Paranormal Activity 3 (2011)
Summary
Genre: Horror, SuspenseGoodies:
+ A successful followup to the second film, + Introduces new elements to a genre that is lacking in innovation, + TobyBaddies:
- Despite being a good ending, the setup for PA4 is making this old hat, - Feels loose in many pieces of the filmIn 1988, young sisters Katie and Kristi befriend an invisible entity who resides in their home.
My excitement to see PA3 hinged on the fact that PA2 was better than PA. It is a rare occasion when sequels and prequels claim higher review than their predecessors, but I liked the latest installment of PA3 the best! Maybe it was because kids were involved in the haunting, which somehow ups the stakes and frights, but I just felt as if the ambiance and storyline was richer and had more to say than the previous installments. The first one was just sort of a linear unfolding of a haunting, the second one introduced multiple plot dynamics and more characters (which is why I think I liked it more), and this one felt like less of an experimentation and more like an actual film. Despite my numbness to fright at the cinema, there were a few spots during the film where I was highly anticipating what would happen next. The ending was thrilling and even though they left the film open for another installment, I was fulfilled about the wrap-up. I will say that with any type of film like this, there are down times. This seems to just be the nature of the beast, but the filler could have provided a bit more to the atmosphere. The relationship between Kristi and Toby was eerie and borderline inappropriate, which made the atmosphere that much creepier. The ability to create a character that is not on screen and make that character disturbing makes small success in my book!
