Originally published on metropolis.co.jp on October 2012

Moviegoers paying to see something called Paranormal Activity 4 are clearly not expecting any surprises. Make that any new surprises. The franchise has ossified to the point where the only fresh ideas are in how the creepy images are captured. This time it’s mostly on Skype, in a house that seems to have MacBooks in every room. Things go bump, often in the night, then you wait for something to happen, then a door opens or closes, or a shadow flits across the screen, and then a fake-out Boo! moment, and then you wait some more. This is not entertainment; it’s merchandise. Get an upgrade.