Rating summary

Movie		2.5
Video		4.0
Audio		3.5
Extras		1.0
Overall		2.5

Paranormal Activity: The Marked Ones Blu-ray Movie Review

Is the new 'Paranormal' film on target or does it miss the mark?

Reviewed by Martin Liebman April 4, 2014

It would appear that "paranormal" is the new "normal." Paramount's lucrative Paranormal Activity series shows no signs of slowing down, haunting theaters with as much frequency, it seems, as distracting cellphone screens that always seem to randomly appear three rows down and one seat to the left. There must be some magical curve hidden deep inside the Paramount vault (or within the studio's accountant's brain) that calculates just the right amount of exposure and number of releases against the maximum available profit, because these movies feel like they're churned out of that same factory that makes every grossly overpriced box of movie theater M&Ms look and taste exactly the same (and worth every penny). There's almost no variety to these films and they all play out identically, following the same basic pattern of handheld camera mischief that becomes a mystery that transitions into full-fledged fear of the paranormal that evolves into a deadly game of capture and evade with some nasty otherworldly villains. In that sense, Paranormal Activity: The Marked Ones is no different than its predecessors, but the film does present a few stylistic shake-ups -- namely the absence of the classic blue-lit, time-stamped security camera footage -- in favor of a slightly more intimate experience that, nevertheless, follows that basic series structure almost to a fault.

So, a sequel is just supposed to pop out when we're done?

Jesse (Andrew Jacobs) and his friend Hector (Jorge Diaz) acquire a camera from a pawn shop that is used to spy on their downstairs neighbor, the enigmatic Ana, a recluse and a mystery to all around her. They spy her naked body but also discover that she partakes in odd satanic-like rituals. When she is murdered, and their classmate Oscar (Carlos Pratts) is believed to be the culprit, the boys take it upon themselves to further investigate her cause of death, sneaking into her apartment and discovering a world of dark secrets and terrifying witchcraft, including instructions for opening a portal to another, darker realm. With the help of their friend Marisol (Gabrielle Walsh), Jesse and Hector explore the dark realm, at first finding and enjoying its positive influences but later realizing the full power of its deadly secrets.

This is more or less a basic, no-frills Paranormal film minus that blue-tinted "security cam" footage for which the series is so well-known. It's a smart departure considering that the old formula is growing rather long in the tooth, having run its course, it would seem, with the first couple of films and becoming dangerously close to Saw territory, meaning a good idea in theory with some decent themes in play but that grow all the more tiresome and needlessly extended with every sequel. But The Marked Ones is not a true sequel by the strict definition of the term. It is, in essence, a side bar film that does work in the extended universe but with Paranormal Activity 5 already announced, the absence of a "number" after the title indeed suggests it's canon but not a full-fledged part of the primary story. That doesn't make this entry all that much better, or worse, than its numbered predecessors. It's a serviceable diversion with some clever ideas even as the characters explore the paranormal world and how it alters their lives, first for the better and, of course by the end, for the worse. At its core, however, it's a classic handheld POV film that follows the characters on their journey of exploration, fun with the paranormal, and the danger that waits them in the final act. The stale formula is at play from the outset with just enough minor alterations to make it worth a look even for those who are growing tired of the same-old, same-old.

Paranormal Activity: The Marked Ones does enjoy a more significant polish and effort than previous films. Even as it abandons some series staples but retains that core handheld consumer camera look that The Blair Witch Project so famously popularized 15 years ago, there's an unmistakable increase in visual effects, a couple of which are truly impressive inside the "nonprofessional" video imagery. The push away from more practical visuals to more complex ones -- even if they're infrequent -- adds something of a larger scale and scope to the movie and allows for some extended play beyond the classic set-up where many of the events occur off-camera. Better, the film implements these visuals with a few refreshing story cues that allow for some nifty effects both in times of fun and in times of chaos, as the characters marvel at what can only be described as "paranormal superpowers" that later transition into nightmare happenings. The cast runs with it, having fun with the material even as it follows a recognizable pattern towards the violent conclusion. There's a strong sense of camaraderie that accentuates, at first, the playful mystery solving and, later, the growing danger and, finally, the imminent peril they face.

Paranormal Activity: The Marked Ones Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Paranormal Activity: The Marked Ones scares up series-basic 1080p transfer. The 1.78:1-framed image comes looking like, well, it was shot off a camera purchased haggled down and on-the-cheap from a pawn shop. There's plenty of noise throughout and some jagged and otherwise rough edges here and there. Clarity is rather poor, definition iffy, and colors bland. And that's just how it's supposed to look. Transfers like these more or less defy the review process. It's not going to look like The Past, and it's not supposed to. The substandard picture quality is part of the experience and Paramount's transfer appears faithful to filmmaker intent, er, sorry, the found footage source material.

Paranormal Activity: The Marked Ones Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Paranormal Activity: The Marked Ones haunts sound systems with a DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 lossless soundtrack. For much of the movie, it's the very definition of "simple." It's front-heavy with virtually no surround support and only minimal front end spacing. Whether applause and general din at a graduation ceremony heard at film's start or the festivities that follow, there's precious little beyond the basic presentation. Dialogue remains squarely the property of the front-center portion of the stage, playing as clearly as the deliberately limited and slightly muddy track allows. Things do pick up a bit as the film progresses. Bass becomes more pronounced when it flows out of a car in a few scenes early and midway through the film. It increases in aggressiveness as the track pushes forward into the more frightening elements the film has to offer, with a deep, rattly low end invading the listening area in the second half. The track also introduces some discrete side and surround effects near the end, and a few shotgun blasts hit appropriately hard. Like the video, there's not much to the track, and what's here isn't the epitome of perfect, but it fits the film as well as can be expected.

Paranormal Activity: The Marked Ones Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Staying in-line with the rest of the series, Paranormal Activity: The Marked Ones arrives on Blu-ray with a severely limited array of bonus content. Beyond the DVD and UV/iTunes digital copies included in the case, the disc contains only Found Footage (HD), a collection of deleted scenes. Included are Grandma's Rant (In Spanish) (1:22), Cleaning Out Ana's Apartment (0:24), Chavo Growling at the Closet (0:40), Jesse on Ledge of Church After Party (1:11), Possessed SIMON (1:00), Religious Shop / Irma Cleanses Jesse and Apartment (4:04), and MEUS in Jesse's Room (2:05).

Paranormal Activity: The Marked Ones Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

The Paranormal Activity series: it's the fad that keeps on "fadding." Paranormal Activity: The Marked Ones is the latest entry and is, despite its myriad of flaws, the best of the bunch since the original. That's not saying much, but at least a halfway interesting "investigative" procedural style blended with the familiar first-person consumer camera perspective and some nifty effects work gives the movie a fresh coat of paint. It's a tolerable experience that's geared more towards fans than casuals but a decent enough time killer that's just different enough to warrant further investigation. Paramount's Blu-ray release of Paranormal Activity: The Marked Ones features the typically shallow assortment of extras to go along with the equally typical "it is what it is" video and sound. Recommended to series enthusiasts; casuals should rent.