Back in 2020, Broadbend Choices did a study based on viewer heart rates, and came to the conclusion that Sinister is the single scariest movie ever made. And you know what? I kind of get it.
That doesn't mean that it's without its share of issues. The premise is pretty unoriginal (even if the story does take a few interesting turns), the family drama is largely tedious, and my god are those jump scare noises insufferable - whether or not they actually get a reaction, it's such a lame and manipulative tactic. Plus, a lot of the reveals are too silly to be effective.
But, man, the lead-ups to those weak payoffs are really strong. This is a movie that knows how to build suspense. And not much is required, either: just Ethan Hawke (who really sells the weight of this stuff) watching creepy Super 8 footage and walking around dark rooms at night. That's all. Does it always lead to something terrifying? Not exactly. But I felt like I could hear my own pulse in the meantime.
So, yeah, the result checked out in my case.
Grade: B+
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