By Staci Layne Wilson
@StaciWilson

The first Sinister movie was released in 2012 and it was a sleeper hit. Starring Ethan Hawke as an investigative reporter who moves into a haunted house, the flick introduced a brand new bogeyman. Buhguul, an ancient entity also known as the Eater of Children, would possess the soul of the youngest child in a family shortly before they were all killed in the most gruesome and terrifying ways imaginable. What’s more, it was all caught on tape; like snuff films from The Beyond.

Buhguul is back with a vengeance in the sequel, and so is a whole new cast and a different director at the helm. Therefore, it has a much different vibe than its predecessor. It unfolds more traditionally, and is shown from the outside in rather than through the eyes of a determined sleuth. One person who does return is Deputy So And So (James Ransone), and his role is greatly expanded – he even gets to kiss the girl!

The girl is the lovely Shannyn Sossamon, who plays spooked single mother Courtney Collins. Courtney has 9-year-old identical sons (real-life twins Robert and Dartanian Sloan), who’ve lately discovered an evil presence inside their new home. Needless to say, an immediate attraction between the lawman and the mom complicate things not only on a domestic level – but a demonic one. As the devil’s minion works his wicked magic, the Deputy keeps getting in the way… which of course means that even though he’s not a blood relative, Bughuul will still gladly spill his blood.

Sinister 2 is not as big a roller coaster ride as, say, other 2015 horror hits Insidious 3 or Poltergeist, and it is devoid of humor. While it’s serious, it’s not especially scary. It goes for the throat through gratuitous violence as we see whole families being murdered in the most painful possible ways — eaten alive by rats in a church, hung upside down in a gator-infested swamp, dispatched by scythes, fire, drilling, and buried alive in freezing snow.

Fortunately, Sossomon saves the show with her layered performance, showing everything from sweet vulnerability to vicious maternal protectiveness. Sinister 2 is a standup, standard horror movie – perfect for this time of year, as we get into a Halloween state of mind.

Rated R
1 Hour 37 Minutes

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