For those of you that have read my Sinister review here on Nightmarish Conjurings, you know that I was absolutely obsessed, disgusted, disturbed, and it changed the way that I view horror. It instantly became one of my top 5 favorite horror films, and it locked Bughuul in as one of my top 3 favorite horror villains…yes, he’s up there with Pinhead and Pennywise.

That being said, when I was offered the opportunity to go screen Sinister 2 before its release, I may or may not have considered camping out at the movie theater a week in advance. Spoiler: I did not camp out for a week, but I did show up to the screening two hours early and I don’t even feel slightly embarrassed about it.

I dropped myself into a seat directly in the middle of the tiny theater, smiled so wide that my cheeks started to hurt, and braced myself for the horror that was Sinister 2…

With that being said, I would like to address all of the reviews that the film is getting. I absolutely respect the idea that they wanted to capitalize on a good thing and make a sequel, but come on guys…you need to make it up to par with the first film, or at least try. Do I think that the film deserves the abysmal ratings its getting? No. Do I think that the idea behind the film was scary? Also no. Let me explain.

I went into the screening with really high expectations. Coming from someone who had a really hard time sleeping alone after seeing the first film, I was ready to go into this one and come out not wanting to take the train home. Instead, I got a theater full of giggling writers because they defaulted to jump scares instead of true terror.

The Super 8 found-footage-style films were still there, and the deaths were still grotesque and horrifying. They included two of my least favorite things: alligators and dentists. Therefore, I was good on that end.

Bughuul is still creepy and disturbing. They promised to give you his back story and it never really comes, but it doesn’t help or hurt the film overall. I would have appreciated it, but what are you gonna do? They showed him a bit too much for my liking because part of what made him scary was not knowing where he was lurking, but this one gave him an entire film of just his face. Every turn, there he was. I’m not kidding, he was there CONSTANTLY. It’s okay though, Bughuul, I still love you!

What really ruined it for me: the kids. They were another factor that was constantly present. They didn’t go away, and it’s not like anything about them was even kind of scary to warrant it. They were annoying and unnecessary, and ruined the entire film. There’s not much more I have to say about them because they sucked and that’s all there is too it. Boo.

On to the rating of the film:
Story/Concept: 2
Direction/Style: 1
Atmosphere: 1
Rewatchability: 0
4/10.

Part of me wishes that I could have given the film a higher rating, but part of me understands that it shouldn’t get one. I’m so disappointed in how downhill this film went, but deep down I still love the franchise and I wish that they could have left it alone…however I understand the need to have made a second one.

…Here’s hoping they don’t make a third.

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Taylor Krauss

Taylor has been a horror fan for as long as she can remember, begging her parents to let her see The Exorcist at the tender age of just five years old. Since then, she has developed a lifelong obsession with all things strange, paranormal, and creepy. If you find her doing something other than watching a horror film, she’s probably raging as a dwarf barbarian playing Dungeons and Dragons (obsessively…it’s a problem), quoting Lord of the Rings incessantly, or trying to become Dana Scully.

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