Paranormal Activity: The Marked Ones (2014) User Reviews

Starts off promising but quickly falls victim to horror clichés and cheap scares.

[lnvicta · 5/10 · 21 May 2015]

I've only seen the first Paranormal Activity so I'm reviewing this as a standalone movie, even though it's actually a spin off or whatever. It's the same premise though - found-footage, teenagers, ghosts, demons, and what have you.

The first 30 or so minutes I was invested in the movie. I really was. I liked the characters, I thought the filmmakers were doing something interesting and fresh, there are some comedic bits thrown around, it was just enjoyable to watch. Then it turns into cliché city. Easy jump scares, stupid mythology that isn't even explained and makes no sense, people running around from room to room with no suspense. It's like halfway through the movie the filmmakers were like "oh crap, this has to be a Paranormal Activity movie. Let's just make a bunch of supernatural crap happen to these characters we developed and wrap this up as quickly as possible". And that's how the entire third act feels: rushed and lazy. It basically went from being an intriguing murder mystery to a generic possession movie.

I won't say it's terrible because I didn't hate myself watching it. It just got really uninteresting really fast. Near the end I was just waiting for it to be over because you know there's not going to be any explanation or any depth to the story at that point. You just want these stupid jump scares to stop so you can go about your life not watching this movie. There are worse found-footage movies out there, but The Marked Ones is definitely one you can skip over.

One of the better ones.

[Sleepin_Dragon · 6/10 · 16 March 2018]

The Marked ones is without doubt one of the best films from the Franchise (first one apart.) It's the usual format, every stereotype included, kids, found footage, person turned away, being on top of the ceiling, but somehow this one has an air of originality about it. Unlike the last few films the character's are well rounded and for the first time likeable, so when things start happening to them you care. There's nothing particularly original here, the ending has definitely been done to death, but it doesn't seem to matter. Not bad at all.

Specifically meant for the loyal audience of the franchise

[sanjna-polamarasetty-869-692642 · 5/10 · 2 January 2014]

When the news of a new entry in the series came to my attention, the idea exhausted me; especially given the previous entries and their deteriorating quality. Nevertheless staying true to the reason these films are still being made, and fans of real horror, like myself continue to watch them, Paranormal Activity: The Marked Ones, rewards its loyal audience with a fairly sensible connection with the previous films and characters.

In a way, the film does show some maturity, and they seem to have graduated from chicken feet on the floor and utensils and sheets flying around the place...at least for the most part. Here to begin with the lead character, Jesse was given just enough footage to get the audience to like him. We begin to instantly empathize with his family and friends and unlike the previous movies, none of them are extremely annoying. The actors, all do justice to their parts, and if not extremely strong performances, are convincing enough to keep us watching

This entry does give the audience more action than the prequels, however they divert themselves into satanic rituals, rather than pay any focus to the actual demon they are to be dealing with. There are just enough scares to justify one watch, and enough back story to make sense of a few huge question marks the previous films leave us with.

With the exception of these, the film has not much else to offer, and it is best to be watched as a part of this series and not compared to several of the other strong demonic possession films we've had in the past few years.

Dull/ doesn't feel the same

[cassandratay23 · 4/10 · 6 January 2014]

The acting is quite good, that is the only reason why I am giving it 4 stars.

I love the first 3 movies they were exciting and fun. The 4th and 5th one don't feel like the same movie. When I watched this I realized I shouldn't have watched it because it makes me appreciate the first three less. This sucks I loved these movies until the 4th and 5th one. The writers are jumping around scraping for a way to draw out a movie concept that was fine the way it was. The main two actors were great though so don't hold it against them. But the movie wasn't scary and had a couple okay moments but all in all not worth your $$. You pretty much wait an hour for the movie to actually get exciting. Maybe there's hope for the next one if they decide to make one but honestly I want to just stick with the first three.

The novelty is gone and the scares have disappeared in this once great horror franchise.

[matthewssilverhammer · 2/10 · 12 January 2014]

At first, it seemed like the fun might be back in the Paranormal franchise with "The Marked Ones". There's a much needed change of environment, good comic relief and even a few decent horror images. All of this is completely negated by the movie's utter stupidity. While the first film was a worthy cultural phenomenon, the series is becoming a chore. If "The Marked Ones", the first big release of the year, is a sign of things to come, then it is going to be a LONG year. This is the fifth "Paranormal" film, and is more of a spin-off than a sequel. It follows Latino teenagers in California and (SURPRISE) strange things begin to happen to them. This movie is clearly trying to hearken its own previous films while also laying new ground, but fails on both fronts. It tries exorcism horror…and fails. It tries haunted house horror…and fails. It tries mythological horror…and fails. In fact, what made the first films so great was their simplicity; we could place our personal fears within the story. With all of this convoluted, lazy and stupid mythos, all relatability has been thrown out the window. Worst of all, it's clichéd and predictable. That's never good, but especially for a horror film that relies on being surprising. Instead, the creepiness is laughable, and the found footage element has become less of a device and more of a gimmick, too often being boring instead of scary. So while the first few films caused nightmares, this one will just put you to sleep.

A good addition to the franchise

[annelouisebidstrup · 7/10 · 24 January 2020]

After the abomination that was PA4, I was pleasantly surprised by this movie. Sure, it's your standard possession story, but I found it believable and reasonably well acted. The young guys were easy to like and their friendship really came through on-screen. It also had some great scary/eerie moments. All in all, I think the PA franchise has pulled itself back on track with this one. Definitely worth watching!

From a movie goer, not a fan-boy

[marcinito · 6/10 · 27 January 2014]

First of all, allow me to stress that IMDb has been my reference point for years now - with its share of ups and downs. This time however, I felt like I need to say something, because the overall rating of this movie is a gross understatement.

Second of all, reading this you should keep in mind that I am no particular fan of the series. I have seen all the previous parts except for no.4 (I think), and as much as I appreciated them, I don't wear PA t-shirts, nor do I have PA posters hanging over my bed. This is a very solid series, with the first part being the obvious winner, but to rant The Marked Ones is a bit unjust.

I saw this movie last night at a cinema (which, I believe, is important). I won't attempt comparing it to the other films in the franchise, but it certainly provided some awesome chills. More importantly, there were some parts of the movie that kept me on the edge of my seat for minutes, not just for a moment. That is, I believe, what makes a successful horror movie. Plus I'm definitely not into torture- porn, but there is no gore in this one, which is great.

• The story is neither super-original nor an obvious rip-off. - The "found footage" modus operandi works just fine throughout a movie, and - acting is believable enough to root for the characters.

The Marked Ones does not write genre history - nor does it boast with such ambitions. But if you're into some good chills, give it a shot. Don't believe everything people (including critics) write. Have an unbiased go at it and see for yourself. It's just another decent horror flick, not Blair Witch Project.

Fans of the series will enjoy

[kevanmoore · 8/10 · 9 May 2019]

If you're a die hard PA fan and this will be a great movie. One of the best.

Good acting, and the twist at the end relative to the first PA was a good surprise

A Rise Above the 4th

[NotAnotherMovieCritic · 6/10 · 10 January 2020]

I really enjoyed this film, not as much as the first three of the series, but this one has a sort of real charm to it. We are out of the rich neighborhoods to an actual normal family who finds themselves in a terrifying adventure.

Because the characters were normal I could relate to them. I have known people like these characters, the charm, the humor, etc. I just felt at home with this film.

Once the paranormal activity happens it's pretty interesting but it seems to be pretty much the same things we have already seen. There was a few jump scares that got me, a few creepy moments that made me look around in my own dark room. We are given a little more answers than the previous films, however these answers just provide more questions, which can work if it hasn't been done four times already.

I did enjoy the atmosphere of this film a lot better than the others, even though I would say it's not as good as the first three, it is definitely a step up in this new trilogy so to speak. I am a fan of B movies and sometimes bad movies in general because they can be fun. I know a lot of people didn't enjoy this film and I can see why, but I did enjoy this film a lot and I like the new direction and how I could relate to these characters. So like the previous one, you're either gonna like it or hate it, but that's up to you to find out. For me, I liked it but I didn't love it.

And Just When You Think This Franchise Can't Get Any Worse...

[Rebel_With_A_Cause_94 · 1/10 · 1 January 2014]

Let's face it, the Paranormal Activity franchise is one of the worst out there. The whole franchise has been built on the over hyping of one film that led to billions of dollars in revenue and spawned a franchise of even less scary sequels. Now after 4 installments, the franchise has gotten it's first spin-off and it's just as awful as you'd imagine.

If there's anything positive that can be said about the film, it's not as bad as the last installment. This really isn't a positive though considering that the film is still garbage and the fourth installment is one of the laziest films I've ever seen. The Marked One's does add some elements that haven't been seen in the previous films, but they are things that you've seen done a million other times in different films and they aren't even particularity done well here. It's essentially just ripping off much better movies.

The acting here is by far the worst in the whole series and it doesn't help that the writing is as equally atrocious. The profane filled dialouge is embarrassing to the point where you will actually find yourself becoming annoying by the constant use of the F-word, and this is coming from someone who has a pretty filthy vocabulary.

Aside from elements from other films that have been rehashed into this entry, The Marked One's offers nothing you haven't seen in the other installments. It's slowly paced and features the same cheap scares that you've come to expect from the franchise and you've seen more than a dozen horror films, than you've seen everything that this film has to offer.

The worst part of all is that the ending for the film is downright insulting to the viewer. It's evident that the writers were trying hard to tie this one in with the rest of the franchise, but had no clue how to. They try to present to us a so-called "twist" that makes absolutely no sense and is only there so there is some sort of connection the previous films. I won't spoil it, but most of the audience left the screening pretty annoyed.

If you've somehow managed to enjoy this terrible franchise, you might find some enjoyment in The Marked Ones. But if you are a veteran horror viewer, you'll want to look elsewhere because there is nothing here worth wasting time on. Hopefully this franchise will come to an end soon and we can stop having to sit through these awful films every year. The only scary thing about this is that we've got to sit through another installment in October.

I Was Surprised...... (In a good way)

[frosty-44431 · 7/10 · 7 February 2021]

If you have watched the films prior you kind of got used to certain characters, but for this one, it took it in a new direction where they could literally expand it to anything near enough. It's a good film, just something was missing to give it that top mark.

Slightly Above Average

[jfish678 · 7/10 · 3 January 2014]

A fun movie. I love how people post how much they "hate" the Paranormal Activity franchise yet they continue to see every new one that comes out.

I enjoyed all of the PAs including the 5th. No they're not ground breaking new material, but they are FUN. I don't go to movies to criticize every little thing. I go to have fun and enjoy myself. Although this one was a little slow to develop in the beginning the last 20 minutes were pretty intense.

If you "hate" all the previous Paranormal Activities then save your money and your hate-filled drivel and stay away. Nobody is forcing you to see it. If you didn't mind the previous PAs and just want to enjoy yourself for 2 hours then go see PA5.

Coming from a huge fan of only the first PA movie

[youngster50 · 8/10 · 4 January 2014]

The first PA movie was a surprise hit that made millions out of its miniscule budget which led to several sequels that were both average and disappointing especially the fourth one which was made so lazily that its sole purpose was to make a quick cash-grab.

I expected this to be another average PA film but was surprised to see how well it was made. If you are not a fan of found-footage films which has recently become a huge trend, then obviously this movie will do nothing for you. The typical static camera shots of spontaneous noises and random things moving from the previous movies are gone now which is a good thing since there's only so much they can do with that. It takes place in a new setting with new characters and a lot more humor is added in this time. The protagonists were likable and not annoying and acted competently.

However, the good always comes with the bad but not too many. The film does nothing new or original but it wasn't as big a problem for me since the film was effectively made. Some of the scenes involving Latino gangs were too stereotypical and unnecessary but other than that, the movie didn't have too many flaws.

All I'm going to say without spoiling anything is that the last 20 minutes of the film will truly scare you with a huge twist at the end that will obviously not be explained further until the confirmed PA 5 comes out this October. I really thought this franchise was sealing its fate after the fourth one but The Marked Ones gives fresh opportunities for the filmmakers to indulge in. If you are a fan of the PA films excluding the fourth one and are unsure about whether you want to spend money to see this film, my recommendation is go see it without a doubt. I got my money's worth. :)

The most disturbing and darkest entry in the series so far... This time they've pulled out all the stops!

[DeaditeGaz92 · 7/10 · 1 January 2014]

If you asked me before today which order I would put this series in from good to bad I would have said 3, 1, 4, 2. If you ask me now I would say the same except there would be a full title at the start of the list before 3, not a number, this title would be The Marked Ones.

The film is about Jesse, an ordinary teenager who is marked by the same demon who torments Katie and Kristi in the earlier PA films after he and his best friend, Hector discover weird black magic material in his murdered neighbour's apartment.

For the first 20/30 minutes this movie plays out like a comedy, showing the day to day activities of Jesse and Hector (which is mostly them getting up to mischief) and even when Jesse is marked there is still a fair amount of comedy until he realises that what he has is a cure, not a gift. The actors in this film are brilliant and make it very believable. They're also very likable so you actually care when bad things happen to them.

There are a lot of scares in this entry some of which are very unpredictable and some which are very effective (especially one scene involving the main character's dog). There is also more blood used in this entry than there is in all 4 previous films put together but it isn't just placed in the film for the sake of gore there is actually reasons for it.

This film's ending is genuinely shocking, unpredictable and mind blowing and has created a perfect set up for PA 5 which is being released in October this year. The only problem now is, after releasing one of the strongest entries in the series to date, how are they going to top it with the fifth entry? Guess we'll have to wait till October to find out.

Annoying and Lame

[claudio_carvalho · 2/10 · 4 April 2014]

In Oxnard, California, the teenager Jesse (Andrew Jacobs) graduates in high-school and buys a camera in the pawnshop. Jesse lives in an apartment on the second floor of a small residential building with his father and grandmother and in the floor below lives Anna (Gloria Sandoval) that people use to say that is a witch. Jesse has two friends in the building, Hector (Jorge Diaz) and Marisol (Gabrielle Walsh).

When Anna is found dead in her apartment, the prime suspect is Jesse's schoolmate Oscar that had just left her apartment. Jesse, Hector and Marisol snoop around Anna's apartment and soon they find a sort of altar with photos of Oscar and Jesse. Then Jesse changes his behavior and soon they discover that Jesse was marked by evil witches. Will Hector and Marisol save Jesse from evil?

"Paranormal Activity: The Marked Ones" has a reasonable story and a nice poster. However, the cheap camera work is annoying and lame garbage and ruins the movie. My vote is two.

Title (Brazil): "Atividade Paranormal: Marcados Pelo Mal" ("Paranormal Activity: Marked by Evil")

The worst entry in the 'Paranormal Activity' series, this spin off is little more than a ripoff of possession-type horror movies with some of the supernatural from 'ChronIcle'

[moviexclusive · 4/10 · 3 January 2014]

Not to be mistaken for its fifth instalment, 'The Marked Ones' is in fact a spin off that casts a young Latino named Jesse (Andrew Jacobs) in place of the original's Katie and Kristi Featherstone. But what could have been an opportunity to invigorate a franchise of increasingly diminishing returns turns out instead to be a nail in the coffin, and despite boasting the series' regular screenwriter Christopher Landon as its writer cum director, this is undoubtedly the worst entry yet to bear the 'Paranormal Activity' brand name.

The setting is a modern-day Latino neighbourhood in Los Angeles, where best buddies Jesse and Hector (Jorge Diaz) spend their time doing Jackass-type stunts and filming them with their new hand-held camera. Within their two-storey apartment complex lives a mysterious (ain't they always) neighbour Anna (Gloria Sandoval), from whose unit Hector hears strange noises from at night and who is rumoured to be a witch. Plenty of time-filling scenes and a half hour later, Anna is found gunned down by their school valedictorian Oscar (Carlos Pratts).

And just as you expect them to, Jesse and Hector decide to play Sherlock Holmes by breaking into Anna's apartment to look for clues. That first visit leaves Jesse with a mark on his forearm (hence the title) as well as superhuman-like powers that look like an utter ripoff from 'Chronicle'. Jesse discovers that his powers stem from the presence of a supernatural entity, which he verifies is malevolent with the help of an Old Simon electronic game (or basically the equivalent of an electronic oujia board). That's not the worst of it - he starts to sleepwalk at night to places he cannot remember and develops some stringy stuff around his eyes which he tries to remove to suitably gruesome effect.

For reasons unknown, Landon seems schizophrenic about his film. On one hand, he wants a clear link to the other 'Paranormal Activity' films, such that hardcore fans who have seen especially the last two in the series will immediately guess that it has to do with some coven of witches who have been practicing the dark arts. On the other, he seems to want to take things in a different direction, so instead of things that go bump in the night around the house, Jesse goes the way of 'The Exorcist' and gradually becomes possessed by the very otherworldly entity who's been following him around.

Suffice to say that originality is in short shrift here, but what begins as an exercise in mediocrity descends into camp by the time the climax rolls around. We won't spoil it for those who are undeterred by the lack of any new ideas here; we will however declare it probably one of the most unintentionally hilarious moments of the franchise. What redemption the relatively exciting climax provides is also quickly undone by the ending, which sees Landon try just too hard to tie the events of the film to the main 'Paranormal Activity' story thread of Katie and Kristi.

But the surest sign that the series has all but lost its footing is the fact that there is nothing at all scary or disturbing in this entry. Whereas the earlier films used suspense and anticipation to build some genuinely terrifying moments, this one offers none of that gratification, offering instead an 'Exorcist'-style horror with elements of 'Chronicle' blended into the 'Paranormal Activity' universe. The result is derivative to say the least, and proof that what was once a promising and enduring brand in the horror genre is quickly going the way of 'Saw' and ultimately bleeding itself dry.

As its title suggests, mark this entry down - but do so by crossing it out.

One to mark the date for

[TBJCSKCNRRQTreviews · 7/10 · 3 January 2014]

Having just graduated from college and now enjoying some spare time, Latino best friends Hector(Diaz, mostly filming this and thus heard more than seen, and doing well with that) and Jesse(Jacobs, credibly doing a complete personality shift) check out the neighborhood witch, and the latter of them gains superpowers. After some Chronicle-y testing of such, they start to realize that maybe something sinister is going on, and try to find a way to stop it.

With found-footage growing stale, this tries to reinvigorate the franchise, to which this is a spin-off, which shares less of a connection to the others than the rest, perhaps even the sub-genre, by taking a different approach. Rather than recording when they sleep(which they were getting increasingly dubious in their explanations for) and the titular activity being hidden in tiny details on still angles, this has them "documenting" their attempts to figure out what is going on(with more locations in this than in the first four combined), and the paranormal is more direct and frankly incontrovertible(the guys upload one proof, and a quick jab at YouTube users being jaded and/or thinking it's faked, along with their *ahem* distrust for law enforcement explains why they don't bring more people into it).

As usual there is not much progression in the overall mythology, with this utilizing the greater freedom of not having to bring it back to you-know-who to explore a different element of the coven, the titular Marked Ones, and the ending(and this is a weird one) has us hungry for more. The third act does get a bit "action-comedy", and this only being 75 minutes(!) was probably the only way they could maintain their pace without it completely abandoning any semblance of tonal continuity. Characterization is strong, with this presenting likable and relatable people. Nearly everything is properly set up and paid off on. Like the others, this doesn't require you to have watched any of these before. Scares are earned and well-done. FX are great and credible.

There is a lot of disturbing, bloody and sometimes violent content, nudity and swearing in this. I recommend it to any fan. 7/10

The Best Paranormal Activity Movie So Far

[ubasarsahin · 8/10 · 15 September 2021]

I love this movie no matter what. I think it still is the best Paranormal Activity movie. Never loses my attention and always succeeds to scare me.

I love how this one go further and deeper with the story and explain more than previous movies. That's why I think this movie means more than the others.

And also I need to mention that image quality on bluray is awesome for a found footage movie.

Same old...But is it worth the watch?

[chris_rowe-881-168820 · 1 January 2014]

Firstly as the option isn't there I am awarding a 7/10 for this film! Was excited to be back in the cinema for my first horror of 2014, and being a fan of the whole Paranormal series, I was looking forward to this one! This film like every other paranormal follows the same trend, 3rd person recording, that annoying rumbling sound which pretty much gives away any time that your going to be made to jump or scream, as well as finding some plausible way to keep all the films in the series linked.

The first task of these films is to try and make it plausible why the lead character is always using a camera, which I guess it did OK. The characters in this film are a complete switch to what you are used to which I enjoyed, moving away from a nice American Suburb was one that was probably needed.

The only issue with the characters was the amount of youth orientated humour such as drugs and swearing etc, it isn't overbearing but I just think that this sort of film can appeal to horror fans of all ages and bearing in mind most of the best horrors that have been either made or remade for our generation are 20+ years old, so I feel that the youth focus can maybe alienate elder viewers. This isn't a big gripe just something id point out. The characters were good, acting was good too.

The storyline worked which was nice, wasn't massively far fetched and everything was explained quite well. There are plenty of jumps and screams to be had, sitting in a 3/4 full cinema and seeing people jump or scream to me shows its done what its supposed to and the general feeling was that everyone enjoyed it.

Here is my only real dislike of this series, as a jumpy bit approaches in all 5 of the Paranormal series in the background you here a faint rumbling, which although maybe for effect, on the 5th time of watching this series becomes an irritating give away of what is about to come, other than that effects and sound were done well.

Im sure there will be more from this series as it seems still a popular franchise, I would like to see it really push itself a bit more but overall its a good addition to the series.

Well worth a watch for all horror fans alike! Don't go expecting amazing filming or top quality scripts as it isn't designed to be like that, its chilling home shot movie style still works but maybe if were going to a 6th or 7th film it may need to add something new.

There are many Paranormal films out and also coming out in 2014 such as The Quiet ones and Devils Due, I will see and review them all , I left feeling hyped, I was gripped and entertained and its definitely worth a watch, if not at the cinema then definitely for a DVD rental in the future!!! 7/10 worth a watch!

Paranormal Activity: The Marked Ones

[bjmarlatt0716 · 3/10 · 3 September 2014]

The film opens in the summer of 2012, at a party in Oxnard, California. Following the death of a women who lived in the apartment directly below the party, Hector (Jorge Diaz) and his best friend Jesse (Andrew Jacobs) decide to investigate with their camera. Once inside, they discover some ritualistic art, even videotapes associated with the events from Paranormal Activity 3.

The next day, Jesse wakes up to find a mark on his arm that appears similar to an animal bite. Not knowing what to make of the mark or the strange, new physical abilities he suddenly has gained, Jesse, his sister Marisol (Gabrielle Walsh) and Hector look back on an occult journal they found the night before that leads them to discover something much more sinister awaits Jesse.

In 2009, Paranormal Activity was finally given a wide release, after first appearing at the Screamfest Film Festival in 2007. Filmed on a low budget of just $15,000, the movie was a critical and box office success, grossing nearly $200 million. Although the first film was highly entertaining, the downside was the number of "found footage" films that came afterward (to be fair, Paranormal Activity was copying a format already done in The Blair Witch Project nearly 10 years before it), most of which were its own horribly unnecessary sequels. That said, this is an entirely new film, featuring a new cast, and is more a spin-off than a direct sequel. So, is it a breath of fresh air for the tired franchise?

The answer is a resounding no.

Writer and first-time director Christopher Landon (who wrote the second, third and fourth entries in this franchise) bombards the viewer with every horror cliché in the book. Dark basement beneath a trap door? Yeah, let's check it out. Just heard a noise that doesn't quite sound human? We better see who or what it is. Look, it's fine if a horror film breaks all the clichés, provided it scares us in the process. This film manages to hardly do so. Yes, we get those pesky jump scenes, but those are a dime a dozen. They're cheap, and it's like farting to get a laugh. Why bother being creative when you can just take the easy way out by having someone pop out in front of the camera screaming?

Ho-hum.

What made the first film of this series so entertaining and frightening was the sense of dread (further helped by the very clever use of camera and editing tricks) at what we couldn't see. We were on the same journey as Micah and Katie as to what exactly was going on in their home. Sure, it had the jump scenes, but the quieter scenes were the most tense and suspenseful. The story was also much more contained and focused strictly on those two, where here we get very little character development (particularly with Gabrielle Walsh) as well as the obligatory detour to a side character who shows up for one scene so they can give the big explanation about possession and curses that we've seen a million times before.

I can understand the studios point of view here. When you're in it to make money, and your first product grosses close to $200 million, you squeeze that cow's utter 'til dust is coming out. If it were me, I'd be whipping out one a month. Forget Paranormal Activity on Halloween. I'd have one for Valentine's Day, Lincoln's Birthday, Easter, Fourth of July, Columbus Day, Thanksgiving and Christmas as well. By the way, speaking of Halloween, they're planning on Paranormal Activity 5 for October of this year.

No, I'm not kidding.

While there are some comical moments involving Jesse discovering his newfound powers that work, and the change of setting is nice, this is just more of the same that we've seen again and again and again from this film series. It's not as horrible as Paranormal Activity 4 - the worst offender of them all – and for a moment, I was steering toward a very mild rental recommendation for you (a rather generous move, if you ask me). Then that third act reared its ugly head and tried to go for a "tie it all together from a different perspective" ending (you'll know it when you see it) that's nothing short of eye-rolling, "Are you kidding me?!" awful.

I give Paranormal Activity: The Marked Ones a D+ (★½).

Review source: silverscreenfanatic.com

Doesn't even come close

[HOTlavaB · 1/10 · 25 February 2014]

I am a pretty big Paranormal Activity fan. PA1 was a very cool experiment with how much you could scare an audience with such a low budget. PA2 was surprisingly a step above it's predecessor. Better scares, better family, and better story.(in my opinion)PA3 was definitely a let down. PA4 was a total nonsense, a story and characters that didn't make any sense. I didn't have a lot of expectations with this one, but DEAR GOD! This movie was one of the worst movies I've seen in a long time! It fails on almost every level! I never really thought the PA movies were all that scary in the first place but it takes talent to be THIS derivative! It falls for the exact same scares as the others. I was in rather big audience and no one and I mean NO ONE JUMPED ONCE! Every scare fails and every plot point fails. If this movie was trying to be scary on how bad it is, they absolutely got that down. The only decent part of the movie is the acting. The one thing that the PA movies did very well was convening characters and actors.(At least in the first three, not so much the fourth) That couldn't save the movie though. This is how not to make a found footage movie. Hopefully PA5 will be good, but probably not. Don't waste your money or time on this garbage!

A return to form and a scary/fun entry in the series!

[jaguiar313 · 7/10 · 3 January 2014]

The previous entry in this found footage franchise was widely panned as the weakest of the series even by fans and while I didn't think it was as bad as it was made out to be, it was still the lesser of the series and was showing a franchise in need of either fresh ideas and more daring directions or a final chapter to wrap it up. The Marked Ones is definitely a good start back in the right direction and a spooky sign that these movies may not be done yet, if this is where things might be headed. Fans of this series will be happy to know that not only does this supposed "spin-off" get PA back on track but, is more reliant on actual scares than jump scares and answers a lot of questions that the other films have set up. It ties in perfectly with the previous entries and yet is it's own flick. The movie starts out with friends Jesse (Andrew Jacobs), Hector (Jorge Diaz) and Marisol (Gabrielle Walsh) who live in an urban neighborhood and have a downstairs neighbor Anna (Gloria Sandoval) who is said to be a witch. One night this 'witch' is murdered and Jesse and Hector… who are always filming things with a new camera… choose to sneak into her apartment and poke around. They find the woman's journal and it does indeed seem to indicate this mysterious woman was into the black arts and was part of a witch coven seeking to build an army of demon possessed first born males. Jesse wakes up the next morning with a bite mark on his arm and things start to get weird and Jesse's behavior starts to change with heightened aggression, strength and an almost supernatural ability to keep himself from harm. This causes Hector and Marisol to investigate further… which includes meeting with Ali Rey (Molly Ephraim) from Paranormal Activity 2… and they soon find that Jesse may have been marked by this coven since before birth to become the next soldier in this nightmarish army. Can they save him or will Jesse be damned like the others before him? Writer/director Christopher Landon answers that question… and many more… with a truly 'crap you pants' finale following a fun and scare filled flick that is both familiar and fresh at the same time. He knows how to build scares and he does so slowly with a film that builds it's momentum steadily till a really intense last act that leads up to one of the best horror movie endings in quite a while and a climax fans of this series will love from between the spaces of the fingers that are covering their eyes. Landon cleverly ties this flick in with the previous entries and we get references galore and revisit a few familiar settings as well. As for the return of any other familiar faces other then Ali, you'll have to see it to find out. The cast are really good here. Our three leads are very likable and supply some fun laughs early on especially from Diaz's lovable goof-ball Hector. Jacobs makes a solid leading man and we like Jesse and feel for him as it becomes obvious he is in deep supernatural trouble. The camaraderie between the three makes Hector and Marisol's efforts to save him seem real and the risks they take believable… and messing with demonic worshiping witch cult is risky, as we find out. So, in conclusion Christopher Landon has things back to form and even shows promise of more intense things to come. He makes good use of the found footage format which is far less obtrusive here then in the last flick and he has a nice visual style to add to the atmosphere. This is also the most violent entry in the series and one of the scariest since the first flick so, this film earns it's R rating from more then just a few curse words and snapped necks. And if nothing else, Landon gives his Latino themed entry in this series a really great ending that will stick with you for a while after leaving the theater, especially if you are a fan. Now with Paranormal Activity 5 being released October 2014, hope they can keep this new momentum going. It may still not attract any new fans to the series but, should rejuvenate the interest of fans disappointed byPA4. Well done and a lot of scary fun!

An Excellent Addition to the Paranormal Franchise

[longboardbryan · 10/10 · 4 January 2014]

Paranormal Activity: The Marked Ones is a terrifyingly tense cousin to the rest of the Paranormal Activity films. Although the film has received a good amount of criticism, it does exactly what it's supposed to do. It drives the story of the Paranormal films by taking a more indirect approach and by introducing new characters. It doesn't drive the story to completion, but it provides just enough story to satisfy our quench and increase our anticipation for the next entry in the franchise.

All the usual scares are present in this film, but they are just as scary and great as in the predecessors. The execution is a slightly different, but this comes as a refreshing addition to the film series.

If you're a fan of the franchise, you will enjoy this film and look forward to Paranormal Activity 5 even more when it debuts in October.

Cheap Scares Overshadow an Intriguing Spin-off

[TyRawrrnosaurus · 6/10 · 3 January 2014]

A Nightmare on Elm Street, Friday the 13th, and Halloween. Once studios see profitability from a beloved horror movie they will more than likely attempt to cash in on sequels that will undoubtedly lose steam somewhere around the third film. Recently we have seen this with Saw (stopping after its seventh flick in 2010), and here with Paranormal Activity, which got its start in 2009. Paranormal Activity: The Marked Ones tries very hard to break this curse. Despite rebuilding some faith after a feeble fourth entry, The Marked Ones holds back the franchise from the crucial revival it needs due to weak scares and little expansion in the mythology.

One year after the events of Paranormal Activity 4, this spin-off removes the focus from Katie and Kristi in San Diego County and takes us north to Oxnard, California. Here we meet 18-year-old Jesse (Andrew Jacobs), who just graduated high school, and Hector (Jorge Diaz), his best friend who has to document his friend's educational triumph. After discovering that Jesse's estranged elderly neighbor Anna (Gloria Sandoval) was murdered in her apartment by the valedictorian of their high school, the duo makes the obvious decision to investigate the ordeal. Of course Jesse stumbles upon some bad juju when they enter her apartment, which might explain the strange sounds and behavior he had encountered from his newly deceased neighbor.

With the well of found footage films all but dried up, the Paranormal Activity series has always been one to progress the medium in ways we haven't seen before, as Saw did with its unique traps. Unfortunately The Marked Ones drops the ball. No fan cameras or cool Xbox Kinect effects, just simple hand-held, first person photography and one scene with a Go-Pro. I will give TMO credit for finally stepping out beyond the confines of a household, but with that said there is a lot of untapped potential in doing so. And if you're like me, insisting there should be a purpose for the people to be shooting with their cameras at all times, you won't find one here. Luckily there isn't much shaky-cam to cause nausea.

What The Marked Ones also makes up for from the poorly written PA4 is personality. Jesse and Hector are a likable pair to follow along on their journey. Not much depth to them, but they're tolerable enough to laugh with amongst the handful of comedic moments that loosen you up before the panic takes flight. The Marked Ones winds up having some of the funniest bits of the saga.

Sadly there is poor tension built up with each cheap jump scare or peek-a-boo scare. All of these sequences are predominantly predictable, having used the formula four times now: calm movements and subtle glances of the camera mixed in with a slow-building, deep bass white noise. If jump scares still make for a good horror experience for you, by all means The Marked Ones will raise your blood pressure. But if you're on the other end of the spectrum, there is minimal quality in the terror depicted that neither frightens, disturbs, or entertains.

But what fascinates me about The Marked Ones is the interwoven stories from previous entries. At times the decision to inject references from older PA movies are just to wink at the audience or they're forced in to progress the minimal plot; one person makes a brief appearance just to dish out exposition that our characters couldn't discover on their own. On the other hand, there are some instances where these references serve the story well and actually succeed in retaining my attention.

My biggest concern now is that I hope writer/director Christopher Landon (contributing writer for PA2, PA3, PA4) has not cornered the franchise in a situation it cannot get out of, much like Saw did with its delicately connected plot threads. Some goodwill has been restored here, but PA5 releasing this October needs to hit it out of the park creatively to keep fans engaged and terrified once more.

Although a spin-off, The Marked Ones does not bode well as a stand-alone film. The first three movies are a necessity to understand and appreciate what the filmmakers are trying to do. I am happy to tell you that they practically neglect the existence of PA4 though, so you can skip that monstrosity. Overall, The Marked Ones is a passable entry to a noteworthy horror series that creates enough intrigue to believe that Paranormal Activity is back on track in the right direction.

Horrible Movie and such a fail ending!

[majd_takialddin · 1/10 · 12 January 2014]

What a waste of money, it was nothing close to a horror movie. The story had no structure, horrible cast and the plot is ridiculous. When the movie ended everybody was shocked since we did not know what had happened, also it was very short!! It had more funny scenes than horror ones, also the acting was really bad. The film spent a lot of time focusing on this fairly irrelevant footage, and felt too similar to Chronicle, another film in the found footage sub-genre. Maybe I did not like it because I never saw the previous parts, but it was far from a horror movie.

DO NOT WASTE YOUR MONEY ON THIS MOVIE I REPEAT! Slangg my friend was his first time to the movies and he even hated it!