The Paranormal Activity franchise has been a big success by just about any measure. Both parts earned huge profits at the box office, and while they have issues there’s no denying both films delivered with some truly frightening scenes. The final twenty minutes of part one (seen above) are pretty damn terrifying. I can still hear Landon Palmer screaming in my ear…
This series has quickly eclipsed the Saw films to become an annual Halloween event, and part three hits theaters this October. Original director Oren Peli is onboard as producer and the reins have been handed over to the duo behind last year’s faux-doc about online relationships, Catfish. Henry Joost and Ariel Schulman are making their narrative feature debut (technically speaking anyway) with what appears to be a prequel set in the 1980s. The two sisters, each of whom faced unseen tormentors in parts one and two, are now shown as young girls via home movies as they first come into contact with the paranormal entity that will eventually haunt them as adults.
Check out the trailer below.
Can this formula work a third time? If it’s anything like the previous film it’ll be a mix of the mundane and mildly interesting until the final twenty minutes when it pulls some freaky as hell shenanigans resulting in stained theater seats across the country. My only two concerns here are as follows… the first is with the two little girls as leads. The questionable acting ability isn’t the problem as that’s a hallmark of the series by now, but instead I’m worried the third act scares may not be as extreme and physical as they’ve been in the past. Adult performers can be tossed around the room and dragged down hallways, but I’m pretty sure they can’t get away with that with minors. And my second concern is that we know both girls live to grow up fairly normal, so unlike the first two that end with sudden and fairly shocking deaths this one can’t possibly do the same. Right?
Paranormal Activity 3 hopes to scare the shit out of you starting October 21st.
