Sinister

Name: Sinister
Genre: Mystery, Thriller, Horror, Crime
Released: October 12, 2012
Duration: 110 min
Rating: 53
Cast: Ethan Hawke, James Ransone, Juliet Rylance

2012

METASCORE

Mixed or average reviews based on 30 Critic Reviews

See All

USER SCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 446 Ratings

See All

7.2

VOTE NOW

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

7.2	Your Score
7.2	User Score Generally favorable reviews based on 446 Ratings

Would you like to write a review?

There is a 75 character minimum for reviews. If your review contains spoilers, please check the Spoiler box. Please do not use ALL CAPS. There is no linking or other HTML allowed. Your review may be edited for content. 0/5000

Check box if your review contains spoilers

Play Sound

Please enter your birth date to watch this video:

You are not allowed to view this material at this time.

Sinister

Now Playing: Sinister

Movie Details & Credits

Summit Entertainment | Release Date: October 12, 2012 | R

Starring: Ethan Hawke, James Ransone, Juliet Rylance

Summary: A true crime novelist discovers a box of mysterious, disturbing home movies that plunge his family into a nightmarish experience of supernatural horror. [Summit Entertainment]

Director: Scott Derrickson

Genre(s): Mystery, Thriller, Horror, Crime

Rating: R

Runtime: 110 min

See All Details and Credits

Watch Now

Stream On

Buy on

Stream On

Expand

Metascore

Positive:

Mixed:

Negative:

Critic Reviews

Scott Tobias

Oct 10, 2012

It's all done in questionable taste, mucking around in the nasty terrain of snuff films and children in constant peril, but Sinister is smart and well-crafted, and it scarcely gives the audience a moment to breathe. Read full review

Nick Pinkerton

Oct 9, 2012

Hawke's taut performance - lightly parodying his own career doldrums while playing an egotistical hack who's a close cousin of John Cassavetes's self-loathing actor in Rosemary's Baby - is totally credible. Read full review

James Berardinelli

Oct 11, 2012

Even though the ending is inescapable (and therefore predictable), that does little to diminish its effectiveness. Read full review

Marjorie Baumgarten

Oct 10, 2012

The film's sound design is also expertly wrought with a blend of nearly subliminal noises, bumps in the night, and other frights. Read full review

Sara Stewart

Oct 11, 2012

Here's the thing: Found footage is scary when - because - it leaves you to fill in a lot of the blanks yourself. But actually watching whole families have terrible things done to them - well, hard-core horror fans may dig it, I guess. I'd call it forced voyeurism of the worst sort. Read full review

Mike Scott

Oct 12, 2012

Pros and cons aside, Sinister has the benefit of arriving in the thick of Halloween season, right when movie-goers are most hungry for a few scares. And they'll get them from Derrickson's film, too. Read full review

Boxoffice Magazine James Rocchi

Oct 10, 2012

Sinister is pretty much everything to hate about modern horror in one mixed bag, a ramshackle teardown of jump-scares and creaky tricks, saw-it-coming "surprises" and the lead-footed thud of inevitability as it tediously places one clumsy foot in front of the other, plodding towards a finale that comes far too late. Read full review

SEE ALL 30 REVIEWS

Write a Review

User Reviews

jennanana

Feb 21, 2013

Sinister is a very creepy and jumpy film! I definitely had nightmares for a few days! If you're into the horror genre, you wouldn't want to miss out on Sinister!

4 of 7 users found this helpful43

rpg4life

Mar 18, 2013

rented this in red box not sure what it would be like... i was very suprised that it kept me on the edge of my seat the whole movie. great story and was very creepy. its been a while since ive seen a movie that creepy.

0 of 1 users found this helpful01

DaizyBurchill

Nov 28, 2012

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. This film is incredible, the best film I've seen all year, it takes a lot to make me jump in a horror movie and this one made me jump twice in my books that's impressive. I was a bit skeptical at first but this film proved to be worth my time, this film escapes the cliche of a psycho murderer and I thought it was quite a clever plot although I think that it was a bit weird that they have the youngest child possessed by some sort of cult and killing their family members in gruesome bloody ways. However it was clever because no-one would suspect a child who is portrayed as innocent an sane who then disappears after murdering their family and have you believe that it was a murder and child abduction case. I also thought the mask was incredible and creepy. Loved this film.… Expand

3 of 5 users found this helpful32

BrianMcCritic

Mar 10, 2013

A horror movie that wasn't bad. Unfortunately for someone whose a horror movie fan like myself I have to say the genre has disappointed in a big way.

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

coreyg007

Oct 24, 2012

I thought the film was pretty good for the price I paid to see it. It was more eerie than scary but had a couple of "oh crap!" moments that catch you off guard. I thought Ethan Hawke did an awesome job acting as a progressively semi-crazy individual. My only complaint would be that theI thought the film was pretty good for the price I paid to see it. It was more eerie than scary but had a couple of "oh crap!" moments that catch you off guard. I thought Ethan Hawke did an awesome job acting as a progressively semi-crazy individual. My only complaint would be that the audience needs more of a history lesson in the origins of the demon and why He/It does what He/It does. All-in-all, a pretty good flick.… Expand

1 of 2 users found this helpful11

oDjento

Aug 24, 2015

Reviewing this for comparison against Sinister 2. Sinister had some good acting talent behind it with Ethan Hawke as the tortured protagonist of the film. The film is a little too reliant on jumpscares but it still has its creepy moments. First viewing I thought the film was rather well doneReviewing this for comparison against Sinister 2. Sinister had some good acting talent behind it with Ethan Hawke as the tortured protagonist of the film. The film is a little too reliant on jumpscares but it still has its creepy moments. First viewing I thought the film was rather well done but on second I saw it as a reasonable effort but nothing too special. The main villain has a creepy design, but some jump scares in this film are just too cheap. I give this a 6.5/10, but will keep it at a 6/10 on metacritics score.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

Toten79

Aug 14, 2020

One of the best comedies inside the Horror genre. I don´t know how they managed to include Mick Thompson from Slipknot in the cast... but there it is. Truly awful, BUT with plenty of laughs at the "jump scares" (the children making the hushing gestures are priceless). Definitely moreOne of the best comedies inside the Horror genre. I don´t know how they managed to include Mick Thompson from Slipknot in the cast... but there it is. Truly awful, BUT with plenty of laughs at the "jump scares" (the children making the hushing gestures are priceless). Definitely more enjoyable with a head full of weed.… Expand

0 of 1 users found this helpful01

SEE ALL 122 REVIEWS

34	#34 Most Discussed Movie of 2012
55	#55 Most Shared Movie of 2012