Paranormal Activity 4
Paramount Pictures | Release Date: October 18, 2012
4.7
USER SCORE
Mixed or average reviews based on 244 Ratings
USER RATING DISTRIBUTION
Positive:
70
Mixed:
86
Negative:
88
Watch Now
Stream On
Stream On
Stream On
Buy on
Stream On
Stream On
Stream On
Stream On
Stream On
Stream On
Expand
Review this movie
VOTE NOW
 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Check box if your review contains spoilers 0 characters (5000 max)

User Reviews

User scoreBy dateMost helpful
3
LeonidasPeplisDec 3, 2012
Q:"What horror should we watch and make my GF be afraid while I am laughing?".A:"Paranormal Activity 4".It is hard for me to believe that after the first movie and the whole "This is real footage" lie people are going to actually enjoyQ:"What horror should we watch and make my GF be afraid while I am laughing?".A:"Paranormal Activity 4".It is hard for me to believe that after the first movie and the whole "This is real footage" lie people are going to actually enjoy another film of the Paranormal Activity series.As a horror movies fan I was not afraid or impressed.A few scenes kept me awake during the movie though.… Expand
7 of 7 users found this helpful70
All this user's reviews
0
starscream97Oct 29, 2012
I hated this movie, I honestly have nothing good to say about it. The only other movie in the series I've seen is three and while i certainly didn't love it i admit that it least had a creepy uncertain atmosphere to it. All this piece of ****I hated this movie, I honestly have nothing good to say about it. The only other movie in the series I've seen is three and while i certainly didn't love it i admit that it least had a creepy uncertain atmosphere to it. All this piece of **** had was pointless jump scare after pointless jump scare and out of all 47 of them I think i only jumped once maybe twice. Worst movie I've seen all year and probably the worst "horror" movie ever… Expand
3 of 3 users found this helpful30
All this user's reviews
1
OroiaelNov 14, 2012
Really? I'd rather watch orthodontic surgery. If you are watching this you are either a desperate loner with nothing else to do, or you walked into the wrong theater. This movie made my wife jump out of her skin, but then again she's not that smart.
3 of 3 users found this helpful30
All this user's reviews
0
BrendanCogs99Mar 13, 2013
PLEASE STOP!!!!! This series has become a joke to scary movies. What started of as a turning point to horror cinema has now become a franchise that plain out sucks.
1 of 1 users found this helpful10
All this user's reviews
1
Gavin7887May 20, 2013
"Hey Gav, wanna play burn the terrible and boring movie?"

"Sure, what is it this time?'

"Paranormal Activity 4!"

"BURN IT NOW!!!!!"

I cant believe i was excited for this piece of movie
1 of 1 users found this helpful10
All this user's reviews
2
bigbonedOct 22, 2012
If you're after a theme park attraction where you jump on train and get some meaningless scares along the way, this one will satisfy you. But if you're actually after a "movie", you better go to a real theme park. I'm pretty sure I've been toIf you're after a theme park attraction where you jump on train and get some meaningless scares along the way, this one will satisfy you. But if you're actually after a "movie", you better go to a real theme park. I'm pretty sure I've been to some theme park attractions where the acting and the storyline was better than this.… Expand
4 of 5 users found this helpful41
All this user's reviews
3
Knicksfan7Oct 23, 2012
This is getting ridiculously repetitive. Everything but the final 10 minutes you've seen in the previous 3 installments. Loud noises and moving objects, thats what makes these films so "terrifying" its getting repetitive and they need to stopThis is getting ridiculously repetitive. Everything but the final 10 minutes you've seen in the previous 3 installments. Loud noises and moving objects, thats what makes these films so "terrifying" its getting repetitive and they need to stop making these movies already, but of course they make money so a 5th installment is already confirmed for next october. Don't make this franchise like saw, they should've left it off with the 3rd. 3/10… Expand
1 of 2 users found this helpful11
All this user's reviews
3
chemicalreaperOct 18, 2012
Paranormal Activity 4 just goes to show why, really, Hollywood shouldn't be allowed to let any film have a third sequel. Paranormal Activity has gone from a 'found tape'-style documentary horror with tension and jump scares, to a poorlyParanormal Activity 4 just goes to show why, really, Hollywood shouldn't be allowed to let any film have a third sequel. Paranormal Activity has gone from a 'found tape'-style documentary horror with tension and jump scares, to a poorly written and entirely generic thriller film.… Expand
0 of 1 users found this helpful01
All this user's reviews
2
benderrodriguezOct 17, 2013
This was indeed one of the most ho-hum horror movies. Most of the movie relied on cheap scares, and some of the actions in the movie was bizarre. It borrowed a lot of elements from several different movies but ultimately could not place itThis was indeed one of the most ho-hum horror movies. Most of the movie relied on cheap scares, and some of the actions in the movie was bizarre. It borrowed a lot of elements from several different movies but ultimately could not place it all together. Kathryn Newton was the ONLY good thing about the movie. On the other hand, Matt Shively was an annoyance and one creepy guy in this movie.… Expand
0 of 0 users found this helpful00
All this user's reviews
0
austinvJul 9, 2014
Most frustratingly upsetting movie I've ever seen. Waste of time and money. I've never written a review before this one but I felt like I had to so people don't waste their time like I did
0 of 0 users found this helpful00
All this user's reviews
1
Jnf17Dec 16, 2012
It's really interesting because I went to see this film, wanting to get scared, wanting to jump. But, this 'scary' moving, wasn't even able to make me do that. As a watcher of the otehr 3 films and getting a little scared in parts, I wasIt's really interesting because I went to see this film, wanting to get scared, wanting to jump. But, this 'scary' moving, wasn't even able to make me do that. As a watcher of the otehr 3 films and getting a little scared in parts, I was expecting to get scared for at least 5 minutes of the movie. But sadly this movie isn't even scary enough to do that.… Expand
0 of 0 users found this helpful00
All this user's reviews
3
Andre00xOct 31, 2012
Holy Christ this movie sucked so hard. No tension. No scares. The series keeps getting worst and worst. I'm happy I didn't pay to see it. I'm so angry on how bad this movie is...I wish I could just spit on it. I'm not exaggerating, definitelyHoly Christ this movie sucked so hard. No tension. No scares. The series keeps getting worst and worst. I'm happy I didn't pay to see it. I'm so angry on how bad this movie is...I wish I could just spit on it. I'm not exaggerating, definitely the worst horror movie that's been out recently.… Expand
0 of 0 users found this helpful00
All this user's reviews
3
Bucs65Oct 30, 2012
This movie is just bad bad bad. The worst one in the series and doesn't even pick up or get intense until the end. I hated I wasted my money on this trash, do yourself a favor and either redbox or Netflix this when it comes out.
0 of 0 users found this helpful00
All this user's reviews
3
theahsanhaseebDec 12, 2012
Same old, same freaking old. The final 15-20 minutes of the film are okay, the rest of the film is plain boring and pathetic. I don't know why they keep making films like this, the first installment was good, no doubts, but they're notSame old, same freaking old. The final 15-20 minutes of the film are okay, the rest of the film is plain boring and pathetic. I don't know why they keep making films like this, the first installment was good, no doubts, but they're not offering anything new now. This is the worst movie in the Paranormal Activity franchise, not impressed me in any aspect whatsoever. The name of the film is Paranormal Activity but it doesn't offer any kind of paranormal activity or even if it does, that's negligible because that won't give you any scares, how ironic is that! When the third film came out and I watched it, the first thing that came into my mind was, "What could be worse than this?". Today, I found the answer to that question after I finished watching this film.… Expand
0 of 0 users found this helpful00
All this user's reviews
1
Amber_StevensDec 4, 2012
Wow. Possibly the worst horror movie I have ever seen. I will go that far to say EVER. The story line lacks a plot, the jumps and thrills lack, well, horror, and the anticipation and the build up to the movie is scarier than the actual movie.Wow. Possibly the worst horror movie I have ever seen. I will go that far to say EVER. The story line lacks a plot, the jumps and thrills lack, well, horror, and the anticipation and the build up to the movie is scarier than the actual movie. Personally, I wish I hadn't have spent my money on this drivel.… Expand
0 of 0 users found this helpful00
All this user's reviews
0
Commando_NLNov 4, 2012
Scam. That's what this so called movie is. I almost fell asleep halfway through. Uninteresting sub-plots and bad acting make this my personal worst movie of the year 2012. Do not waste money on this.
0 of 0 users found this helpful00
All this user's reviews
2
MetalMovieNerdNov 6, 2012
Didn't we learn our lesson with the first two films? Didn't we? Didn't we learn that jump scares aren't scary and that likeable and smart characters carry a movie? Didn't we learn that plotholes shouldn't be in movies? Apparently not! And IDidn't we learn our lesson with the first two films? Didn't we? Didn't we learn that jump scares aren't scary and that likeable and smart characters carry a movie? Didn't we learn that plotholes shouldn't be in movies? Apparently not! And I counted how many jump scares they did in this film. How many were there? 20 through out the film. And at one point 5 happens in under two minutes. Thankfully there are people such as myself who recognize the fact that this movie is poorly made. And the people who paid to see this, I saw a free screening, I shame you. Its your fault you think jump scares are what makes a good horror movie and not good story telling, atmosphere, motivations, and actual story structure. Easily the worst film of 2012!… Expand
0 of 0 users found this helpful00
All this user's reviews
1
ToffenuffDec 7, 2012
The fact that more Paranormal Activity movies have been made astounds me. The first one was only "frightening" near the end, and even that was more surprising/shocking than scary. Don't waste your money, wait for this to show up onThe fact that more Paranormal Activity movies have been made astounds me. The first one was only "frightening" near the end, and even that was more surprising/shocking than scary. Don't waste your money, wait for this to show up on Netflix/Redbox/DVD or TV even. Honestly, don't even waste your TIME watching this latest iteration. I actually walked out of the theater about twenty minutes in and requested a refund due to the garbage shown on-screen.… Expand
0 of 0 users found this helpful00
All this user's reviews
2
TheWalrus2000Mar 9, 2013
The acting gives away everything not to mention it shows the same plot material as all the others leaving it to die as a not so terrifying collapse of the series.
0 of 0 users found this helpful00
All this user's reviews
2
RyuzakiDec 11, 2012
Just a movie with fake jolts. and at the end is the only action..they should just stop trying to give it a story and give us real horror/suspence like what they did with there first paranormal activity..i dont give a f*ck about the story, iJust a movie with fake jolts. and at the end is the only action..they should just stop trying to give it a story and give us real horror/suspence like what they did with there first paranormal activity..i dont give a f*ck about the story, i just want the sh*t scared out of me!! overall a blan boring movie..dont waste your time… Expand
0 of 0 users found this helpful00
All this user's reviews
0
EduardoLuizDec 18, 2012
There was some hope that the chapter 4 had some survival after a not so badly received third chapter. But there is everything in this movie, unless some kind of innovation that can save you from your own formula (already extremely hit). TheThere was some hope that the chapter 4 had some survival after a not so badly received third chapter. But there is everything in this movie, unless some kind of innovation that can save you from your own formula (already extremely hit). The film is limited to 'fool' the public until more than half his scenes that something might happen to the apex of the intellectual degradation, which should be one of the worst final watched this year.… Expand
0 of 0 users found this helpful00
All this user's reviews
2
BreakingBradJan 24, 2013
Paranormal Activity 4 is another installment in the franchise, and has proven to me that they are just going to keep making sequels until they start becoming losing money (just like the Saw films). I wish they would be smart and just makeParanormal Activity 4 is another installment in the franchise, and has proven to me that they are just going to keep making sequels until they start becoming losing money (just like the Saw films). I wish they would be smart and just make each movie different and original, but it seems they are trying to make some story here and it really is happening slowly. I mean nothing happens in this movie, a few pop out moments happen but this seriously has nothing we haven't seen in the past three films. I felt like I could see everything coming and although it has a few effective scares, it really doesn't change the fact that this movie is just lazy and doesn't bring anything new to the table. It… Expand
0 of 0 users found this helpful00
All this user's reviews
1
TheRubixGamerJun 30, 2013
This movie is like watching paint dry. NOTHING HAPPENS!? the whole movie is a waste of time and the jump scares are so predictable they don't work. A lot of the time I could not understand what the characters were saying because they whisperThis movie is like watching paint dry. NOTHING HAPPENS!? the whole movie is a waste of time and the jump scares are so predictable they don't work. A lot of the time I could not understand what the characters were saying because they whisper or mumble most of there lines. This movie is mostly staring at things walking or running past in the background but that's it nothing happens until the last 10 minutes of the movie.

This movie is a huge waste of time and you will get 0% enjoyment out of this.… Expand
0 of 0 users found this helpful00
All this user's reviews
2
PixcelationAug 10, 2013
This review was published on www.Pixcelation.com by Andrew Korkmas.

So as part of deal of sorts I made with a friend, I already watched and subsequently reviewed “R.I.P.D.” and thought it was horrible. This got me thinking I might actuallyThis review was published on www.Pixcelation.com by Andrew Korkmas.

So as part of deal of sorts I made with a friend, I already watched and subsequently reviewed “R.I.P.D.” and thought it was horrible. This got me thinking I might actually like “Paranormal Activity 4,” the latest in the long running “stupid as hell shaky cam horror movie series that continually refuses to die because people are foolish enough to keep throwing their money at it….thing.” If future me could give my past me three words of advice, they would be as follows: “Don’t kid yourself.”

The story is the same as every other freaking “Paranormal Activity” movie and will likely be the same as every one that will ever come out till the sun implodes and kills us all in a fiery blast. A family is slowly tormented by, oh, I don’t know, PARANORMAL ACTIVITY and then in the end people die and nothing significant get’s resolved (spoilers I guess…). The only new story item thrown into the mix are the two main characters, a teenage girl and her teenage boyfriend. This might sound gimmicky but this may be the best thing about the movie. Both characters are likable and coupled with both teenage actors giving good performances…as…teenagers works. I found myself actually caring about protagonists in this despicable little series for the first time in ever. Thus it was quite the disappointment to see the boyfriend just kinda stop showing up until near the end for seemingly no apparent reason and then have the focus fall on the mother and father who are completely boring.

I’m not even going to go into detail about the acting because besides the two leads none of the actors give a remotely interesting performance. So let’s talk instead about the directing, it’s very basic. That might sound like an insult but it’s actually a roundabout compliment. Unlike every other movie in the series, I could tell what the hell was going on even if the onscreen action was pretty bland, and that sadly elevates it far and above many movies I’ve seen in the last few years.

Whether or not you find this movie scary will depend on whether you found any of the other “Paranormal Activity” movies to be frightening. I say this because it does everything the others do. Seriously, did you expect anything else? I usually have nothing against sequels but when a studio pops out this many sequels this quickly, how can anyone expect something of quality? None of the previous three felt the need to change up the formula so why would this one?

Aside from the two likable leads, the only other thing “Paranormal Activity 4” does differently than it’s predecessors is it’s use of technology, which I did enjoy. They use their macs as a sort of spy camera to see what goes on at night and they do some cool stuff with a Kinect as well. But in the end, I realized it was all just a gimmick. It does little to distract you from its multitude of flaws.

Breaking the movie down into the three-act structure, it only gets worse as time goes on. I’ll admit, I surprisingly liked the first act. The two leads were characterized and likable, a few fake scares (some of which weren’t half bad) but mostly just the calm before the storm. The second act was boring if only because the pacing was sluggish and felt mostly like filler. Then the third act, which was supposed to be the movie’s saving grace, was a train wreck. The ending in particular has to be one of the worst endings I’ve ever seen to a horror movie. Without spoiling it, it felt like everything was sloppily thrown together as if the film crew realized they only had till midnight to complete it.

Every so often, I think I’ve seen all the bad movies out there. As someone who writes scripts in their spare time, I can’t help but marvel whenever I see a movie start off with potential and then completely screw up everything good about it shortly thereafter. At this point, I’ve learned that the worst movies are those that give you hope and then smash your face in about an hour later. But I’ve spent enough time talking about this abomination so I’ll just conclude by saying that if you have hope for mankind, you will lose it after watching this movie.

“Paranormal Activity 4” gets a 2/10.… Expand
0 of 0 users found this helpful00
All this user's reviews
0
ManutdrulesAug 28, 2013
Awful horror nothing scary about it is the stupidest horror ever who ever got scared are whips you would fall asleep watching it thats how boring it is
0 of 0 users found this helpful00
All this user's reviews
0
TheTwistedKrisJan 12, 2014
This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. This was one of the worst things ever to be classified as horror ever. Can anyone honestly say that snapping a neck quickly and easily is scarier then dragging a person off camera then silence? No it isn't, it wrecks the pacing and doesn't freak the viewer out as much. This was more of a comedy to me than a horror, watching this series continue it's crash into reality. PA 2-4 summed up with 1 word, flashy. Each death is in plain sight and the jump scares are seen a mile away. This addition to the series only raised more questions than answered, like who the heck is Robbie? Why did Hunter get sent away to only get brought back again (since he was already missing after the 2nd movie they didn't need to posses him, they could have done that in grace period)? What is Toby's goal (I don't mean this to attract any attention to the story, just I'm pointing out that the story had its head up its own plothole)? They explained hunter had to kill Alex, they why did he never hurt her once? Also while on this topic, how did Toby posses Hunter without Hunter killing a single virgin (as stated by the plot)? Am I the only one who thought the mother sounded like she was saying "weeeeeeee" as she was dragged up to get killed? I wish I was kidding about that. Did anyone else say "Here's Katie!!!" when she was busting through the door (parodying a much better horror film)? Why did it take so long for Ben to get to the house to show that Alex was almost murdered by Toby? Why was there a password to access the footage there to begin with? What even was the purpose of Alex getting levitated by Toby because it was never brought up again? Why did they stop reviewing the recorded footage half way through the film? And finally the biggest question, how did so many people give this movie perfect reviews and completely miss all of these flaws? I only flinched once watching this movie, so it gets an honest and undisputed 1 out of 17 (17 "jump scares" only about 8 involved the demon)… Expand
0 of 0 users found this helpful00
All this user's reviews
1
HatrossJul 3, 2014
First of all i can't say that i was disappointed since i wasn't expecting much. The entire film is predictable and downright laughable. There is no tension and the jump scares aren't effective at all. To be fair this was more of a comedyFirst of all i can't say that i was disappointed since i wasn't expecting much. The entire film is predictable and downright laughable. There is no tension and the jump scares aren't effective at all. To be fair this was more of a comedy than a horror film.… Expand
0 of 0 users found this helpful00
All this user's reviews
2
JohnMasterLNov 1, 2015
Esta cuarta parte ofrece mas de lo mismo, una historia confusa y poco interesante y unos sustos bastante malos, algo que me molesta de estas películas es que no se toman el tiempo suficiente para explicar todas las dudas que han surgido desdeEsta cuarta parte ofrece mas de lo mismo, una historia confusa y poco interesante y unos sustos bastante malos, algo que me molesta de estas películas es que no se toman el tiempo suficiente para explicar todas las dudas que han surgido desde su segunda parte; ¿que relación tienen estas familias y estas historias externas con la historia original de Katie? no tengo la menor idea. No tenemos ninguna explicación y surgen mas dudas con lo que puedo concluir que ni siquiera los directores tienen idea de lo que están haciendo. Actividad Paranormal 4 no es mejor que su antecesora y sigue con la misma formula que las anteriores (ya saben... mismo final, mismos screamers...)… Expand
0 of 0 users found this helpful00
All this user's reviews
2
MovieManiac83Apr 25, 2015
They could have called this Paranormal Inactivity.

It's a rare horror franchise indeed that manages to remain fresh and creepy by the time it arrives at installment #4. Paranormal Activity, despite a terrific beginning, quickly grew staleThey could have called this Paranormal Inactivity.

It's a rare horror franchise indeed that manages to remain fresh and creepy by the time it arrives at installment #4. Paranormal Activity, despite a terrific beginning, quickly grew stale and repetitive and the third sequel is easily the most lifeless. It's as if all the first movie's assets have been turned into liabilities and all the energy has been leeched away. Part of the problem is that there's really nowhere for the series to go but finances have demanded that the filmmakers churn out a new episode every Halloween. Another issue is the way directors Henry Joost and Ariel Schulman present their footage (still first-person). Instead of using anticipation to build dread, they approach things in a more straightforward, matter-of-factly fashion. Payoffs are few and far between. The woman not paying attention as she dices vegetables does not lose a digit. The vanishing knife does not reappear in someone's back. There are far too many missed opportunities. The "boo!" moments lack punch. They're uniformly obligatory and not in the least bit shocking. In fact, especially toward the end, they verge on self-parody.

Paranormal Activity 4 follows the same basic formula: first-person footage tells the story of a family who finds their home life increasingly disturbed by potentially malevolent supernatural activity. In this case, the 15-year old heroine, Alex (Kathryn Newton), has a webcam set up on open (Apple) laptops in almost every room of the house, which limits (but does not eliminate) the amount of inappropriate time she has to spend running around carrying her computer. She has a boyfriend, younger brother, mother, and father. All of them are about as well-developed as one might expect. The real problem is the creepy across-the-street neighbors: a familiar figure from the Paranormal Activity saga, Katie (Katie Featherstone), who arrives with an adopted six-year old in tow.

For about 30 minutes, nothing happens. It's a little like watching home movies or PG web chats (because Kathryn Newton is the same age as her character, there's no question of any naughty stuff). Over the next 45 minutes, a few things go bump in the night, but there's a lot of dead space in which nothing much happens. Lots of shots of empty rooms. Of course, we stare hard at those empty rooms, expecting there to be something creepy or scary... unfortunately, they're just empty rooms. Then, every once in a while, someone strolls by. Doors mysteriously open while people are sleeping, but they never wake up or watch the footage. Only in about the last 10 minutes do things happen and, when they occur, the ineptitude of the direction is so extreme that the action turns comedic. Exiting the theater, I momentarily wondered if I had just witnessed a Paranormal Activity parody. But that would be giving far too many people too much credit for cleverness. This is just badly made formula schlock.

If there's one thing to compliment about Paranormal Activity 4, it's the performance of Kathryn Newton, who sells her role and the situation. The same cannot be said of the other actors, who lack Newton's naturalness. She seems like a teenager who's caught in a very bad situation (in more ways than one); her fellow thespians are awkward and unconvincing. The acting quality is on par with what one gets in faux-amateur porn films.

Paranormal Activity made the transition from low-budget horror phenomenon to bankable product with the release of the first sequel. Paramount's accountants are undoubtedly happy with the franchise but one wonders if the diluted level of scares offered by Paranormal Activity 4 will kill a series that has turned the concept of "found footage" from a legitimate stylistic choice to a groan-inducing mistake. Forget jumping the shark... this series has cleared a shark, a whale, and a submarine.… Expand
0 of 0 users found this helpful00
All this user's reviews
3
FilmMasterEdJan 5, 2016
It needs to be said, my expectations weren't high for Paranormal Activity 4…well, high considering this is the fourth feature in horror franchise that's part of subgenre (found footage) quickly wearing out its welcome. I found the first threeIt needs to be said, my expectations weren't high for Paranormal Activity 4…well, high considering this is the fourth feature in horror franchise that's part of subgenre (found footage) quickly wearing out its welcome. I found the first three Paranormal Activity movies fantastically haunting with their minimalist approach to displaying the titular phenomena, building from oddities that could be rationalized to totally terrifying and unexplainable violence caught on tape. The locked perspective of their cameras similarly made me feel trapped within their frame, and directing team Henry Joost and Ariel Schulman—of Catfish infamy—took this found footage aspect to a terrifying new realm in Paranormal Activity 3. With these two back for 4, I anticipated not only an intriguing continuation of the franchise's growing mythos, but also some innovative new scares within the format. Unfortunately, the most shocking part of Paranormal Activity 4 is how far it missed the mark.

The feature begins with a brief refresher of the end of Paranormal Activity 2, where a fully possessed Katie (Katie Featherston) slaughters her sister then kidnaps baby Hunter before strolling off into the night and out of range of the late family's security system cameras. Cut to five years later in Nevada where Alex, an adorable 15-year-old girl (Kathryn Newton) who inexplicably always carries her video camera, begins documenting the bizarre events that plague her and her family after the weird little boy-next-door stays with them. Robbie (Brady Allen) is a sullen child who lurks around their property late at night until his single mom is carted off by an ambulance, forcing Alex's family to take him in. Luckily for Alex, her goofy boyfriend (Matt Shively) "accidentally" recorded video of her sleeping, and caught the little creep up to no good. The teens turn all the family computers into surveillance cameras in hopes of proving to Alex's self-involved parents something strange is going on.

First off, teens toting cameras is a red flag for the found footage genre, as it's generally a lazy screenwriter device to justify why the camera is always around at pertinent moments that should seem innocuous to the characters. Because all young people record every inane moment of their life, right? But this is only the beginning of the plot holes that riddle Paranormal Activity 4, many of which I can't get into without spoiling the film's final act. Suffice to say, key characters eventually abandon their acquired knowledge and established motivations in service to the plot, making for an ending that is as senseless as it is frustrating. Between the found footage convention and the established rules of this franchise, the climax is a foregone (read: predictable) conclusion. So getting attached to this brave girl who is fighting valiantly to save her family from this evil is not only sad, it's a little boring.

To their credit, Joost and Schulman start off strong. They deftly establish the geography of the family's home so that the action and camera work that plays out later is easy to follow, and the audience is likewise primed for where to watch when things get worrisomely quiet. They also prove savvy at setting up shots, including open doorways and peppering the frame with idly moving objects like a swaying bead curtain, making us nervously scan the background for a possible threat. However, these setups payoff less than one would hope with some missed opportunities and a barrage of false alarm scares that are fun in the moment, but ultimately kill the brewing tension. There's more downtime here than the other movies have. As the nights plod along with more and more bizarre events, they peak at an insane supernatural event, cut to black and then pick up in the light of day with no lasting impact. Rather than building a prolonged and deepening anxiety through slowly mounting these attacks with no sense of relief as the first three films did, Paranormal Activity 4's stuttered structure is episodic, and at 88 minutes the film still feels long.

At the end of the film we know little more about this invisible evil spirit or what his plans are for Katie and Hunter than we did at the end of the third or second film. Then instead of innovation, the directors give into jump scares and false alarm gags to keep the audience invested, and in doing so lose the mounting suspense and dread that set the earlier films apart from their imitators. In short, Paranormal Activity 4 is more startling than scary and does more damage to the franchise than good.… Expand
0 of 0 users found this helpful00
All this user's reviews
More From This Movie

40 Critic Reviews

4.7 User Reviews

Details & Credits|Trailers

Current Movie Releases
By MetascoreBy User Score
1 81 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple
2 77 Project Hail Mary
3 75 Send Help
4 73 Hoppers
5 72 The Sheep Detectives
SEE ALL
Essential Links
New on Amazon Prime Video
New on Netflix
Coming Soon to DVD/Blu-ray
SEE ALL