Review: Paranormal Activity 3 (2011)
The power of the Paranormal movies has always come from the idea that a force beyond our understanding has turned all its energies toward terrorizing some seemingly innocent, relatable person. We never really know why it’s there and despite characters theorizing and investigation, a sufficient veil of mystery is always draped. It’s about the terror of dealing with some destructive force you can’t reason with, you can’t prevent or hide from; something that’s completely out of your control. Adding to this, the fact the malevolent force runs in the family strengthens the argument that it’s a metaphor for cancer. A topic that’s truly terrifying and often too sensitive to discuss outright, thus lending it perfectly to the realm of horror. So, even though the story includes invisible assailants, strange noises and things moving by themselves, it’s still dealing with a very real, very relatable threat. At its core, it’s the horror of having an afflicted loved one and your inability to help them.
This is what is missing in Paranormal Activity 3. The scares are all there, but the deep-rooted terror, the expression of some shared anxiety, the part of the film that sticks with you is what is lacking. It bares more of a resemblance to Tobe Hooper’s Poltergeist rather than the previous two films, playing as a collection of effective, but disjointed scares, like a truly well polished haunted house. This however doesn’t make it a disappointment, after all, who can resist the intoxicating electricity felt when a packed audience suddenly discharges a terrified scream all at once.
The franchise’s metaphoric power isn’t the only thing being confused in this installment. One of the most notable elements in the Paranormal films is the use of repetition. It’s more than just a tension building technique; it speaks to the theme of entrapment, as if there’s no escaping the nightmare as it circles around its self over and over again. For example, the constant return to the nighttime shots watching the couple sleep which inevitably leads to some growing violent disturbance. Paranormal Activity 3 does have nighttime shots, but the disturbance isn’t repeated, it’s different every time, making it seem as if the malevolent force, instead of being unstoppable and relentless, is actually a prankster of sorts who spends his time toiling around with different ideas to scare and annoy the living.
This being said, many of the other important elements remain such as an incredible use of wide shots, a concentration on suspense rather than gore and great naturalistic performances. Not since little Carol Anne talked to the T.V. people have we seen such devilishly innocent conversations with thin air, brought to life by some well-crafted child acting.
There are bumps in the night, doors slamming closed and electronic gadgets that just don’t know when to turn off. It’s a fun, frightening film that had the potential to be more. Unfortunately overachieving wasn’t its prerogative, so what we’re left with is a bunch of successful jump scares instead of something truly haunting. Comparatively speaking, with all the other mainstream horror out there, that’s not much of a complaint.
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Review: Paranormal Activity 3 (2011)
