Paranormal Activity: The Ghost Dimension

Paranormal Activity (2009) served up a stylistically clever variant on the found footage horror formula using stationary cameras, but succeeding installments floundered. This sixth entry provides a sort-of summation of the fractured mythology involving a demon that haunts houses and their residents, plowing well-worn ground as cheerful couple Ryan (Chris J. Murray) and Emily (Brit Shaw), along with their young daughter Leila (Ivy George), move into a house that is suspiciously affordable. Among the former occupants' stuff they find an antique video camera that reveals strange, bubbly bits of unseen energy, and old tapes that depict two girls being inducted into witchcraft by a sinister man. At the same time, Leila begins talking to an invisible friend, and poltergeist-like phenomena starts occurring, which the parents try to capture on film. The couple even go so far as to call in a priest, who concludes that everything happening is the result of an agreement that the previous owner made with a demon who needs to possess children in order to assume human form. When the cleric remarks “what we need is an extermination”—one can't help but be grateful that this is purportedly the final installment in the series. Not recommended. [Note: Blu-ray extras include theatrical, unrated, and unrated-with-alternate-ending versions of the film, “Lost Footage” (20 min.), and bonus DVD, digital, and UltraViolet copies of the film. Bottom line: a decent extras package for what is (hopefully) the last title in the series.] (F. Swietek)