By Nick Rosa
Paranormal Activity 3 is the prequel to the other blockbuster horror films that put fear into anyone that watched them. Even if you say they weren’t scary, you definitely left thinking about what you just saw.
This film is the most terrifying one yet and most will leave the theater sweating bullets. The activity in this film is by far the most evil and its presence is known from the get go. You will leave the theater remembering the name Toby. The formula of this film with its characters, simple but horrifying dialogue and long scenes of waiting for something to spook you really drives you to the point where you’re forced to be scared, even though you try your hardest not to be.
The third Activity has the most ‘Gotcha!’ moments in a horror film that we’ve seen in a long while. During every camera scene, when someone walks down a dark hallway or goes into a closet, you better be ready, because if you’re not, you will jump into the next seat.
The film takes place in 1988 when the characters from the previous two, Katie and Kristi Ray, share a home with their mother Julie and new boyfriend Dennis. The young girls know of a presence in the house, while just like in the others, everyone is doubtful of the girls and say that their ‘imagination’ gets the best of them. Just like the others, the man of the house decides to put cameras all over the house, in the girl’s room, in his room and a make shift ‘tri-pod’ that swivels back and forth on fan base, showing the living room and kitchen. As the nights go on, more and more things begin to happen and go left unsaid. Like in the other films, it becomes too late; the evil force is in charge of the house now.
The one camera that swivels back and forth is one of the best aspects of the film. The long scenes show the areas in a quiet peaceful room, and then swivels back the other way to see some activity, and then back to a peaceful room, then back again to see more activity going on. This camera angle gives the best scene in the film and one of the scariest. As the camera pans back and forth after something knocks on the door, Julie goes to investigate to see no one was there. The camera then swivels back to the kitchen where everything in the kitchen has disappeared and we can guess where it all went.
The slow moving camera and long waits during the scenes prolong the horror and build suspense. You usually could feel when the scary scene will jump out at you, but in this third Paranormal; you are defenseless and have to wait those extra seconds in fear of not knowing what’s coming or when. It does this throughout and will have your heart pounding and blood pressure rising from the first scene.
It’s similar and doesn’t stray far from the original, but it sticks close to the plot from the other two films. Horror films that will make you think and keep you guessing what will come next, will be a success. Paranormal 3 delivers this to the audience and more. When a sold out theater is completely terrified and all are screaming and going into the fetal position in their little chair, the directors, Henry Joost and Ariel Schulmani, got exactly what they wanted.
There is obviously going to be a fourth film in the franchise that will take place after the ending of the second movie next October and all will be anxious to see how much that one will make the audience jump. Paranormal Activity 3 will gross millions this week at the box office and for all the right reasons. Anyone who goes to watch it is actually getting every penny for their tickets. You’re going to see it to get scared and you will be. This movie will have you eating your popcorn faster than any Paranormal yet.
