Review of Paranormal Activity 3 (2011) by Marcdoyle — 20 Oct 2011

Before I get to the substance of my review, I have to describe a fairly shocking incident that occurred in my theater just a little while ago - the first Thursday night, 10pm showing in Santa Monica. And this no B.

S. About 30 minutes into the film, just after the subtitles read "Night 13", a young guy sitting 2 rows in front of me started groaning/yelling. He was in a group of six - looked like a triple date - and they had been fairly squirrely up to that point, so I assumed he was just playing up the tension as people are prone to do in horror movies - testing each other and themselves.

I suppose it's easier to laugh than to give in to the fear. Turns out it was the onset of a full-blown seizure. People started bounding over rows to help the guy brace himself and the lights came up - he didn't stop shaking for about a minute.

He apparently had no history of seizures - which is what he told the firemen after he came to. His friends were blown away, and the packed out theater couldn't believe it. Could the tension from the film have caused or contribute to it? I have no idea.

The firemen were asking a lot of questions about drug use - the friends were confident in ruling it out. (Personally, he didn't seem like the type, but what do I know?) It made the rest of the film a little creepier knowing it could have a physical effect on someone.

.. So after a 20 minute break in the action, they started the film again (and gave us all free tickets for another show). There was some good-natured daring of each other to sit in that kid's seat for the rest of the movie - no takers.

So, was the movie as good as the first two? I'd say no, but it certainly was able to construct an entirely new sort of tension. The late-80s VHS feel to the thing was refreshing My heart was racing for most of the last 15 minutes or so.

I'd give the "experience" of the evening about a 9, but the movie? About a 6.