Hi all!

We are kicking off the new year with yet another horror franchise ranking! Click here to see more rankings. I am a huge fan of the Paranormal Activity franchise. If you haven’t yet, please watch Unknown Dimension: The Story of Paranormal Activity. It came out in 2021 and is a documentary about the making of the saga. Each instalment follows a similar format. A suspected haunting = cameras being set up, to capture any unusual happenings. The results are always chilling to the bone. Without further ado, let’s get into it. Spoilers ahead!

1.) Paranormal Activity 3 

In first place, we have Paranormal Activity 3. This is most people’s favourite film in the franchise and I can see why. Set in the 80’s, we witness Kristi and Katie as young children. Kristi regularly interacts with an imaginary friend, she calls Toby. At first, it seems quite harmless, but as the movie progresses, it’s clear that Toby is a demonic entity, eager to possess the girls. It’s the same spirit that continues to haunt other characters, later in the series. Their stepfather, Dennis, sets up cameras in their lavish mansion, to capture any unusual activity, including attaching one to an oscillating fan. There was something so unnerving about watching the footage slowly pan from one room to the other. This definitely held true for the ghost blanket scene. Watch the clip below to see what I mean. I loved the trip back in time and the origin story of the hauntings. The acting and terror felt extremely real. It also introduced the coven of creepy witches. I cannot say a negative thing about it!

2.) Paranormal Activity 

In second place, we have the film that started it all, Paranormal Activity. If you watch Unknown Dimension, you’ll learn a lot of fascinating things about the first movie. For example, the creator, Oren Peli, shot the entire thing in his own home. The budget was so low, Oren hired aspiring actors (over well-known celebrities), letting them keep their actual names in the film. There were no special effects or CGI. Oren simply couldn’t afford it. Also, a lot of the acting was ad-libbed. These quirks add plenty of charm to a project Oren never envisioned would go anywhere. Despite its limitations, it became one of the most popular horror movies in history. It went on to gross over 7 million dollars, allowing the franchise to continue growing. In the first instalment, Katie and her partner, Mika, move into a new home, that begins to exhibit signs of a demonic presence. Mika sets up cameras around the house and what unfolds from there, is truly terrifying. The last scene completely shocked me. It might interest you to know, Paranormal Activity has three different endings. The one we are familiar with, made the most sense, as a whole. Paranormal Activity is such an unexpected success story. It warms my heart.

3.) Paranormal Activity 2

In third place, we have Paranormal Activity 2, which serves as a sequel and prequel to the first film. It occurs two months before Katie and Mika’s story. In this instalment, we follow Katie’s sister and her family, as they move into a new home, with their baby boy, Hunter. When their house is ransacked, Katie’s husband sets up cameras to catch the culprit. In the typical format of this franchise, the recovered footage is much worse than they imagined. What makes a Paranormal Activity movie so successful, is the justification behind the taping. Wanting to learn who is trashing your place is perfectly understandable. However, some of the later films in my list, do not really provide any plausible explanations for documentation. They are ranked lower for that reason. Also, the story needs to be interesting. Paranormal Activity 2 is so captivating from beginning to end. Not only that, it has a ridiculously incredible jump-scare. The actress who played Kristi was told only one cabinet would swing open. Little did she know what was coming. Her reaction in the clip below is completely genuine. It’s a great follow-up to the debut feature.

4.) Paranormal Activity: Next Of Kin 

The latest and  last Paranormal Activity film, was released in November 2021. It is the first movie in the franchise, not connected to any of the others. The seventh instalment follows Margot, a young woman abandoned by her mother as a baby. With a documentary film crew, she travels to a secluded Amish community, seeking answers about her parent and extended family. What they discover is deadly. The visuals in this film are stunning. It’s set in Buffalo, New York, during the winter. Snow and a dense green forest surround the compound, giving viewers a sense of isolation and claustrophobia. If you’re a fan of the cult horror sub-genre, you will love this movie. There are so many terrifying scenes (the descent into the well, hiding under the bed etc). Not to mention, the build-up to the shocking ending, will leave you truly disturbed. I highly enjoyed it.

5.) Paranormal Activity: The Marked Ones 

Now for the lower ranked films. In fifth place, we have Paranormal Activity: The Marked Ones. Teenagers, Jesse and Hector, look forward to a carefree summer, but the murder of a neighbour, leads to a terrifying encounter with the supernatural. After breaking into the neighbour’s apartment, Jesse and Hector find a collection of ritualistic art and other bizarre items. Soon after, Jesse finds a strange mark on his arm. His subsequent erratic behavior, leads his friends and family to the realisation that he is possessed. This instalment takes places in a Latino community, which was really nice to see, after the amount of white-washing that exists in this franchise. Furthermore, the chemistry between the two best friends, felt truly genuine. I enjoyed watching their dynamic, especially as tensions arose. The biggest plus however, was the ending. Whilst escaping from a fully possessed Jesse, Hector runs through a door, which happens to be a portal to the past. He winds up in Katie and Mika’s house, where the events of the first Paranormal Activity film took place. We love a crossover! We love some time travel! My only issue with this instalment, was the constant filming made no sense. There were so many scenes where it was unrealistic for the characters to still be holding a camera, documenting everything. Aside from that, it was a solid story, with plenty of good scares.

6.) Paranormal Activity 4

In second last place, we have Paranormal Activity 4. I didn’t hate it. I just don’t rate it as highly as the others. This instalment takes place five years after Paranormal Activity 2. A mysterious accident next door, leads teenager, Alex and her family, to become the temporary guardians of Robbie, a very creepy neighbor boy. Cameras installed throughout Alex’s home, capture the sinister events that unfold after his arrival. It was great to see the return of Katie and Hunter in this film, but to be perfectly honest, the best part was the Xbox Kinect footage. I loved seeing the demonic entities move through the dots on screen. It was a very creative decision by the writers and production team. Unfortunately, I was quite bored by the rest. It took a long time to build up to anything and by then, I didn’t care. Also, there were many times Alex’s friend filmed for no reason. As mentioned earlier, this is a gripe of mine in this franchise. Even when they were talking to her mother in the kitchen, he records the conversation on camera. It made no sense. At least the ending was shocking, featuring a high death count.

7.) Paranormal Activity: The Ghost Dimension

In last place, we have Paranormal Activity: The Ghost Dimension. By this point, the franchise was doing very well financially. Therefore, the production team decided to invest a lot in CGI/special effects, making this the first instalment to produce digitally enhanced demons. This bothered fans because the charm of the series is not witnessing the actual entities captured on screen, but rather, their poltergeist type actions. The visuals were cheesy, fake and unnecessary. What happened to a good old swinging chandelier? Furthermore, the plot wasn’t anything to write home about. Ryan Fleege, his wife, Emily and 7-year-old daughter, Leila, are preparing for Christmas in their new home. After finding an old and mysterious camcorder, Ryan quickly learns it can record strange apparitions, invisible to the naked eye. When young Leila starts talking to an imaginary friend, displaying strange behavior, the couple find themselves in a terrifying battle, with a supernatural force. In my opinion, this story had already been told. Not to mention, a friend films Ryan finding the camcorder, which made no sense. I liked the portal aspect, but why was this movie called The Ghost Dimension? It was established early on in the franchise that the hauntings were perpetrated by a demon named Toby, not a ghost. Also, I really wanted the Christmas tree to fall down and it never did! It just didn’t work for me.

Thank you so much for reading! How would you rank the films? 

Peace & Love xoxo