The previous three films had all been setting things up to establish that this demonic entity was, because of an agreement by an ancestor, owed the first male child in one family's bloodline. Cool, each movie added to that.
PA 4 did not.
The scares were formulaic, unimaginative, and many badly lampshaded. The plot consists of Katie (from the first movie) and her supposed kid Robbie living across the street from our protagonists. At one point Katie is injured and because there's absolutely no one else (despite later evidence to the contrary) to take care of Robbie, he's taken in. Things, predictably, get very bad for our protagonists. Apparently, Robbie isn't Hunter, it's actually Wyatt, the sweet 6 year old adopted kid of the protagonists, despite no explanation given for how Hunter left Katie's care and was up for adoption. If he's Hunter, who's Robbie? Convenient that Katie found a house across the street from Wyatt.
The main problem with this movie is that things simply happen, some are followed up on but rarely, as well as some large Fridge Logic questions. The previous movies could all be explained for why the footage was found - a police investigation was looking into it or it had been stored away, here the footage was hidden in computers where no one would find it unless they were looking for it - who's watching it? Alex's parents are completely inattentive (even when she was nearly killed by the demon and has footage to demonstrate it). A knife disappears in a flashy fashion, only to later reappear as a scare - no relation to the plot. In the ending, Alex has need of the police for multiple reasons yet resorts to trying to flag down a car. The coven is back and it's MUCH larger.
Preternatural abilities are demonstrated, but only provide a "this is new" sort of moment. (Conveniently the main character is asleep with sleeping pills when it happens). The movie follows the checklist of the previous films but with shallower characters (if not copies from PA 2 - Alex is Ali, the same boyfriend, the skeptical father). Characters are killed without warning, some without generating sympathy.
The main draw of Paranormal Activity is an impending sense of doom despite our heros efforts - that's not present here. What is here is "It Got Worse" mixed with "rocks fall, everyone dies".
PA 4: Bad things happen - the end.
(spoilers for the other films!)
The previous three films had all been setting things up to establish that this demonic entity was, because of an agreement by an ancestor, owed the first male child in one family's bloodline. Cool, each movie added to that.
PA 4 did not.
The scares were formulaic, unimaginative, and many badly lampshaded. The plot consists of Katie (from the first movie) and her supposed kid Robbie living across the street from our protagonists. At one point Katie is injured and because there's absolutely no one else (despite later evidence to the contrary) to take care of Robbie, he's taken in. Things, predictably, get very bad for our protagonists. Apparently, Robbie isn't Hunter, it's actually Wyatt, the sweet 6 year old adopted kid of the protagonists, despite no explanation given for how Hunter left Katie's care and was up for adoption. If he's Hunter, who's Robbie? Convenient that Katie found a house across the street from Wyatt.
The main problem with this movie is that things simply happen, some are followed up on but rarely, as well as some large Fridge Logic questions. The previous movies could all be explained for why the footage was found - a police investigation was looking into it or it had been stored away, here the footage was hidden in computers where no one would find it unless they were looking for it - who's watching it? Alex's parents are completely inattentive (even when she was nearly killed by the demon and has footage to demonstrate it). A knife disappears in a flashy fashion, only to later reappear as a scare - no relation to the plot. In the ending, Alex has need of the police for multiple reasons yet resorts to trying to flag down a car. The coven is back and it's MUCH larger.
Preternatural abilities are demonstrated, but only provide a "this is new" sort of moment. (Conveniently the main character is asleep with sleeping pills when it happens). The movie follows the checklist of the previous films but with shallower characters (if not copies from PA 2 - Alex is Ali, the same boyfriend, the skeptical father). Characters are killed without warning, some without generating sympathy.
The main draw of Paranormal Activity is an impending sense of doom despite our heros efforts - that's not present here. What is here is "It Got Worse" mixed with "rocks fall, everyone dies".