It's October so you know what that means
a new installment in everyone's favorite found footage horror franchise, Paranormal Activity, of course! The fourth installment is another fun ride with plenty of shocking surprises
Paranormal Activity 3 was a prequel, and Paranormal Activity 2 ended (in movie time) in 2006 so I was as surprised as anyone that in this installment they took things to 2011. It works wonders in giving some fresh take on the material, including a pretty flawless filming technique that actually works and isn't hammered over your head like some other found footage features. Plus, Katie returns in a surprising way and the advances in technology (including webchats) really make Paranormal 4 feel new.
Essentially, we follow teenager Alex (Kathryn Newton) and her boyfriend (Matt Shively) as a new kid who has moved in across the street with his mom starts to result in some weird occurrences in Alex's family home. The mysterious kid, named Robbie (Brady Allen), talks to an "invisible friend" and his story pulls the present situation into a relationship with the other three Paranormal films. To reveal anymore would be to rob the film of its surprises and scares (of which there are plenty.)
If you're seeing PA4 for the scares and jump moments, then there is plenty of bang for your buck. The scares come aplenty, and most of them are in large part to the webcams on the Macs littered throughout the movie. The Xbox 360 Kinect also contributes to one of the most scarring moments of all, and that ending wow is all I can say. It is super abrupt but it could mean big things for this franchise, especially if the fifth installment picks up right where this one ended.
The best part about this flick is that it continues to mysteriously build upon the mythology established in the other films while leaving the door open for more installments. We aren't given all of the answers here, just enough to satisfy. Just like previous installments, plenty of answers are given but many more questions surface. The acting is just fine as well: I mean, none of these actors are going for the Oscar or anything, but I particularly enjoyed Matt Shively as Alex's meddling boyfriend. He brought just enough tongue-in-cheek schtick to the movie and serves for some welcome comic relief.
If you're a fan of the Paranormal Activity franchise at all, then there is literally no possible reason why you shouldn't go check out this new installment. Newcomers will be totally lost and, like the Saw franchise before it, I would really recommend you check out the other three films before jumping into this one. Unlike the third installment, which you could basically see without viewing the first two due to the fact that it was a prequel, this one essentially demands that you see the other ones first.
Like the other movies, this one starts off with plenty of story and character development before the final act goes totally batshit. The ending (and the whole final twenty minutes or so, actually) is thickly infused with a sense of dread and tension and is the main reason this franchise is so loved by the horror community. I totally dug it!
Overall: Paranormal Activity 4 is a fun new installment in the franchise and thusly ends just as abruptly as the others. Be sure to stick around after the credits for a bizarre tease at a new, currently untitled Paranormal Activity spin-off. / Rating: A
Paranormal Activity 3 was a prequel, and Paranormal Activity 2 ended (in movie time) in 2006 so I was as surprised as anyone that in this installment they took things to 2011. It works wonders in giving some fresh take on the material, including a pretty flawless filming technique that actually works and isn't hammered over your head like some other found footage features. Plus, Katie returns in a surprising way and the advances in technology (including webchats) really make Paranormal 4 feel new.
Essentially, we follow teenager Alex (Kathryn Newton) and her boyfriend (Matt Shively) as a new kid who has moved in across the street with his mom starts to result in some weird occurrences in Alex's family home. The mysterious kid, named Robbie (Brady Allen), talks to an "invisible friend" and his story pulls the present situation into a relationship with the other three Paranormal films. To reveal anymore would be to rob the film of its surprises and scares (of which there are plenty.)
If you're seeing PA4 for the scares and jump moments, then there is plenty of bang for your buck. The scares come aplenty, and most of them are in large part to the webcams on the Macs littered throughout the movie. The Xbox 360 Kinect also contributes to one of the most scarring moments of all, and that ending wow is all I can say. It is super abrupt but it could mean big things for this franchise, especially if the fifth installment picks up right where this one ended.
The best part about this flick is that it continues to mysteriously build upon the mythology established in the other films while leaving the door open for more installments. We aren't given all of the answers here, just enough to satisfy. Just like previous installments, plenty of answers are given but many more questions surface. The acting is just fine as well: I mean, none of these actors are going for the Oscar or anything, but I particularly enjoyed Matt Shively as Alex's meddling boyfriend. He brought just enough tongue-in-cheek schtick to the movie and serves for some welcome comic relief.
If you're a fan of the Paranormal Activity franchise at all, then there is literally no possible reason why you shouldn't go check out this new installment. Newcomers will be totally lost and, like the Saw franchise before it, I would really recommend you check out the other three films before jumping into this one. Unlike the third installment, which you could basically see without viewing the first two due to the fact that it was a prequel, this one essentially demands that you see the other ones first.
Like the other movies, this one starts off with plenty of story and character development before the final act goes totally batshit. The ending (and the whole final twenty minutes or so, actually) is thickly infused with a sense of dread and tension and is the main reason this franchise is so loved by the horror community. I totally dug it!
Overall: Paranormal Activity 4 is a fun new installment in the franchise and thusly ends just as abruptly as the others. Be sure to stick around after the credits for a bizarre tease at a new, currently untitled Paranormal Activity spin-off. / Rating: A