Paranormal Activity: Next of Kin (2021)

Margot, a young adopted girl, receives a message from Samuel, who turns out to be her closest genetic relative.

Determined to document her life, Margot sets out on a journey with cameraman Chris and soundman Dale to the Amish farm from which her deceased mother escaped.

However, there is a dark secret on that farm and in Margot's past, something that could endanger everyone around her.

‘Paranormal Activity 6: Next of Kin’ is an attempt to revitalise a franchise that had lost its way after the disappointing “Paranormal Activity 5: Ghost Dimension”, a film that became a parody of itself due to its clichés.

Blumhouse, the production company behind the franchise, has decided to give a new lease of life to its golden goose, relying on two prominent names: Christopher Landon, responsible for some of the saga's best screenplays, is in charge of the script, while William Eubank is directing.

For the first time, ‘Paranormal Activity’ moves away from its characteristic long shots, paranormal sound and single space, transforming itself into a kind of mockumentary or Found Footage 2.0, where what is told is more important than verisimilitude.

Is Paranormal 6 better or worse than its predecessors? It is simply different and looks in new directions.

The presence of Landon, whose spin-off ‘Paranormal 4.5: The Chosen’ contributed a lot to the saga, and an experienced director like Eubank, make this attempt work half-heartedly due to the lack of surprises, leaving a sense of déjà vu that is only broken on rare occasions.

However, on the plus side, the characters are more solid, with Dale standing out as the best character in the entire franchise so far.

William Eubank handles the camera deftly, recalling the shocking alien abduction moments in The Signal, and here he more than delivers, although he is limited by a predictable script.

As for the performances, the franchise's usual low-mid level is maintained, although this time Dan Lippert as Dale and the usual Tom Novicki in the role of the patriarch of the Amish clan stand out.