Paranormal Activity: The Marked Ones is directed by the writer of the 2nd, 3rd and 4th editions, Christopher Landon, and I can’t help but enjoy these movies no matter how many get written.
The marked ones starts with and bases itself around Jesse Arista, played by Andrew Jacobs, who has just finished graduation and ends up buying himself a new camera with a thrown in GoPro (the best free gadget giveaway ever!!). Along with his best friend Hector Estrella (Jorge Diaz) they do the typical boys will be boys stuff, and while trying to record the crazy lady Ana in the apartment complex below, catch some sort of strange sexual ritual going on. After Ana is killed and Jesse’s class valedictorian, Oscar (Carlos Pratts), who doesn’t look right in the head of late, kills himself too, they soon realize something is very wrong.
With the help of his cousin, Marisol Vargas (Gabriella Walsh), Jesse tries to find out what is going on but it is all much more than they can cope with. Especially when Jesse starts acting strangely, and becoming violent and sinister.
If at least anything, The Marked Ones should be applauded for creating actual characters for the first time since the original with Jacobs and Diaz doing a solid job of creating a believable relationship. They seem like real boys, real friends.
The final scene of The Marked Ones loops us back and explains some things but, of course, leaving the way open for more installments.
Personally I liked Paranormal Activity; The Marked Ones, but not some of the effects and CGI used. What the others have done so well, especially with the first, is make us believe what was happening with the little things. With such elaborate effects this starts to become lost. But again, as always, I will continue to watch any other Paranormal Activity movies that come out. I’m a die hard fan.
WICKED RATING: 5.5/10
Title: Paranormal Activity: The Marked Ones
Director(s): Christopher Landon
Writer(s): Christopher Landon, Oren Peli
Stars: Andrew Jacobs, Jorge Diaz, Gabrielle Walsh
Year: 2014
Studio/ Production Co: Paramount Pictures, Blumhouse Productions, Room 101
Budget: $5,000,000 (estimated)
Language: English
Length: 84mins
Sub-Genre: Thriller
