Paranormal Activity: The Marked Ones

The first PA movie was a surprise hit that made millions out of its miniscule budget which led to several sequels that were both average and disappointing especially the fourth one which was made so lazily that its sole purpose was to make a quick cash-grab.

I expected this to be another average PA film but was surprised to see how well it was made. If you are not a fan of found-footage films which has recently become a huge trend, then obviously this movie will do nothing for you. The typical static camera shots of spontaneous noises and random things moving from the previous movies are gone now which is a good thing since there's only so much they can do with that. It takes place in a new setting with new characters and a lot more humor is added in this time. The protagonists were likable and not annoying and acted competently.

However, the good always comes with the bad but not too many. The film does nothing new or original but it wasn't as big a problem for me since the film was effectively made. Some of the scenes involving Latino gangs were too stereotypical and unnecessary but other than that, the movie didn't have too many flaws.

All I'm going to say without spoiling anything is that the last 20 minutes of the film will truly scare you with a huge twist at the end that will obviously not be explained further until the confirmed PA 5 comes out this October. I really thought this franchise was sealing its fate after the fourth one but The Marked Ones gives fresh opportunities for the filmmakers to indulge in. If you are a fan of the PA films excluding the fourth one and are unsure about whether you want to spend money to see this film, my recommendation is go see it without a doubt. I got my money's worth. :)