Sinister
Directed by Scott DerricksonA controversial true-crime writer finds a box of Super 8 home movies in his new home, revealing that the murder case he is currently researching could be the work of an unknown serial killer whose legacy dates back to the 1960s.
Where to Watch Sinister
Sinister Ratings & Reviews
- Jennifer PattersonJuly 9, 2025I was hesitant because I've never been a horror movie person. A friend got to me, and because I trust him, I gave it a shot. OMGOODNESS!!! Both of the movies are fantastic! My favorite character is obviously Deputy So-and-So..
- StairwaytothestarsAugust 2, 2025Ethan Hawke is good as usual, and the movie is creepy.
- rg9400October 31, 2025This was the last movie I had to watch from the Science of Scare list which ranks horror moves based on viewer heart rates and heart rate variance. This movie was ranked first, above every other entry in the list. This is actually my second time watching the movie. I don't remember much from my first watch outside of hating the ending, and I had rated it 5/10. This time, I went in with an open mind and let it wash over me, watching it in the dark and fully paying attention. This is a scary movie. A very scary movie. There are a lot of jump scares, some of which really made my heart pound. However, the real scares come from the quieter moments. The sequences where the audio isn't building up to a crescendo like the traditional horror movie trope. In fact, there is one sequence where he is just walking around his house in silence, brilliantly filmed and really effective at creating atmosphere. I was literally jumping at shadows, thinking there where things in wide shots that did not exist. There is this muted soundtrack with garbled children voices that plays during certain scenes that by itself is super creepy and distinctive. It also just has some really unsettling and upsetting subject matter. I can confirm that my heart rate was much higher than when I had watched a lot of the other movies on the list. I also just have to admire the technical craft of the movie. The imagery is memorable, and it doesn't rely on shaky cameras. Even if there is home footage, it isn't overly aged and instead moves slowly, deliberately, smoothly. There isn't an over-reliance on gore, yet it still feels a lot more violent than some of the bloodier movies. With effective jump scares, a heightened atmosphere, and a lingering impact, it really hits multiple checkboxes in terms of horror. Look, I still hate the ending. It is abrupt and jarring. While I get what it is doing thematically, it also feels like it doesn't land the message. Outside of Ethan Hawke's character, everyone else is basically a cardboard cutout, and had we gotten more time with the characters, maybe the ending would have worked better. The plot isn't super dynamic. These are all valid complaints, and I am sure that was my focus in my initial watch. However, if you are looking for a fright fest, this is about as good as it gets.
- dominicr23July 29, 2025so scary amazing movie
- Richard GobinSeptember 25, 2025A genuinely scary movie with a chilling atmosphere.
- halla397October 27, 2025The storyline is so uniquely different which sits on its own so well. It’s super creepy in so many aspects.
- Kevin WardJuly 7, 2025After seeing The Black Phone with my oldest son, we decided to check this out together since it seems to have many of the same ingredients that worked so well. Scott Derrickson direction, Ethan Hawke starring, children in peril, serial killer with a supernatural slant and of course some grainy video footage. We both had a great time with this. It’s not as scary as I was expecting. Kind of felt like he could have prevented the whole scenario by 1. Not moving into the murder house and/or 2. Turning on some god damn lights. It does have some genuine creep out moments, particularly when there’s creepy ass kids involved. It’s has a satisfyingly deranged ending. Great flick.
- AlexOctober 25, 2025OMG, this movie is soooo bad. The story isn't bad it just feels like the jump scares are written by a 12 year old. Not scary at all. If anybody have this movie in their list as a good scare...don't waste your time with the list.
- JakeAugust 27, 2025This is THE modern day horror film for me personally. This shit hits so good in all the right ways, check it out. Leave hate below if you didn't like it I'm ok with that Thanks for joining this here ted talk
- Daniel SchmidJuly 7, 2025The right amount of creepy and supernatural to make for an enjoyable evening.
- LivewireAdminOctober 14, 2025Bughuul is a true cinephile, opting to shoot on 8mm in 2012 instead of switching to digital like the rest of us. Definitely not the scariest movie of all time. letterboxd: FilmPhanPA
- erichowe466September 15, 2025One of my favs
- EricH01September 7, 2025Good movie and a little bit creepy!
- fqfmmAugust 28, 2025Love the movie
- Princess ZoeJuly 18, 2025Bad storyline and very gory would not recommend
Watch Sinister Videos
Sinister Trivia
Sinister was released on October 5, 2012.
Sinister was directed by Scott Derrickson.
Sinister has a runtime of 1 hr 50 min.
Sinister was produced by Jason Blum, Brian Kavanaugh-Jones.
The key characters in Sinister are Ellison Oswalt (Ethan Hawke), Tracy Oswalt (Juliet Rylance), Professor Jonas (Vincent D'Onofrio).
Sinister is rated R.
Sinister is a Horror, Thriller, Mystery film.
Sinister has an audience rating of 6.2 out of 10.