Insidious: Out of the Further review: scary setpieces
Insidious: Out of the Further delivers genuinely terrifying setpieces in the sixth franchise entry, but Variety finds the final act convoluted once Lin Shaye's Elise returns. Jacob Chase's PG-13 horror still works as atmospheric, vibes-based fright fare despite its wobbly story. The latest chapter in the long-running saga screened in New York City on August 18, 2026, per Variety. For more horror and streaming coverage, see our Streaming & TV Alerts hub.
Key Takeaways
- The sixth Insidious film runs 106 minutes with an MPA PG-13 rating.
- Dentist-chair body horror and a claustrophobic crawlspace maze rank among the scariest sequences.
- Amelia Eve leads as dental hygienist Gemma, haunted by spirits from The Further rather than her house.
- Lin Shaye's ghostly Elise returns via medium Clare, but an orange-demo finale plan confuses reviewers.
- Variety praises makeup and costume work even as the story's later act loses momentum.
What Is Insidious: Out of the Further About?
Writer-director Jacob Chase's chapter follows Gemma (Amelia Eve), a young single mother and dental hygienist, and her nine-year-old daughter Maya (Island Austin). Dead entities stalk their neighborhood and invade their home, drawn by Gemma's ability to travel into The Further—a dream realm of demons—while she sleeps.
A 1999 prologue shows young Gemma (Charli Penton) witness her mother's brutal death through supernatural events. Twenty years later, Gemma tries to be a present parent while nightmares intensify. Her boyfriend Nick (Brandon Perea), a supportive cop, rightly urges the family to move when the hauntings escalate.
Which Scenes Make Insidious: Out of the Further Genuinely Terrifying?
Variety highlights dentist-chair horror as a standout. An elderly patient with rotting teeth—and possibly a second, sharper set of fangs—terrorizes Gemma during a cleaning, pulling hair from his mouth as he silently stares. The sequence channels Marathon Man and The Dentist while flipping roles: the patient, not the provider, drives the dread.
Another peak scare turns Maya's cushion crawlspace into an airless, Backrooms-style maze. Effective sound design and jump scares reinforce the film's atmospheric, bedtime-anxiety tone for much of its 106-minute runtime.
Why Does the Final Act Fall Short?
When deceased franchise favorite Elise (Lin Shaye) re-enters through tattoo artist and medium Clare (Maisie Richardson-Sellers), the plot grows harder to follow. Clare tries to explain Elise's plan to stop demon Lester (Joseph Lopez) using cut-up oranges—a metaphor Variety calls so unclear it seems aimed at convincing the writers themselves.
Chase's script skimps on explaining The Further for newcomers, though the concept remains basic: gifted sleepers enter a demon-filled dream world where entities seek living hosts. The emotional core—fear of losing family and fighting through to escape—lands early thanks to Eve and Austin's mother-daughter portrait, but reviewers wish for a leaner resolution.
Is Insidious: Out of the Further Worth Watching?
For franchise fans and nervous sleepers, Variety says there is still old-school horror fun on offer. Liz Keogh Palmer's costumes and the makeup team earn special praise for spirits that may linger after the lights go out. Producers include Jason Blum, Oren Peli, James Wan, and Leigh Whannell on the Screen Gems, Blumhouse, and Atomic Monster release.
Joseph Bishara composed the score, with David Garbett on camera and Gregory Plotkin editing. The film reviewed at Sony Pictures Screening Room carries a story by Chase and David Leslie Johnson-McGoldrick. Catch the full critique at Variety for every setpiece breakdown.