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Review: ‘Paranormal Activity 3’ ‘ultimate date-night movie

Opinion

Review: ‘Paranormal Activity 3’ ‘ultimate date-night movie

The entire audience consisted of guys hoping their dates would be freaked out of their minds and therefore look to them for protection. With such occurrences in the film being so unbeknownst to everyday life, it doesn’t surprise me that their tactics worked.

Before getting swiped up by Paramount Pictures and setting several box office records, “Paranormal Activity” was an independent film. Although “Paranormal Activity 3” brought in $52.6 million the first night and $95.7 million worldwide, it was hardly what I would consider scary or even original for that matter. What makes this one different from any other horror film? Seriously, I can’t figure it out.

Some suspense builders include scratches, bangs, loud noises and things moving on their own. How many people played Bloody Mary as a child, only to see themselves gazing back in the mirror when they flipped the lights on?

A few new tricks were added to this film, including a broken fan that was MacGyvered in order to watch separate rooms with the same camera. Watching it slowly creep back and forth for several minutes before something happened had to be the most anticipation I felt throughout the entire film.

To fully understand who is who and what the heck is going on, I was forced to see the other two “Paranormal Activity” films. The last is supposed to be the first chronologically, with the two young daughters, Kristi (Jessica Tyler Brown as young Kristi, Spraque Grayden as adult Kristi) and Katie (Chloe Csengery as young Katie, Katie Featherston as adult Katie), as the adult protagonists of the previous two.

Although the producers may have put them in a particular order, I would suggest seeing it from last to first because it delves into why the girls were haunted in the first place. Julie (Lauren Bitters), the girls’ mom, and stepdad, Dennis (Christopher Nicholas Smith), move into a new house, all seemingly happy and normal. Kristi, the youngest daughter, makes friends with an unseen entity named “Toby,” who primarily haunts the sisters’ room.

Nightly, various things happen that cannot be logically explained. Dennis decides to set up video cameras to catch and confirm all of the odd events going on in the house. Julie doesn’t want anything to do with it and tells him to delete the footage. Soon, however, she can’t deny there is something unnatural going on, and takes the family to her mother’s for safety. But they were far from safe. Apparently, their nightmare had followed them, and they find out who is responsible for their problems.

Roger Ebert gave the film one star out of four. All in all, I would say the “R” rating came more from the drug use and sex than it did from the scare factor. For those who don’t believe in ghosts, seeing this movie is just another way to spend a Friday night, but for those who do, it represents a very real fear and desperation to understand the metaphysical realm.

Opinions expressed in editorial and opinion articles are the views of individual NIC students. These views do not necessarily  reflect the opinions of the Sentinel, North Idaho College, or any other organizations or groups there-in. North Idaho College is not responsible for the accuracy of statements or opinions shared.

 

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