Aren’t home movies cruel enough by themselves? Do we really have to introduce the element of a child killing his family into each one? Sure, it makes the super 8 fishing trip go a little faster, and do you think the gator refers to the boy who sacrificed his family as “the one who got away?” But that ain’t right.
Yes, the demon Baghuul is back with home movies and backstory in the plot nobody actually needed to see again, but, hey, the first Sinister was a hit, so let’s go torture another family. Not exactly sure why Baghuul requires the deaths at the hands of the remaining corrupted child; we all have our M.O.s, I guess. That’s all well and good, but Baghuul, baby, it’s upgrade time: the handheld super 8 thing? Archive that, sucka. We have Sundance films shot on iPhones now. Your equipment is relic, dude. And considering your influence spans back continents and centuries, well, clearly you must have upgraded before at some point. Just sayin’.
Courtney Collins (Shannyn Sossamon) and her twin boys are on the run from abusive dad (Lea Coco). As she has no money, the accommodations are lean and the three end up squatting on the site of a massacre. Baghuul and his infantry of relative infants have been hiding out here and waiting for blood. Twin Dylan (Robert Daniel Sloan) is visited nightly by the children of past slaughters who can’t wait to show him how they killed off their kin. When he refuses, you’d think they’d just pantomime it or something, but noooooo, he’s gotta be awake and watching like the guy in A Clockwork Orange. Maybe he could review them – “the improvised mouth gags from wrapped Christmas tree lights are an inspiration, but there’s no follow through with the theme – frostbite, what’s that? How about being wrapped to death or something?”
Now I’d say each kid gleefully introducing his own mass murder was the sickest thing in Sinister 2, but that would be wrong; there is actually a medieval torture in this film I’d only read about and I’d happily have left it that way. To be fair, film, you showed me something I haven’t seen before. Thank you, jerk.
Speaking of things I could have happily lived without ever seeing, Baghuul (Nicholas King) shows up in person from time-to-time. It’s eerie when he can actually see out of the computer screen, but Sinister 2 milks
that gimmick a bit too much. By the third or fourth supernatural moment, Baghuul is just sitting there on screen like Cletus the Slack-Jawed Yokel, “huh. What’s going on this side?”
And why do identical twins Dylan and Zach (Dartanian Sloan – folks, if you’re gonna name a kid “D’Artagnan,” please spell it right) fight all the time. You’re the same freaking guy; why can’t you get along with yourself?
Sinister 2 represents the big problem of killing off actors in the original. I may not think a great deal of Ethan Hawke, but when he doesn’t show for the sequel, you’ve left us with James Ransone, who does the heavy lifting under the character name – and I’m not making this up – “Ex-Deputy So & So.” When your film doesn’t bother naming its male lead? Not a good sign. James is worth about half a film before his acting gives way and, fittingly, there’s about half a film of decent material here; there’s enough for a good scare or two, but nothing to make a home movie about.
♪I don’t mind other guys dancing with Baghuul
That’s fine, everybody’s just another tool
But I know sometimes specters come in the night
Rather be upstairs beneath the covers from sight
The kids are all fright♫
Rated R, 97 Minutes
D: Ciarán Foy
W: Scott Derrickson & C. Robert Cargill
Genre: Evil home movies
Type of person most likely to enjoy this film: Children who turn out to be serial murderers
Type of person least likely to enjoy this film: People not so big on the explicit
♪ Parody inspired by “The Kids Are Alright”
