Paranormal Activity 3

I have one problem with the Paranormal Activity franchise: the obsession of all the members of that family (across generations) to constantly film themselves feels very artificial. In order to make it easier for viewers to get their bearings between scary scenes, the characters film themselves in situations where no real person would do it. The best way to solve that would be to abandon the format of 100% documentary footage, i.e. that most of the film would still consist of night footage from cameras, but the parts that move the plot forward would be like a normal film (as in the recent found-footage Undocumented). But if you are willing to accept the rules of the game, you are in for a good time. Paranormal Activity 3 is the scariest entry in the series. The jump-scares are perfect (and there are lots of them), it holds the tension throughout (and at times it gets very tense), and the last five minutes gave me for the first time in the three parts the sensation that some big fucking evil is lurking in that house. The actors are very good, they feel authentic. The behaviour of the characters is very arguable at times, I admit that, but that’s common in the para-documentary format. Another point, the mythology. This prequel added so many interesting elements to it that I want another sequel ASAP. Everything makes sense so far, there aren’t any contradictions, and it leaves room for the sequels to reveal more. It’s very clear that the concept of this franchise will not appeal to everyone. For some people, the slow burn terror will be boring, others will not like the format, while others will get lost in the mythology. The bullshit of those who, already from the trailer speak about “the same shite as before”, only to watch the first CAMrip available and then slap each other on the back with the other retards at how right they were, is really off the mark. The evergreen of stupid Americans and their millions incomprehensibly wasted at the box office is beginning to happen here (The Three Musketeers 3D are leading this weekend and it’s not much better, is it?). On the other hand, the moment emotions and prejudices become part of the hate for any franchise, that’s when any rational discussion ends; that’s a well known and natural fact, and it doesn’t surprise me anymore, I got used to it with Saw. And there’s something else I want to say, but I can’t do it without spoilers, so watch out... Spoiler: About the scenes in the trailer that are not in the film: while waiting for PA3 (and even before the trailers), it was clear that the plot would revolve around Kristie and Katie remembering the events that took place in the previous episodes, when they were little. They remember how they held seances, that weird people came to the house, that Kristie was always terrified, that the house burned down. All that is touted in the trailers, but NOTHING of it is in the film. And here’s the surprise (the twist), the third part is showing something that the sisters are actually not remembering! The climax opens a lot of possibilities: the girls and the mother (who may not be dead) won’t remember anything after the ritual (like Kristie at the end of the second part) and things will go on as if nothing had happened; the scary events reminisced by the adult sisters (including the fire) are maybe yet to come. This is my interpretation, but I think that, in light of the “evidence”, it’s quite a legitimate one. If that’s the case, all that bitching at the creators (those assholes promised something they didn't deliver!!!) is actually the opposite reaction that would be appropriate. It was a very smart surprise :) End of spoilers. (27.10.2011) (vähemmän) (lisää)