Paranormal Activity 3: Recycling the Scares

The first Paranormal Activity reinforced the fact that movies can be made on the cheap as long as you have interesting characters and a strong story. Who knew watching people sleep could be so completely terrifying?

That film told a self-contained, concise story that was a great example of the writer allowing the audience to see the tip of the iceberg while leaving much of the backstory floating silently beneath the surface. I didn't care how or why Katie (Katie Featherston) was haunted by a demon; all I needed to know was there was a demon, and it was really scary. I was fine with bits of history being hinted at, but I didn't require a full explanation. And by the way, I was perfectly happy with only one Paranormal Activity. However, when you make a film for $15,000 and it earns $193 million worldwide, that can only mean one thing in Hollywood: screw the tip of the iceberg; let's drain the ocean and see what's underneath.

Luckily, all the characters involved have been obsessively documenting their demonic encounters, so there is plenty of film to continue this “found footage” franchise. First up, the aptly named Paranormal Activity 2, a prequel that told the story of Katie's sister Kristi (Sprague Grayden) and further investigated how they came to be stalked by the demon. This film earned $177 million worldwide, even though it was basically a repackaging of the first film. It's no surprise then that this year we're treated toParanormal Activity 3, yet another prequel that examines Katie (Chole Csengery) and Kristi's (Jessica Tyler Brown) childhood encounters with the demon who Kristi affectionately calls Toby.

The film begins by introducing us to the girls, their mom, Julie (Lauren Bittner), and her boyfriend Dennis (Christopher Nicholas Smith), who conveniently happens to be a wedding videographer, so he has all the necessary equipment to record the strange events going on in their home. This is 1988 after all, the days of large handhelds and VHS, so it helps if you have a video-editing station in your garage. Like the first two films did so well, Paranormal Activity 3 takes its time building the scares, and there are plenty jump-out-of-your-seat moments. All the familiar Paranormal tropes are in place: camera time signatures, strange noises, furniture moving, lights swinging, invisible thudding footsteps, thunderous booms, and of course people getting dragged off screen by invisible hands. If someone's not getting dragged away screaming, it's not Paranormal Activity. Once again, camera placement is used to maximum effect, especially the slow panning camera capturing events in the living room and kitchen. All three films definitely succeed at constructing tension filled scenes that build our anticipation until the inevitable terrifying release.

Paranormal Activity 3, while scary, is probably the weakest addition to the series, mainly because we've seen it all before. Weird stuff starts happening, so the man decides to record it all much to the chagrin of the woman. Events get progressively worse until people die. Watching Kristi talk to the invisible Toby is very creepy and disconcerting, but overall we're in familiar territory. More family history is sprinkled throughout, but at this point, you have to wonder why people insist on keeping the cameras rolling when there is a demon in their house. Your entire family is in danger, but what the hell, let's make sure to get it all on film. It'll be fun watch when the kids are all grown up. Hey honey, remember that time Toby grabbed you by the hair and lifted you off the floor? Wasn't that freaky?

The family eventually flees their haunted home and head to Grandma's, cameras still rolling of course. Surprise, surprise, Grandma is connected to their demonic debacle, and the climax involves a witches' coven, some sort of diabolic ritual, and Toby the Demon. It's all a bit much, though, and makes me wonder if this series has jumped the shark or in this case, demon. It's a good thing Kristi and Katie don't fully remember their childhood in the previous films because we're talking years of therapy with the occasional exorcism thrown in for good measure.

The original Paranormal Activity worked not only because of the masterfully crafted scares, but also because there was just enough mystery to it keep us intrigued. Yes, Katie had similar experiences as a child, but that's all we really needed to know. Did telling the story of her sister in Paranormal Activity 2 enhance the original? Does making a third film documenting their childhood necessarily add to our enjoyment of the first? I know I'm in the minority given the success of the franchise, but I feel both films only serve to dilute the excellent original. After all, the word “paranormal” means the unexplained. Now, when I re-watch the first film, all the mystery is gone. I know how and why everything is happening. Oh well, I suppose I should prepare for Paranormal Activity 4. I'm sure there is plenty of undiscovered footage just waiting to be found, not to mention truckloads of money to be made.