Review: 'Paranormal Activity 3' keeps the fright alive

The rhythms of a "Paranormal Activity" movie are by now familiar: camcorder-quality visuals; long, sustained shots that keep your eyes darting around the edges of the frame; nervous tension that builds to sudden bursts of terror.

Fortunately, the formula still has some life left in it, and "Paranormal Activity 3" — the second sequel to the surprise 2009 hit — delivers its share of shivers, chills and big "gotcha!" moments.

The first two "Paranormal Activity" films dealt with a pair of sisters who were haunted (terrorized?) by mysterious beings. After a short prologue, "Paranormal Activity 3" winds the story back to 1988, when the girls were children and the happenings began.

We see the action unfold mostly through static shots of the girls' and their parents' bedrooms, set up by Dennis (Christopher Nicholas Smith), the girls' mom's boyfriend, who's investigating the weird goings on in the house by videotaping everything.

Particularly effective is a camera set up on an oscillating fan that pans between the home's living room and kitchen, and directors Henry Joost and Ariel Schulman — who made last year's engrossing "Catfish" — are able to build some big scares in the slowly crawling back-and-forth shots.

The climax of the 81-minute film comes rather suddenly; it's a credit to the filmmakers that you're willing to spend even more time creeping around in the dark with them.

Joost and Schulman sustain a consistent sense of dread, playing with our own fears of things that go bump in the night.

'Paranormal Activity 3'

GRADE: B

Rated R: For some violence, language, brief sexuality and drug use

Running time: 81 minutes

agraham@detnews.com

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