A few years ago a small little film took the world by storm thanks to a revolutionary marketing plan and a truly unique premise. This year we welcome the forth installment in the highly acclaimed Paranormal Activity franchise, a Halloween tradition that continues to stay true to its roots as it generates thrills and scares for those who dare bear witness to the events of the supernatural.
Tackling the events that take place following the first two films, Paranormal Activity 4 had a lot to live up to in terms of premise and continuity. Originally planned as a one film story, the producers have done a fascinating job at crafting a complex and highly entertaining set of characters and events around their original piece. And while the fourth time around isn't the best, it is still unusually strong and entirely worthy of a watch.
Katie Featherston, the only original cast member to appear in this film, uses her now expected ten minutes of screen time to strike up some conversation and scares as the now possessed Katie. Her actions are minimal, but her overall effect puts the entire series in perspective as you can finally witness the after effects of an encounter with the story's central demon.
I was most impressed with the clever ways that directors Henry Joost and Ariel Schulman provided handheld camera footage. By the fourth go around most usual maneuvers have already been used (if not overused), so it took some creativity this go around; and thanks to a mass of green dots, the extra effort paid off handsomely.
While there were the occasional story inconsistencies, and the more consistent unbelievable aspects, Paranormal Activity 4 is actually quite entertaining for such a long winded franchise. Granted it does show signs of reaching its end, but those signs are minimal as Katie and company continue to stir up some sort of possession, no matter where they go.
