Paranormal Activity: The Marked Ones

Seventeen-year-old Jesse starts hearing eerie noises from the neighbor's apartment and grabs a camera to document what he can't hear with the naked ear. As he and his friends set up a makeshift recording, the footage reveals more than creaks and shadows turning into something real and malevolent. What begins as a routine home project quickly becomes a dangerous clash with an ancient force intent on reaching him and drawing others into its grip. The story centers on Jesse, his family, and a tight circle of allies as the haunting rooted in the building and neighborhood grows more personal. No spoilers here, but the tension comes from what the camera catches and what it cannot explain, lingering afterward for viewers.

Released in 2014, Paranormal Activity: The Marked Ones was directed by Christopher Landon. It stays within the found footage style of the series and serves as a franchise entry that expands the mythos rather than adapting another work for audiences.

With a modest budget of five million, the film captured a global audience and grossed about 90.9 million dollars worldwide. Its lean production value and franchise momentum helped it outperform many horror releases of its year in its release cycle.

Critics gave mixed reviews, noting the film's efficient scares and familiar found-footage setup while pointing out its derivative elements within the franchise. Thematically, it centers on family, community fear, and the way violence enters everyday life, as a young protagonist confronts a violent supernatural force.

As part of the Paranormal Activity series, The Marked Ones broadened the franchise from suburban households to a Latino neighborhood setting, introducing new characters and a different vibe while maintaining the franchise's signature camera POV. It reinforced audience interest in the series and the found footage format for future installments.