With Paranormal Activity: The Marked Ones, the long running horror franchise succeeds in making a rebound after the disappointment that was Paranormal Activity 4. Not so much a sequel as it is a spin-off, the film takes a different approach to the series by focusing on a working class Latino family that lives in an apartment complex when that haunting we’ve all become familiar with in these movies starts up again. It also has an ending which succeeds in putting the entire Paranormal Activity franchise on its head, and you have to see it to believe it.
Paranormal Activity: The Marked Ones tells the story of Jesse (Andrew Jacobs), a recent high school graduate who, along with his friends Hector (Jorge Diaz) and Marisol (Gabrielle Walsh), start to investigate strange occurrences in their building when their downstairs neighbor ends up dying under mysterious circumstances. But in the process, Jesse ends up with what looks like a bite mark on his arm, and he starts to exhibit strange behavior like being able to levitate and becoming more violent with other people around him. Hector and Marisol later find out that Jesse has been marked by an unknown force, and that if things keep going the way that they have, the Jesse they know will soon disappear forever.
Earlier this week we had the chance to speak with Andrew, Jorge and Gabrielle during the Paranormal Activity: The Marked Ones press day, which was held at the Four Seasons Hotel in Los Angeles, California. They spoke about about their experience in making this latest entry in what is now one of the more popular horror franchises, how they got cast in this spin-off, how the events of it will lead into Paranormal Activity 5 and whether or not this film represents a positive portrayal of Latino culture.
Check it all out in the video below and be sure to catch Paranormal Activity: The Marked Ones as it’s now in theatres.
Please note that the video below does contain minor spoilers for the film.
