2012’s Sinister cast spiky Ethan Hawke as a true-crime writer in need of a bestseller who uncovers a stash of super-8 snuff movies. With Hawke out of the picture, it’s left to second stringer James Ransone to carry the can as the dorky former deputy making it his business to keep track of the cinematic spirits. This time, single mom Courtney (Shannyn Sossamon) moves her boys into an affordable rural home to escape their violent father, and history repeats itself in boringly formulaic fashion. While the demonic Bughuul once possessed an air of creepy mystery, now he’s just a Baba-dud, a lurking Marilyn Manson clone, bereft of shocks and scares. The undead kids look like failed makeup test extras from The Devil’s Backbone, and their Children of the Corn home movies play out with dreariness rather than dread. Even the Peeping Tom sprocket fetishism bores. “I don’t want to watch any more,” declares terrorised youth Dylan. We know exactly how he feels.
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