Sinister 2 Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		2.0
Video		4.5
Audio		4.5
Extras		2.5
Overall		3.0

Sinister 2 Blu-ray Movie Review

Rutabaga!

Reviewed by Martin Liebman January 10, 2016

Whatever happened to the Oswalts is only going to happen again. It's a question of when and where.

When? Now. Where? Right here in Sinister 2, Director Ciarán Foy's (Citadel) follow-up to 2012's Horror hit Sinister. Though lagging behind the original in terms of chilling scares, good pacing, and creativity, this sequel proves only serviceably entertaining, and best, and if only in a wholly generic sort of way. It may as well be watermarked with "obligatory Horror sequel" on every frame, though, because that's exactly what it is. Foy and Writers Scott Derrickson and C. Robert Cargill, the latter of whom return to work from the original, carve out a typically mundane genre film that scrapes by with a core that will be familiar to fans of the first but a story that's not as engaging and a mood that's not as, well, sinister. A few cheap jump scares intermix with some chilling home movies and halfway likable characters for a film that probably didn't need to be made but that, at the very least, offers fans of the original an opportunity to return to the world.

They're watching...

Courtney (Shannyn Sossamon) and her twin sons Dylan (Robert Sloan) and Zach (Dartanian Sloan) have fled her abusive husband and are holed up in an old country home where, she hopes, nobody will find them. She's paranoid, believing that everyone and everything is out to get her, that her husband will find them and reassert his harmful ways over the family. When Courtney is approached by Deputy So-and-So (James Ransone), still working on the case of the demon Bughuul and fearful that her house is one of his targets, she shuts him out. But he proves his worth in several ways and quickly becomes a surrogate father figure to the boys. Meanwhile, Dylan is receiving nightly visits from children-ghosts, including the manipulative Milo (Lucas Jade Zumann), who are forcing him to watch snuff films in the basement, promising that the more he watches, the fewer bad dreams he'll have. Zach comes to odds with his brother over the ghosts' attention and helps set in motion a terrible plan that could destroy the family.

Sinister 2 occasionally falls into the "jump scares" trap -- those cringe-worthy moments when, suddenly, ah! a freaky image appears on the screen accompanied by, double ah!, a sharp, loud musical cue -- that don't work anymore on anyone who has seen more than one Horror movie made in the 21st century, but for the most part the movie aims for more legitimate, story-driven scares than it does cheap thrills. Granted, its interwoven plot chills don't work very well, either, but they're serviceably scary more so considering the involvement of children and old, gritty, drive-in quality Super 8 film footage that plays in a dark, dank basement than the actual cues themselves. The film suffers from some bland supportive story details, raised by the return of the (now ex) Deputy So-and-So and lessened by an out-of-place family dynamic about an abusive father who wants his family back. But that broken family angle is really nothing more than a necessary evil, a plot driver that gives the family a vulnerability to the evils that lurk in its new digs.

Much of the problem with Sinister 2 is that it could be condensed to half the runtime and work better than it does at a full 90-some minutes. Much if it is made of filler, not the least of which stems from the "abusive father angle," and some repetitive scenes of Dylan watching various "scary movies." That said, the film benefits from some solid technical craftsmanship. Foy squeezes quite a few visual delights from his relatively simple canvas, getting the most out of several key locations, notably the basement. He makes the film watchable, if not pleasurable in a few spots, a minor miracle considering the dearth of significant material at his disposal in a fairly straightforward script. The film benefits most, however, from simply continuing on with the lore, which isn't particularly interesting but that does a fair enough job of mixing up a few creepy notes along the way. Essentially, Sinister 2 boils down to a "no harm, no foul" sort of endeavor. It's not a film many people would miss if it didn't exist, but as a straightforward sequel to a modern Horror flick, things could be worse. Credit Foy and the cast for most of the good work here and blame sequel-itis and a thoughtless script for the rest.

Sinister 2 Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Sinister 2's digitally sourced 1080p image delivers a great watch. The image is meticulously clean and produces both tight, precise details and bright, accurate colors, where applicable, anyway. Textures impress across the board. Dylan's woven blanket, seen amongst the film's first shots, reveals plenty of excellent fabric intricacies. Faces showcase intimate definition and details, particularly on the ghost children when makeup is applied. The country home breathes life; worn and weathered wood and paint are highlights, and dusty old bits of debris in the church are revealing down the finest speck. Exterior colors are pleasing, and even as the movie pushes warmer throughout much of its runtime there's no shortage of balanced and accurate coloring to enjoy. Black levels appear deep and rich, particularly down in the basement, but a few shots push a bit too bright. Flesh tones are full and healthy. Noise, banding, and other negatives are minimal to nonexistent. This is a terrific presentation from Universal.

Sinister 2 Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Sinister 2's DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 lossless soundtrack is everything one would expect of a Horror track big on sharp cues and deep, rumbly, haunting elements. The track is littered, though somewhat infrequently, with plenty of examples of rumbly bass, scratchy effects, and a messy, worn and weathered cacophony of sounds that lack purity by design but enforce the movie's themes and styles very well. Such play with a wide berth around the stage and do well to immerse the listener in the movie's story. Beyond the Horror-centric elements are plenty of examples of positive, immersive atmospherics. Whether light elements inside a grocery store, odds-and-ends country ambience, or the whirr of a projector, there's no shortage of minor details that make a big impact in nearly every scene. Dialogue presentation is clearly defined and focused in the center with light reverberation when necessary, such as in chapter nine when characters speak inside the church.

Sinister 2 Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Sinister 2 contains a commentary, deleted scenes, extended "kill films," and a featurette. A voucher for a UV/iTunes digital copy code is included with purchase.

• Deleted Scenes (1080p): New Chain (1:11), A Late-Night Warning (2:38), Stupid Bird (1:38), Lipstick (2:03), and Stomberg's Last Drink (1:59).
• Extended Kill Films (1080p): Lengthier version of the Super 8 clips seen in the film. Included are Fishing Trip (1:32), Christmas Morning (1:34), Kitchen Remodel (1:41), A Trip to the Dentist (0:35), Sunday Service (3:05), and Cornfield (3:11).
• Time to Watch Another: The Making of Sinister 2 (1080p, 10:11): A basic overview that highlights the new director; this film's story; cast, characters, and performances; making the short films, including the cornfield sequence; making and performing the film's demonic villain; and more.
• Audio Commentary: Director Ciarán Foy delivers an even-keeled track, one that's informative across all areas -- story, performances, the Sinister series, technical details, filmmaking techniques -- and that does a fine job of shaping the greater story around the film.

Sinister 2 Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Sinister 2 should appeal to anyone who enjoyed the lore in the first film. For genre veterans or fans of the original looking for a tight, thrilling, well written Horror movie, however, Sinister 2 is just another day at the office, a movie that's neither any great shakes nor in any way terrible. Credit it for foregoing too many jump scares and tip the hat to Foy and his cast for shaping an otherwise trite script into something watchable, if not wholly forgettable, but despite their best efforts the movie never gets off the ground or works its way to "must see" territory. Universal's Blu-ray release of Sinister 2 features excellent video and audio. Supplements are average in quality and quantity. Worth a rental.