James Wan's impressive box office year continues with 'Insidious Chapter 2' storming to number 1 at the box office charts.

The horror sequel proved to be a popular choice on its opening day, maybe falling on Friday 13th played a role but it managed to score $41 million, eclipsing it's competition as 'The Family', a comedy starring Robert De Niro and Michelle Pfeiffer, taking $14.5 million and Vin Diesel's 'Riddick' collecting a mere $7 million.

Patrick Wilson
Patrick Wilson reprises his role as Josh Lambert

The success of the opening day also marks a September record for a horror debut, according to Rolling Stone, with it nearly making three times as more as the first 'Insidious' which premiered in April 2011, earning £13.3 million.

The horror sequel sees Patrick Wilson and Rose Byrne returning to their starring roles as the Lambert family. The film waste's little time reintroducing the haunting tale as it immediately begins where 'insidious' left off. The tormented Lamberts are in the centre of a paranormal phenomenon as Josh Lambert (Wilson) retrieves his comatose son, Dalton, from an unearthly dimension known as 'The Further'. However, the heroic father returns a different man, as he returns possessed by a demonic spirit, and this chapter follows the perspective of the terrified mother (Byrne).

The horror greatly benefitted from the opening day falling on the ever so appropriate date of Friday 13th and having a PG-13 rating, but how well received was the actual film?

Michael Dequina of TheMovieReport.com thinks the film "falls short, especially when much of the would-be frights shoulder on Wilson's overwrought and rather embarrassing attempt at echoing Jack Nicholson in THE SHININ". Whereas Bilge Ebiri from Vulture said "Insidious: Chapter 2 may be somewhat uneven, but at a certain point near the end, I realized I hadn't taken any notes during the second half. For all its weirdness, the film had utterly transported me".

Watch 'Insidious Chapter 2' trailer here

The critics are mixed on the low budget horror sequel, but in a red hot year for the genre, the bar is set at an all-time high. Director, James Wan, may have out done himself with the summer release of 'The Conjuring' earlier this year, also starring Patrick Wilson and Rose Byrne, as paranormal investigators who help a family get rid of a demonic presence in their home (similar to the Lambert's). The film far exceeded predictions of its commercial success as it hold a $135 million domestic gross.

The two films are bound to be subject to comparisons, but if the audience leave the theatres frightened, then the films have served their purpose.

Rose Byrne
The film follows the perspective of the mother played by Rose Byrne