Insidious: The Last Key (2018)
Parapsychologist Elise Rainier and her team travel to Five Keys, NM, to investigate a man’s claim of a haunting. Terror soon strikes when Rainier realizes that the house he lives in was her family’s old home.
Details
Budget
$10,000,000
Rating
6/10 (2939 votes)
Status
Released
Production Companies
Stage 6 Films, Blumhouse Productions, Universal Pictures, Oren Peli Productions
About Insidious: The Last Key
Insidious: The Last Key functions as a prequel within the Insidious series, exploring the origins of parapsychologist Elise Rainier. The story takes her back to her childhood home in Five Keys, New Mexico, where she must confront a haunting tied to her past. This entry expands on the franchise's established supernatural horror elements, delving deeper into Elise's history and her connection to the spiritual realm.
The film incorporates common horror tropes such as a haunted house, evil spirits, and demons, alongside explorations of other dimensions. Set partly in the 1950s, it aims to provide context for Elise's abilities and her ongoing struggle against malevolent entities. While continuing the narrative, it maintains the suspenseful tone characteristic of the series, drawing on themes of supernatural encounters and personal trauma.
Critically, the film received mixed reactions. Its Rotten Tomatoes score of 35% and Metacritic score of 49/100 indicate a divided reception, though IMDB users rated it slightly higher at 5.7/10. The audience response, with a 6/10 average vote from nearly 3,000 TMDB users, suggests a moderate level of enjoyment for fans of the franchise.
Why you might be searching for Insidious: The Last Key
People are often searching for details about the film's prequel status, its connection to Elise Rainier's backstory, and the specific demons or supernatural elements presented. Queries also arise about the film's setting in Five Keys, New Mexico, and its place in the overall Insidious timeline, particularly regarding how it explains Elise's abilities and past experiences.
What reviewers are saying
One reviewer suggested that the Insidious franchise might be better viewed in chronological story order, although they were not keen on rewatching the films, including this one, due to perceived quality issues.
Read the full reviewDespite the film's shortcomings, the mythology of the Insidious series remains a point of interest for some, even if they found the overall execution of The Last Key and its predecessor to be lacking.
Read the full reviewA critic noted the recurring cliffhanger ending that has appeared in multiple Insidious films, expressing concern about the quality of future installments if they continue in a similar vein.
Read the full reviewThe film received a rating of 2 out of 5 stars from one reviewer, who acknowledged that it had some appealing elements but considered the final product to be poor.
Read the full reviewFrequently Asked Questions
Common questions about finding and identifying movies
You can stream *Insidious: The Last Key* on Netflix and HBO Max. It was released in theaters on January 5, 2018.
*Insidious: The Last Key* is a supernatural horror film and is not based on a true story. It is the fourth installment in the *Insidious* franchise.
In *Insidious: The Last Key*, Elise, Melissa, and Imogen escape the Further with the help of Audrey's spirit. Keyface, the demon, is vanquished when Elise blows Christian's whistle, summoning Audrey. After their escape, Elise and Imogen return to their bodies and Melissa's spirit re-enters hers. The film concludes with Elise receiving a call from Lorraine, who asks for help with her grandson Dalton, setting up the events of the first *Insidious* film.
Critics have given *Insidious: The Last Key* mixed reviews, with Rotten Tomatoes reporting that "her efforts aren't enough to rescue this uninspired sequel." However, the film offers Lin Shaye another chance to lead the franchise. Audiences gave it a "B-" grade on CinemaScore.