Sinister

R

Released Oct 12, 2012

1h 49m

Horror

Mystery & Thriller

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List

63%

158 Reviews

Tomatometer

62%

50,000+ Ratings

Audience Score

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.

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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.

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Aidan B

Despite a weak ending to a fairly predictable story, Scott Derrickson still delivers on the chills and serves up a genuinely frightening horror film that manages to overcome many of its shortcomings.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

04/29/24

Full Review

Audience Member

Easily the creepiest horror movie i've ever seen

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

04/18/24

Full Review

Chris C

Very well written and played out movie. The finale could've been miles better and weighs the final score down but overall would recommend.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

04/15/24

Full Review

Samuel K

I really don't understand why the critics dislike this movie so much but this is just good, saw this in theatres years ago great experience honestly. Wish they made a third movie.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

04/14/24

Full Review

Null

Just saw this in theaters, and damn, I'm impressed. Not a big fan or horror movies, typically because of the reliance on jumpscares, but this impressed me. I was glued to my seat, excited for what would happen next. It starts out with an extremely shocking intro, and then lets you marinate with it. From there, it seems all too calm, with just some unease, but gets progressively more disturbing and gruesome. The ending felt... idk, eh, but that doesn't matter as much to me since the entire movie really had me on the edge of my seat.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

04/06/24

Full Review

R B

Top tier horror movie

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

03/29/24

Full Review

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Scott Derrickson

Director

Ethan Hawke

Ellison

Vincent D'Onofrio

Prof. Jonas

James Ransone

Deputy

Fred Dalton Thompson

Sheriff

Clare Foley

Ashley

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Sinister: Trailer 1

2:26

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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

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: Scott Derrickson, Charles Layton
Screenwriter: Scott Derrickson, C. Robert Cargill
Distributor: Summit Entertainment
Production Co: Alliance, Blumhouse, Summit Entertainment, Automatik, 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

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