I feel like this series became a victim of itself.

And the found footage genre.

Now don't get me wrong. I really did enjoy the first three, and I don't HATE the latter three, but I think it was about the 4th one where something became apparent to me. It's something that both 2 and 3 were a victim of as well, but it was the 4th one for me that it really became a bit distracting and disappointing.

The problem: The same basic plot thread from the original was just being recycled over and over and over again to the point that I was able to predict almost exactly how this most recent movie was going to turn out.

Obviously there's some variations. It's a different group of people ever film, a different time, a different place, and a slightly different take on what was really the same recurring set of circumstances.

Tell me these things weren't repeated from the original in all the sequels:

1. A family experiences "paranormal activity" in their home, starting out relatively harmless, but gradually growing more sinister towards the end.

2. At least one family member is targeted and possessed.

3. An attempt is made to save the possessed person and get rid of the spirit.

4. After briefly appearing as though the family will succeed the spirit comes back strong and EVERYONE always dies, except the possessed person who gets abducted.

5. Some random last minute plot twist to add to the mythos, getting progressively more convoluted with each succeeding film.

And bottom line: The Coven/Tobe ALWAYS win EVERY time, no exceptions.


I'm not sure if this happens because these are found footage films and so by default they assume that everyone has to die, or if it's because it's a formula that paid off well in the original so they decided to just recycle it for all the sequels. Either way it gets old. There are variations on the found footage genre, you know. I can list quite a few where actually everyone doesn't die. In fact Paranormal Activity 2 actually is one of them. The daughter in that one actually does survive.

What a novel idea?!

As a stand alone movie, it was fine how it played out, but there are FIVE sequels. Come on, shake up the formula a little. Have other people survive. Have one family succeed against Tobe, without necessarily "killing him off" for good. When the villains are repeatedly unstoppable, it gets old. Why should I care about any of this when I already know that The Coven/Tobe are going to win and kill everyone?


And then there's the whole mythos that gets built up and then just kind of left hanging or ignored in this the "final chapter".

If this movie really reveals Tobe's ultimate goal, then what the heck is up with that growing army of witches and possessed boys?

Was that just a vanity project on the side so that he didn't get bored during the "filler" movies, or what?


But the mythos thing is kind of a separate problem.


Gruss Vom Krampus!