Thursday, January 16, 2014

"Paranormal Activity: The Marked Ones" scares up mixed reviews

by Ally Mann
The Paranormal Activity series has existed since November 2009. For those of you who are unfamiliar with this “found footage” series, these movies are all based off of one another eventually reaching a common goal of what this “paranormal activity” truly is. Some may be sequels or even prequels to the others, keeping paranormal fans on their toes as to where they are within the series. With that being said, when going to see the newest installment of the Paranormal Activities series, The Marked Ones, it is suggested to see the previous films.
The Marked Ones is the fifth movie for the Paranormal Activity creators.  Some viewers say that it should end now. This film has had various reviews ranging from “a terrible waste of time” to “brilliantly terrifying.” Those who are avid Paranormal Activity film watchers will understand all of the hidden points and characters from the previous films that appear in The Marked Ones. As the series goes on, the viewers find out more information and gain further knowledge on the “paranormal activity” that has been going on throughout the series. Without seeing any of the other films, this movie can seem to be boring, and basically is a waste of your time. You need to have an understanding of what has been found out before to understand what is going on now.
The scenery for The Marked Ones is a good change from the usual middle class suburban neighborhood the previous films were set in. Also unlike the previous films, the format of the film itself is much different from the others. Those who have seen the first four Paranormal Activities know that all of these movies are set up in a “found film” sort of format. They are all filmed from home videos and self-made footage, instead of a professional made movie. Unlike the others, The Marked Ones is missing the format of “Day 1, Day 2” type of film clips, and instead is just flowing day to day with no title interruption. The subtle differences do give it a different feel, but still connect with the rest. 

Like all scary movies, whether it is The Goonies or The Conjuring, it depends on the viewer as to how scary or not the movie actually is. Someone can scream at every move the main characters make, or one could only think that a few moments here and there really got their hearts pumping. Whether you consider it a great movie or a flop, it would be advised that if you’ve seen the other four installments, then The Marked Ones is a definitely a must see. 

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