Paranormal Activity: Next of Kin
review by Bobby Blakey
Who would have thought when the low budget film Paranormal Activity debuted in 2007 it would not only put Blumhouse on the map as the premiere horror production company, but also score over 800 million dollars and spawn a franchise. From 2010 to 2015 they released a new chapter of the series every October with each connecting in some way to the bigger story. After the final chapter Paranormal Activity: The Ghost Dimension it seemed as the series had come to an end until now. Now a new chapter of the series, Paranormal Activity: Next of Kin, is getting ready to make its debut on Paramount +. Could this latest chapter bring the same magic fans loved or will it fail to live up to its legacy?
Paranormal Activity: Next of Kin follows a documentary filmmaker, Margot, as she heads to a secluded Amish community in the hopes of meeting and learning about her long-lost mother and extended family. Following a string of strange occurrences and discoveries, she soon realizes this community that welcomed them into their home might be hiding something sinister.
I admit that while I love the original film I never thought it was as scary as everyone made it out to be. That being said I was all in and despite some issues I had a blast with every single one of them and looked forward to my October viewings. So after all this time seeing we were getting another I was understandable surprised and excited. For those hoping to continue what came before you will be sad to hear that this one is a new chapter in name and style alone being its own thing entirely and that is a good thing.
The film is once again in the same found footage veign, but does allow some scenic moments to be shot more traditionally and makes the overall film look the best of the entire franchise. Yes there are some of the shaky cam moments, but it is surprisingly crisper than its predecessors. There are some beautiful shots here with one slow motion style shot in the finale that is awesome but all to brief.
The story is simple enough with it being made a lot more interesting and often times creepier involving the Amish. It does drag a bit at times and makes you
wonder if it is ever going anywhere, but the payoff is worth it. The biggest difference this time around is the element they are dealing with. It’s not just the usual haunting but instead something more sinister that makes this new direction a fresh injection into the franchise.
I know these movies aren’t for everyone, but I love this series and think this latest one is a worthy addition. You do not need to have ever seen any of the others to dive right into this and I hope this is just the beginning to more to come from the series. Thankfully its ending is one that leaves it able to keep this new direction going in some for or another.
Decide for yourself and check out Paranormal Activity: Next of Kin now exclusively on Paramount +.