Paranormal Activity: the Marked Ones

A satanic coven is marking unborn children for demonic possession in this spin-off from the "found-footage" fear franchise that sees series writer/producer Christopher Landon turn director. Refreshed by the Latino neighbourhood setting and frantic action out on the streets, the story focuses on college graduates Jesse (Andrew Jacobs) and Hector (Jorge Diaz) when they stupidly enter the crime scene of a murdered witch and then start to witness ghostly visitations and strange phenomena. Before you can say Evil Dead and Poltergeist, something stirs in the cellar, an electronic board game speaks and a pet chihuahua is writhing on the ceiling. Landon is careful not to derail the successful recipe of false scares, fun-house screams and unexpected twists - how series regulars Katie Featherstone and Micah Sloat figure is a real shocker - but is still able to add a few new textures with some first-rate visual effects.