I was unable to attend the “Paranormal Activity 3” screening that happened in the Johnson Center, but from what I heard through the grapevine, everyone seemed to enjoy it thoroughly. And with an estimated record-breaking opening of $54 million, it’s safe to say that like me, the rest of the world enjoyed the newest installment in the trilogy.

When I saw the first “Paranormal Activity” back in 2009, it was via the “Demand It” campaign that gained the movie it’s notoriety. The experience was perfect. No talking, no cell phones. The only noise came from the occasional scream, and the collective inhale that came every time a night sequence started.
Then the second one came out and even though it had some good moments that made me jump — namely the cabinet scene, it already felt stagnant and stale. It really was almost like a pasted copy of the original, with too few original ideas.

Not so with the third one, though I do think they’re going to have a hard time coming up with reasons to continually have a camera running during the events that are happening in whatever obvious sequel we’ll see next year.

Seriously, the introduction of the “Fan Cam” added such a wonderful layer of tension. I had read about it before seeing the movie, and it did not disappoint.

Another thing this film had going for it is the fact that unlike the first two films, it saved all it’s money shots for the movie itself. If you go back and watch, almost none of the scenes in the trailer make their way into the final movie. Genius marketing strategy.

With the “Saw” films finally done owning the box office after a seven-year win streak (seven years, wow!), it’s safe to say that the “Paranormal Activity” franchise is only just getting started, and I’m actually very excited to see where this series is going to go. And considering what the horror genre has been offering lately, that’s saying quite a bit.

It goes without saying, but if you haven’t seen this one yet, go see it. Just don’t be a jerk, pipe down, put the phone away, save the chit chat for afterwards, and let yourself be scared.