| Site locale: United States |
|
||||
|
||||||
|
Best Blu-ray Deals  
|
Best Blu-ray Deals, See All the Deals » Now: Bond 50 for $118.99 (5% sold out) |
Top deals |
Price drops
|
 $4.99 |  $4.99 |  $4.99 |  $9.99 |  $4.99 |  $4.99 |  $14.26 |  $14.99 |  $7.96 |  $4.99 |  $24.96 |  $5.00 |  $4.99 |  $22.99 |  $19.96 |  $6.19 |  $12.10 |  $4.99 |  $4.99 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Paranormal Activity 42012 | 88 min | R | 1.85:1
Being a prequel and somewhat inventive with its scares, “Paranormal Activity 3” managed to cut a small hole in the wall of illogical nonsense that’s been erected around this franchise, letting a little light into the darkness. Directors Ariel Schulman and Henry Joost did a fine job boosting the cheap thrills of the series, but couldn’t outright reinvent the formula, leaving the third picture slightly more interesting than the two that preceded it, but still missing a heroic sense of purpose. Returning a year later for “Paranormal Activity 4,” the filmmakers stumble in their quest to push the story forward, sticking closely to the unchecked stupidity that forms the foundation of this demonic saga, while encouraging the absurd scare tactics audiences appear to value more than any pass at suspense. 
The year is 2011, and in Henderson, Nevada, teenager Alex (Kathryn Newton) maintains a normal social life on her computer, chatting with friend Ben (Matt Shively) while taking care of her little brother, Wyatt (Aiden Lovekamp). When neighbor Katie (Katie Featherston) is rushed away on a medical emergency, Alex’s parents, Doug (Stephen Dunham, who sadly passed away last month) and Holly (Alexondra Lee), welcome her son Robbie (Brady Allen) into their home, hoping he’ll make quick friends with Wyatt. Over the course of a month, strange happenings occur around the house, most tied to Robbie’s odd behavior at night. Tracking all property movement on webcams and camcorders, Alex and Ben hope to tape a haunting, only to discover Robbie’s plans for Wyatt hint at evidence of witchcraft in the neighborhood. It’s futile to express disinterest in the “Paranormal Activity” series, especially when it seems so few of its fans actually care about the mythos Schulman and Joost are attempting to build over the last two pictures. It’s a strenuous endeavor to inject a little substance into a weightless scare machine, bringing in witches and demonic symbols to help guide the curse of Katie into a meaningful direction, creating a cliffhanger scenario that could continue fueling future sequels. However, the effort to generate a sizable mystery is futile, especially when the end of the movie leaves a pile of unanswered questions and enormous plot holes. I’m not sure why the directors even bother with human characters at all. 
Interestingly, the found-footage conceit has been removed from the “Activity” action. Sure, hand-held cameras and computer cams are still employed to capture all the horror and mundane conversations, but there’s no police department evidence concept to bring a sense of purpose to the picture. Joost and Schulman have done away with reality to keep their haunted house in business. Why do we watch Alex’s everyday life? No idea, and the movie doesn’t bother to answer the question either. It just is, which is probably a smart move for the production, which is now free to execute whatever supernatural shenanigans it likes, without the burden of having to explain itself. Not that the producers ever tried to do that before. “Activity 4” returns to the creepy kid routine started in “Activity 3,” using Robbie’s nighttime journeys around the house to induce chills, while his influence over Wyatt is mined for a spooky mystery, though nobody in the family seems especially attentive to the boys when they clearly act out of sort. Looking to keep the observational angle of “Activity” fresh, Schulman and Joost introduce the unexplored magic of the Xbox Kinect to aid in ghostly detection, using night-vision footage of the sensor bar’s tracking system to add some visual flair. It’s a neat addition, more effective than the laptop and phone cameras that capture most of the picture’s events. Again, without an anchor of realism keeping the footage in check, I shouldn’t wonder why Alex records every second of her life, but damn it, I do. I also question a third act revelation that finds Alex trapped in her garage with a running car, unable to escape immediately from her smoky doom. With her camera, she plainly records an unseen force tormenting her. Yet, when she breaks free by trashing the car and the garage, she fails to offer the footage to her disbelieving parents. All these tapes and memory cards filled with genuine proof of an evil presence, and the franchise has yet to cough up a single character ready to use the images intelligently. 
Obviously, the scares are the big show, and “Activity 4” rustles up its share of loud booms, loud editorial jumps, and loud pranks, while the stillness between the boos feels longer than ever. Surprisingly, the acting has improved some with this new cast, finding a younger perspective easing the awkwardness of artificial shock, with Newton and Shively entertaining as the teen ghostbusters. Frankly, I wish there was more sleuthing time with the kids. While Joost and Schulman attempt to entertain themselves with their mischievous jolts and film homages (including “The Shining”), they take a creative step backward with “Paranormal Activity 4,” sweating to keep the cash machine going for Paramount Pictures, despite an increasingly obvious lack of motivation for the story to continue. Starring: Katie Featherston, Kathryn Newton, Matt Shively, Sprague Grayden, Stephen Dunham, Brian Boland Directors: Henry Joost, Ariel Schulman » See full cast & crew |
 
Trending Blu-ray Movies
Trending in Theaters
Most Popular Blu-ray Movie Deals
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
This web site is not affiliated with the Blu-ray Disc Association. All trademarks are the property of the respective trademark owners. © 2002-2013 Blu-ray.com. All rights reserved. Mobile | Registration problems | Business/Advertising Inquiries | Privacy Policy | Legal Notices |
