Jenna Ortega Reveals the Horror Movie That Left Her “Traumatised”
Jenna Ortega once opened up about a horror movie that left a lasting impression on her as a child.
In an interview, she singled out James Wan’s 2010 supernatural thriller Insidious as a film that both scared and fascinated her. Insidious follows a couple whose son mysteriously falls into a coma and becomes a target for demonic entities in a shadowy astral world. The movie stars Patrick Wilson, Rose Byrne, and Barbara Hershey.
Ortega explained her reaction, saying, “Insidious was one of the first horror films that I really saw and it… There are some shots in that film that stay with me, where I feel like I can still see the red-faced demon guy wherever I go.”
“James Wan obviously knows what he’s doing in the horror department, but watching that as a 12-year-old was traumatising. I have a lot of admiration for that one.” She said.
The film premiered at the 2010 Toronto International Film Festival and later had a wide release in April 2011. It launched a popular franchise with sequels like Insidious: Chapter 2 (2013) and Insidious: The Red Door (2023), as well as prequels including Insidious: Chapter 3 (2015) and Insidious: The Last Key (2018).
Critical reception for Insidious was mixed. On Rotten Tomatoes, 66% of critics gave positive reviews, with an average score of 6/10, while Metacritic scored it 52 out of 100. Some reviewers felt the film’s second half didn’t match the tension of its opening.
The New York Times’ Mike Hale commented that the second half “feels like a less poetic version of an M. Night Shyamalan fairy tale,” and James Berardinelli noted that the film “is unable to live up to the impossibly high standards set by the first half.”
Despite some criticism, many praised the movie’s ability to build suspense without relying heavily on gore. John Anderson of The Wall Street Journal wrote, “What makes a movie scary isn’t what jumps out of the closet. It’s what might jump out of the closet… Insidious establishes that these folks can make a film that operates on an entirely different level, sans gore, or obvious gimmicks.”
Rolling Stone’s Peter Travers added, “Here’s a better-than-average spook house movie, mostly because Insidious decides it can daunt an audience without spraying it with blood.” Christy Lemire of the Associated Press summed it up, stating, “Insidious is the kind of movie you could watch with your eyes closed and still feel engrossed by it.”
Jenna Ortega’s connection to Insidious shows the lasting power of a well-made horror film, especially when experienced at a young age. Watching the film as a 12-year-old, it left her both scared and inspired. It’s clear that James Wan’s direction and the film’s eerie atmosphere made a deep impression on her.
What about you? Have you ever watched a horror film that stuck with you long after? Share your thoughts in the comments.
