Sinister

Play trailer

2:26

Sinister

R

2012

1h 49m

Horror

Mystery & Thriller

Crime

Drama

Play Trailer

Watchlist

Watchlist

Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

64%

Tomatometer

155 Reviews

62%

Popcornmeter

50,000+ Ratings

True-crime writer Ellison Oswald is in a slump; he hasn't had a bestseller 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.

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

10/13/2012

2/4

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

Go to Full Review

Kevin C. Johnson

St. Louis Post-Dispatch

10/12/2012

3.5/4

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

Go to Full Review

Liam Lacey

Globe and Mail

10/12/2012

2/4

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

Go to Full Review

Bryce Hanson

Horror Movie Talk

Sep 18

6/10

I can see why people like this movie and keep bringing it up to us. It’s got a distinctive dark tone while still being very approachable for mainstream audiences. It’s like if The Crow had a baby with The Nun from The Conjuring.

Go to Full Review

Patrick Cavanaugh

The Wolfman Cometh

09/22/2023

3/5

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

Go to Full Review

Cassondra Feltus

Black Girl Nerds

10/16/2022

4.5/5

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

Go to Full Review

Read all reviews

R T

@Pinagong777 May 29

loved and was scared of ts as a child and the ost is really freaking sinister, gives me the creeps

See more

Juliette M

@Jules676767 May 13

I know this review is waaay after the movie was made, but this movie scared the crap out of me and I cant even watch the ending all the way through!! I notice that there were not any black actors in the movie...that is sad because I am a huge fan of Ethan Hawk. I am sure the director had the say in who he wanted seen on screenn and with that being said it is what it is 2012 is over though. Cast more diverse actresses, like my self (LOL).

See more

Patrick B

@PFTMB May 11

Ethan and his family move into a house whose previous inhabitants were murdered. In the attic, he finds a box of Super‑8 films that actually show the murder taking place. To me, that would already be enough reason to leave the house squealing tires and immediately call the police. But no. Okay, that would have made for a short film, but I was extremely annoyed by his increasingly stupid behaviour. And why do people is these films never simply turn the lights on when they hear a strange noise in the house? And it ends with a supposedly "surprising" plot twist that was already obvious halfway through the movie. Garbage. There are a few decent jump scares, though.

See more

Adam O

@RT66328426 Apr 29

About as scary as my bare feet. This is a terrible movie that plays on so many tired cliches and predictable plot twists that I was bored before it got close to the end. Why can’t people make decent horror movies anymore? And all this bs about it being rated the scariest movie ever by science must be great PR. The only thing setting heart rates a flutter would have been Ethan Hawke’s horrific cardigan. Give this a wide berth.

See more

Jenn M.

@RT11576837 Apr 27

Creeps me out!! I love it!

See more

Ishak H

@megman Feb 17

Believe me you're gonna like it

See more

Read all reviews

Read More

Read Less

WRITE A REVIEW

EDIT REVIEW

POST RATING

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%

35%

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

The 10 Scariest Horror Movies Ever

It Follows, A Series of Unfortunate Events, and More Available on Netflix, Amazon Prime, and FandangoNOW

Digital Multiplex: Argo, Life of Pi, and Much More

Sinister: Trailer 1

2:26

View more videos

View more photos

Synopsis

True-crime writer Ellison Oswald is in a slump; he hasn't had a bestseller 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, Crime, Drama
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