Insidious: Out of the Further opens in theatres on August 21, bringing the sixth film in the long-running horror franchise. Directed and written by Jacob Chase, the new film moves away from the Lambert family and introduces a new mother and daughter at the centre of the story. Early reviews are mixed, with critics finding some effective scares and interesting ideas but also feeling that the franchise is starting to repeat itself.
The film follows Gemma (Amelia Eve), a young mother raising her daughter Maya (Island Austin) in the house where she grew up. Gemma soon discovers that she can enter the Further, the strange world of lost souls at the centre of the Insidious series. Her ability comes with an even bigger danger, as she can bring spirits from the Further back into the real world. When a dangerous entity discovers what Gemma can do, she is forced to protect her daughter while trying to understand the strange power she has.
Unlike the previous five films, Insidious: Out of the Further does not focus on the Lambert family. Instead, it introduces a completely new family while bringing back Lin Shaye as Elise Rainier, who once again acts as a connection to the earlier films. The change has been seen as an attempt to give the franchise a fresh start, although critics are divided on whether it works.
The overall response has been mixed. Rotten Tomatoes currently has the film at around 60% from critics, making it one of the better-reviewed entries in the franchise, although the score remains far from a strong critical success. The first Insidious still holds the franchise’s highest Tomatometer score at 66%, while The Red Door sits at 39%.
Critics were most divided over the story and screenplay. The Hollywood Reporter’s Frank Scheck found the film too routine and felt that its complicated mythology eventually becomes tiring. The Guardian’s Scott Tobias was even more critical, giving it two out of five stars and arguing that the film takes its supernatural mythology too seriously while losing much of the fun that made the earlier movies work. He also felt the later sections become messy, with effects and ghost-fighting scenes that fail to create much tension.
Deadline’s Pete Hammond also felt the film struggles to stand out in a year when horror audiences have been responding strongly to more original films. He compared the movie unfavourably with recent hits such as Backrooms and Obsession, arguing that Insidious: Out of the Further feels too close to the same formula the franchise has used before. IndieWire’s Ryan Lattanzio was harsher, giving the film a D and calling it boring and uninspired.
Where the film does receive some praise is in its individual horror sequences. Several critics point to a sequence involving Gemma crawling through her daughter’s pillow fort, which turns into a strange, maze-like space, as one of the more creative moments in the movie. The dental office sequences have also been noted for finding unusual ways to create tension. Even critics who were unhappy with the overall film found moments where Chase shows some visual imagination.
The performances also give the film some much-needed strength. Amelia Eve’s performance as Gemma has been one of the more positively received elements, with critics finding her convincing as a mother dealing with fear, grief and the responsibility of protecting her daughter. Young actor Island Austin also gets praise for bringing a believable emotional connection to the mother-daughter relationship. Lin Shaye remains a welcome presence as Elise, with her return giving longtime fans a familiar character to hold on to.
Not every critic was completely negative. TheWrap’s Amelia Emberwing found the film more entertaining, praising its combination of scares, humour and heart despite an average screenplay. Slant Magazine’s Rocco T. Thompson also gave credit to Chase for exploring some new corners of the Insidious mythology, even while comparing the film to the weaker sequels of older horror franchises.
Taken together, the reviews suggest that Insidious: Out of the Further is a decent but familiar continuation rather than the major reinvention the franchise may need after six films. The new characters, Amelia Eve’s performance and a few creative horror sequences give it some life, but the predictable story and repeated use of familiar ideas hold it back. For longtime fans, there may still be enough scares and returning elements to make the trip into the Further worthwhile, but critics are clearly asking whether the franchise has much more left to explore.
Watch Trailer of Insidious: Out of the Further
Film Details: Insidious: Out of the Further
Director: Jacob Chase
Writer: Jacob Chase
Story: David Leslie Johnson-McGoldrick, Jacob Chase
Cast: Amelia Eve, Brandon Perea, Lin Shaye, Sam Spruell, Maisie Richardson-Sellers, Island Austin
Genre: Horror, Mystery & Thriller
Rating: PG-13
Running Time: 1 hour 46 minutes
Production Companies: Blumhouse Productions, Stage 6 Films, Screen Gems
Distributor: Sony Pictures Releasing
Release Date: August 21, 2026
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