If you are a horror fan
, you must have heard of
Paranormal Activity
– the franchise that revolutionized the
found-footage genre
(influenced by
The Blair Witch
, of course) and left audiences in awe with his raw and realistic style.
The fourth film in the series maintains the scary formula that made the production famous, proving that even after
several sequences
, it is still possible to surprise (and terrify) the audience.
One of the most successful horror franchises of all time
Everything started in 2007, when Paranormal Activity – its original title – helped to
consolidate the studio
independent Blumhouse Productions – led by
Jason Blum
(the same producer of
Run!
) – as the most profitable horror house in cinema. Few series fit so perfectly into Blumhouse’s business model: minimal budgets, astronomical returns, and guaranteed scares.
The first film, for example, cost only 15,000 dollars and
raised more than 193 million worldwide
Jason Blum has an almost infallible sense for profitable projects – and even with some failures (after all, he produces about 10 to 12 films per year), the losses are quickly offset by new successes.
Only with Paranormal Activity, Blum and
Oren Peli
, director and screenwriter of the first film, who also worked on Chernobyl Diaries, have earned 890 million dollars at the box office. For comparison: the six films of
Panic
They only earned 20 million more. And the seventh movie in the Paranormal franchise didn’t even reach the cinemas – it was released directly on streaming due to the pandemic.
Why does this formula work so well?
All the movies in the series use footage from security cameras, webcams or smartphones, creating an immersive and realistic atmosphere. The intentionally “amateurish” quality – with flickering lights and grainy shots – only increases the tension, making the famous jump scares (sudden scares) more effective. And
Paranormal Activity 4
They have great examples of this.
Another interesting detail: this movie introduces new characters, but continues the story of the second feature film. Still, you don’t need to have watched the previous ones to understand it – everything is quickly explained at the beginning. Additionally, the cast brings
Kathryn Newton
, which later starred in hits such as
Detective Pikachu
,
Freaky
e
Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania
.
The plot of Paranormal Activity 4
Since the terrible events of 2006, Katie (
Katie Featherston
) and his nephew Hunter disappeared without a trace. In 2011, terror resurfaces in New Mexico, where the teenager Alex Nelson (Kathryn Newton) suspects the boy who moved into the house next door. He acts strangely, and she is not wrong to be concerned.
When the boy’s mother is hospitalized, Alex’s family decides to temporarily take care of little Robbie (
Brady Allen
), age 6. But as soon as he arrives, inexplicable things begin to happen: lights flicker, objects move on their own, and Alex is almost hit by a chandelier that falls from the ceiling.
She tries to convince her mother, Holly (
Alexondra Lee
), that something is wrong, but the woman ignores the warnings, attributing everything to her daughter’s imagination. However, soon she will bitterly regret this decision.
The movie is available for rent or purchase on Prime Video. It’s worth it for those who want a good dose of scares without leaving home!
Read the article at radarsantri.com
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