Review of Paranormal Activity 4 (2012) by Filipeneto — 13 Feb 2020

Little news in a film that repeats a worn formula.

This film is the fourth in the "Paranormal Activity" franchise, which revolves around a family's demonic disturbances. In this film, another family, unrelated to the protagonists of the first films, shelters Hunter without knowing who he is. From there, strange and dangerous things happen to each one.

At the very least, it is a lazy film. I just felt uncomfortable at certain points, not knowing how to create a real tension atmosphere. The film is very slow and most of the time little or nothing happens. The scares are repetitive and already very predictable, perhaps the result of previous films. There is almost nothing new to give to those who have seen them. Some scares, thanks to the exaggeration in special effects, are surprising, but they don't really cause fear.

What saves the film a little are the cast's performances, which comply with the minimum required, and do what they can in the face of the bad material and the inefficient direction of Henry Joost and Ariel Schulman. Katie Featherston has little to do and only appears from time to time; Matt Shively and Brady Allen were competent; Aiden Lovekamp, Stephen Dunham and Alexondra Lee were good, but it was young Kathryn Newton who stole the spotlight. She is beautiful and has talent, managing to carry the film to the end.

In short, this film is much weaker than the previous ones, but I think it is not as bad as the immediate predecessor. Anyway, for those who have seen the previous films, it brings little news and is, basically, more of the same.