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Sinister
Movie

Sinister

2012 • Horror, Mystery, Thriller

Woke Score
2
out of 10

Plot

Crime writer Ellison Oswalt moves his family into a house where a horrific crime took place earlier, but his family doesn't know. He begins researching the crime in hopes of writing a book about it. Oswalt examines video footage that he finds in the house to help him in his research, but he soon discovers more than he bargained for.

Overall Series Review

Sinister is a supernatural horror film centered on true-crime writer Ellison Oswalt, whose desperate ambition to write a new bestseller leads him to move his unaware family into a murder house. The core narrative conflict is the strain Ellison's career obsession puts on his marriage and the severe risk it poses to his children. The antagonist is a demonic, pagan deity known as Bughuul, who preys on families via images. The film focuses on the psychological toll of the investigation, blending found-footage with traditional horror. The story does not rely on contemporary social commentary and keeps its focus firmly on the terror within the traditional family unit and the supernatural evil haunting them.

Categorical Breakdown

Identity Politics1/10

Characters are judged entirely on their moral choices and individual actions, primarily the male lead's selfish ambition. The main family is a conventional white nuclear unit, and there is no discussion of race, intersectional hierarchy, or vilification of whiteness as a societal force.

Oikophobia2/10

The setting is a classic American home, which is literally a 'murder house,' but the destructive force is a supernatural, ancient pagan entity (Bughuul), not a critique of Western culture or institutions. The family's downfall stems from the male protagonist's individual character flaws, not systemic corruption.

Feminism3/10

The male lead, Ellison, is deeply flawed, narcissistic, and morally weak, prioritizing his career over his family's safety. His wife, Tracy, acts as the rational, grounded moral compass who correctly prioritizes the children's well-being. This setup shows the man as the source of chaos and the woman as the guardian of the home, but it avoids an explicit 'Girl Boss' or anti-natalist message, as the family unit itself is positioned as the valuable thing that must be protected.

LGBTQ+1/10

The narrative is centered on a traditional nuclear family structure: a husband, a wife, a son, and a daughter. The film contains no elements of alternative sexual ideology, queer theory, or discussion of gender identity.

Anti-Theism1/10

The source of evil is a literal, ancient, supernatural, pagan deity. This acknowledges a transcendent moral reality (an objective evil). The story does not critique or vilify Christianity or traditional Western religion; the conflict is entirely with the pagan, demonic entity.