fan of the franchise, this one will disappoint you. It lacks the DNA of what made these movies work. The Further feels like an afterthought. The Lipstick Demon and other iconic elements? Barely there. The mythology we were invested in? Ignored. Instead, we get a generic supernatural horror movie that happens to have the Insidious name slapped on it. The college sorority scenes are overdone stereotypes. The plot is predictable. And the ending feels rushed and random instead of earned.
Insidious: The Red Door follows Josh and Dalton Lambert ten years after their last encounter with The Further. With their memories suppressed, father and son have grown distant. When Dalton heads to college and joins an art class, he begins painting a mysterious red door that unlocks repressed memories. As supernatural forces resurface, Josh and Dalton must confront their past one final time. But the journey lacks the scares, atmosphere, and compelling storytelling that made the original film a horror classic.
My Rating: 4/10
This is easily the weakest entry in the franchise. It’s not scary, the story barely exists, and it wastes the potential of its premise. Patrick Wilson tries his best, but even his effort can’t save a film that feels unnecessary and uninspired.
Perfect for: Die-hard Insidious completists who need to see how the Lambert story ends, Patrick Wilson fans, people who have absolutely nothing else to watch.
Bottom line: This franchise should have ended years ago. The Red Door is proof that not every story needs to be told and not every series needs closure. It’s a disappointing, boring conclusion to what started as one of the best horror franchises of the 2010s. The scares are weak, the plot is thin, and the whole thing feels like a cash grab rather than a genuine attempt to give fans something meaningful. Skip it unless you’re truly committed to the franchise.
Wanna watch it?
If you still want to check it out despite my warning, you can stream Insidious: The Red Door on Netflix in the United States. It’s also available to rent or purchase on platforms like Prime Video, Apple TV, and Hulu.
But honestly? Save your time and rewatch the 2010 original instead.