Two years ago, “Paranormal Activity” became the newest (and scariest) horror franchise to embrace the “found footage” format. With a finale that still haunts many to this day, it’s safe to say “Paranormal Activity” was the scariest movie of the decade.
Of course, there (annoyingly) had to be a “Paranormal Activity 2,” but it surprised audiences when it turned out to be pretty decent. But when “Paranormal Activity 3″was announced, even the most devoted believers began to worry.
“Paranormal Activity 3″ manages to step up the terror game, crafting fresh and unique ways to showcase the demon scaring the family. The scares are more intense, in-your-face and faster-paced throughout. But as with the previous iterations, it’s all about the anticipation and what the camera doesn’t show that makes this third chapter work.
“PA3″ follows Katie (Chloe Csengery) and Kristi (Jessica Tyler Brown) through a year of their childhood, along with their mother Julie (Lauren Bittner) and her boyfriend Dennis (Christopher Nicholas Smith). All is well and good with the family until Kristi’s imaginary friend “Toby” shows up. Strange things start happening around the house, so Dennis, who shoots videos for weddings, sets up cameras around the house to capture the activity. As expected, spooky things escalate to violent things, culminating in arguably the best climax of the three films.
First of all, the camera issue needs discussed. Everybody in this family seems to have a camera ready and is fully willing to document their lives while they sleep. As a scary visual gimmick, it obviously works. But for future sequels (and judging by the ending, there will be plenty of them), the filmmakers need to think of something a little different to keep this family from looking like a bunch of voyeurs.
But aside from this small gripe, everything about “PA3″ works. New directors Ariel Schulman and Henry Joost of “Catfish” fame add new elements to the series that help breathe life into the premise. There is much more humor sprinkled into the film this time around, which is welcome to keep audiences interested in between the bouts of horror. A scene featuring Dennis’ friend Randy (Dustin Ingram) stuck in a bathroom while babysitting one of the girls had the audience alternating between hysterical laughter and terrified shrieks, and it all worked perfectly.
The story is also more fleshed, especially regarding the reason the demon is present in the first place. Writer Christopher B. Landon, who also worked on “PA2,” does a remarkable job with keeping the story interesting, and getting to the roots of it will be a great cinematic moment in the future. The actors are all great here as well, especially Csengery and Brown as young Katie and Kristi, respectively. Both are talented when it comes to interacting with the demon, and the parents are convincingly played as skeptical yet worried. Ingram’s turn as Randy is the source of most of the humor, and his character is much appreciated. The use of lesser-known actors has done this series good, keeping the sense of realism at a maximum.
There are a few tiny issues that are made noticeable by the amazing quality of scares from this series. In this sequel, there are just a few too many “gotcha” scares that have nothing to do with the demon. The inclusion of a camera that oscillates between two rooms provides some great moments of tension, waiting to see what’s happening on the other side that the camera can’t see. But this camera is also used to exploit the audience as people shove their faces into it and yell “BOO!”
Overall, “PA3″ does a great job of living up to the franchise’s name, providing audiences with thrills and chills that can’t be beaten for Halloween. It doesn’t do anything to bring haters of the series flocking to the theater, but it will definitely keep fans checking their closets until next Halloween.
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Rating: B+
“Paranormal Activity 3″
Rated R for some violence, language, brief sexuality and drug use
Starring Chloe Csengery, Jessica Brown, Lauren Bittner, Christopher Nicholas Smith