“It’s all the more puzzling, then, that “Insidious: Chapter 3” keeps Shaye in the shadows for so much of its running time, and keeps Specs and Tucker (introduced as bumbling practitioners of a YouTube ghostbusting channel) on ice for even longer. During most of that time, Whannell tries his hand at the kind of atmospheric, slow-burn scares that made Wan’s films textbook examples of what Roger Ebert termed “bruised forearm movies” (so named the intensity with which they cause your date to squeeze your antebrachium). But whereas Wan (who retains a producer credit here, and makes a cameo appearance) is the sort of director who can effortlessly turn a billowing curtain or creaking floorboard into an unbearable portent of dread, Whannell rarely makes the neck hairs quiver, let alone stand at attention. The only risk of arm injury here comes from the frequent checking of one’s watch.

Around the one-hour mark, once Whannell finally has the whole ghost-hunting band back together again, “Insidious: Chapter 3” gives off a few fleeting sparks of pleasure and conjures up a couple of memorably creepy images (including that of a half-formed woman with no face, hands, or feet). But what, finally, can one say about a movie in which the family being haunted seems more embalmed than the ghosts doing the haunting?”

-From the Variety.com review by Scott Foundas

Sadly, we have heard the similar things from several other reviews. About the only upside here is saving the high cost of a ticket price, but we were hopeful this would be worth going out to see and scream at the top of our lungs a few times. If you’ve seen it, and think this review is too hard on Insidious: Chapter 3, please do tell!

You can read the entire review by clicking “View original” on the lower left.