Paranormal Activity 3 pretty much successfully did what the other two movies were able to do. There was a lot of tension and scenes where you were waiting to see how the characters would get away from their predicaments. The filmmakers did a few interesting variations on the demon’s scares, but they left in the “girl standing in one spot for hours” shot. Despite the re-dos, the scenes felt fresh enough that I wasn’t rewatching the same movie again.Even though the story seemed tacked on in the first movie, its really being fleshed out in the later installments. I didn’t really go into Paranormal Activity 2 caring what the plot was going to reveal, but I did kinda want to find out what happened for the third. Now that I have seen the third installment I am interested in seeing how the fourth film is going to build on the story. And the way the movie ended sort of solidified that they are going to make at least one more.
My only real complaint was that the last scene left me wanting more. Not that I wanted them to tie up all the loose ends of the story, but that the actual scene was not used to its full potential. It was effective and employed some creepy, visually entertaining ideas, but I felt like it stopped a little sooner than I wanted. The scare-factor tapered off for me at the end a little because I wanted them to show more of what was going on around the house.
PA3 should please fans of the previous two films. It’s a more effects driven story but it keeps all the core elements that audiences really enjoy about the series. The cast is made up of mostly likable characters and there are enough intense moments that keep everyone on edge. The main reason these films have been so successful (besides their low budgets) are their ability to craft an interesting supernatural story with a small amount of mythology. The stories all connect in a believable manner and are simple enough to relate to the audience. So far the series has given me just enough to chew on that I’m satisfied but totally ready for more.
Going into PA3 the filmmakers had a few hurdles to tackle. Most important of course would be connecting the stories, which as I mentioned previously, they did a solid job on. Second, the need to provide a believable concept for the family to be ‘filming.’ For the most part, they are able to tie this in loosely, but there are definite moments that will need the viewer to just go with the flow and suspend their disbelief.The last obstacle the film had to deal with is making the movie similar in tone but different in it’s own right. PA2 added a lot more over the top scares than the original. We get to see that here in PA3 as well but it has it’s own vibe all together. PA3 is correct in assuming that fans will know what they’re getting into. They use it to their advantage by delivering scares earlier and throwing in some fake outs (wink wink.) They were also smart to use a creative camera technique that produces instant suspense. Overall PA3 is tons of fun and a great film to see in theaters. The ending will leave you high and dry but more ready than ever for another installment.
I was so ready to watch a scary movie going into this and it definitely delivered. The tension of the first two films held up despite this story taking a different direction. My appreciation for this horror franchise has continued to grow after this film. I wasn’t too impressed by the first film even though I thought it was decent. The hype seemed sort of undeserved. PA2 made me do a complete 180 and become a big fan. Now PA3 has taken this to an even higher level because of the way the story has continued to develop. Things have gotten a little more complicated in a great, thoughtful way. The performances in this film held up to the first two’s bar, with great child performances by little Katie and Kristi. Their mother, Julie, and her boyfriend, Dennis, were interesting characters and seemed completely natural. Two fun characters, Dennis’ coworker Randy and the girls’ babysitter fleshed out the cast and were in some of the best parts of the movie.
The story, believable acting, and interesting surprises throughout these films have made me really get into the Paranormal Activity series and excited to see where the story will go and how it will be further fleshed out. The only thing I can see people not liking about the film is being let down that it doesn’t really have a solid (as in defined) ending. It’s definitely a sort of cliffhanger that those into the story will really be curious about. As the FTS crew left the theater we went into a full discussion and debate the film and sure-to-be fourth installment. I personally can’t wait!
