Two things viewers have come to expect of the “Paranormal Activity” franchise are addicting thrills and reliable scares.
However, “Paranormal Activity 4” isn’t a scary movie. In fact, the only thing to do would be to put it next to “Shrek 3” and “Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs” on a shelf of sequels that never should have been made and call it a genre.
In an unbelievably slow plot following the events of the third movie, teenager Alex (Kathryn Newton) experiences spooks when a creepy little boy moves in next door. Alex and her boyfriend, Ben (Matt Shively — yes, of “True Jackson: VP” fame), set up cameras in every room of the house in an attempt to catch a glimpse of the being causing their growing fears. What follows is a very thorough view of a typical family’s house during multiple nights, and that’s about it. Honestly, that should be the tagline because nothing notable happens until the last 15 minutes of the movie. If you’re looking for a movie that’s as scary as Medusa in a room of mirrors, see “Sinister” instead.