'

Sinister

Play trailer

2:26

Sinister

R

Released Oct 12, 2012

1h 49m

Horror

Mystery & Thriller

Play Trailer

Watchlist

Watchlist

Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

64%

Tomatometer

154 Reviews

62%

Popcornmeter

50,000+ Ratings

True-crime writer Ellison Oswald (Ethan Hawke) is in a slump; he hasn't had a best seller in more than 10 years and is becoming increasingly desperate for a hit. So, when he discovers the existence of a snuff film showing the deaths of a family, he vows to solve the mystery. He moves his own family into the victims' home and gets to work. However, when old film footage and other clues hint at the presence of a supernatural force, Ellison learns that living in the house may be fatal.

Watch on Fandango at Home

Rent Now

Critics Consensus

Its plot hinges on typically implausible horror-movie behavior and recycles countless genre cliches, but Sinister delivers a surprising number of fresh, diabolical twists.

Read Critics Reviews

Peter Howell

Toronto Star

More stupid than scary, Sinister can't even figure out who its real demon is.

Rated: 2/4

Oct 13, 2012

Full Review

Kevin C. Johnson

St. Louis Post-Dispatch

It comes together with a gruesome though excellent ending that some will find difficult to shake.

Rated: 3.5/4

Oct 12, 2012

Full Review

Liam Lacey

Globe and Mail

A mixed bag of old-school and contemporary horror tricks that occasionally raises a hair prickle of intrigue.

Rated: 2/4

Oct 12, 2012

Full Review

Patrick Cavanaugh

The Wolfman Cometh

A number of sequences are undeniably unsettling and effective, yet its narrative seems to only be a device to deliver those encounters.

Rated: 3/5

Sep 22, 2023

Full Review

Cassondra Feltus

Black Girl Nerds

'Sinister' remains one of the most original horror movies out there.

Rated: 4.5/5

Oct 16, 2022

Full Review

Brian Eggert

Deep Focus Review

The protagonist, played by Ethan Hawke, spends too much time bumbling around in the dark to discover the origin of mysterious sounds, and not enough time heeding the obvious warning signs that foretell his doom.

Rated: 2/4

Sep 23, 2022

Full Review

Read all reviews

Will L

Even those who leave bad reviews admit this movie is scary. What else do you want from a horror movie? Romance?

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

05/17/25

Full Review

Evan A

Started watching this at 12 in the morning, and I must say cheeks were clenched. This masterpiece of a film perfectly encapsulates both aspects of horror, eeriness and a jump-out-of-your-seat thrill. It's the anticipation and build up of the fire you watched start, yet can't look away from, and when it finally climaxes you're still shocked to your core. If I could give this more than 5 stars I absolutely would. In my top 3 Horror movies for sure. - Evan & Ayden Movie Critics & Best Friends

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

05/16/25

Full Review

Emil P

It was scary as hell, but there is better horror lovies out there. Kills 1h 50mins.

Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars

05/07/25

Full Review

thiago s

Filme mais ou menos, o roteiro é fraco, as cenas de terror são mais ou menos, o elenco é fraco, e ninguém ajuda a melhorar o filme, a história é fraca, os personagens sao fracos, e o filme deveria ter cenas bem melhores e relevantes para fazer o filme ser bom.

Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars

05/06/25

Full Review

Leaburn O

Wow that was duuuuuuull. The ending is abrupt. There are zero scary moments and it plays on the old trope of creepy children but…they’re just not creepy. They’re predictably cliché. Watched on Netflix.

Rated 1.5 out of 5 stars

05/05/25

Full Review

Alexander T

By far, the most terrifying movie I’ve ever seen, and I’ve seen so many that I can’t remember most of them.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

05/01/25

Full Review

Read all reviews

Read More

Read Less

POST RATING

WRITE A REVIEW

EDIT REVIEW

Scott Derrickson

Director

Ethan Hawke

Ellison

Vincent D'Onofrio

Prof. Jonas

James Ransone

Deputy

Fred Dalton Thompson

Sheriff

Clare Foley

Ashley

Sinister 2

14%

31%

Sinister 2

Watchlist

The Purge

41%

36%

The Purge

Watchlist

Paranormal Activity 4

23%

34%

Paranormal Activity 4

Watchlist

Paranormal Activity: The Marked Ones

40%

34%

Paranormal Activity: The Marked Ones

Watchlist

TRAILER

for Paranormal Activity: The Marked Ones

Afflicted

83%

57%

Afflicted

Watchlist

Discover more movies and TV shows.

View More

Sinister: Trailer 1

2:26

View more videos

View more photos

Synopsis

True-crime writer Ellison Oswald (Ethan Hawke) is in a slump; he hasn't had a best seller in more than 10 years and is becoming increasingly desperate for a hit. So, when he discovers the existence of a snuff film showing the deaths of a family, he vows to solve the mystery. He moves his own family into the victims' home and gets to work. However, when old film footage and other clues hint at the presence of a supernatural force, Ellison learns that living in the house may be fatal.

Director: Scott Derrickson
Producer: Jason Blum, Brian Kavanaugh-Jones
Screenwriter: Scott Derrickson, C. Robert Cargill
Distributor: Summit Entertainment
Production Co: Automatik, Summit Entertainment, Alliance, Blumhouse, IM Global
Rating: R (Some Terror|Disturbing Violent Images)
Genre: Horror, Mystery & Thriller
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Oct 12, 2012, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Nov 21, 2015
Box Office (Gross USA): $48.1M
Runtime: 1h 49m

Most Popular at Home Now