Launched in 2009, the franchise began as a low-budget project that remarkably grew into one of cinema’s most lucrative series. With a mere budget of $15,000, the original film generated a staggering $193 million globally at the box office, revitalizing the found footage horror subgenre and establishing it as a formidable competitor alongside The Blair Witch Project.
Currently, the Paranormal Activity series comprises seven films, and whispers of an eighth, which is speculated to be the concluding entry, have emerged from Blumhouse, potentially set for a 2023 release.
The Beiler farm becomes a battleground between Margot and Asmodeus (Photo: Paranormal Activity Next of Kin/Blumhouse Productions and Paramount Players)Synopsis of ‘Paranormal Activity: Next of Kin’
Paranormal Activity: Next of Kin marks the latest addition to the series, emerging six years after The Ghost Dimension. This installment takes a distinct direction by not directly tying its narrative to the previous six films. The story centers around Margot, a young woman embarking on a quest to uncover her familial roots.
After being abandoned at a hospital by her biological mother, Sarah, shortly after birth, Margot seeks to learn about her origins as an adult. Her cousin Samuel, who contacts her through a genealogy website, persuades her to return to her hometown.
Accompanied by a documentary crew, Dale and Chris, she travels to an isolated Amish community at the Beiler family farm, hoping to gain insights into her mysterious past.
Revelations About Margot’s Family
The film’s conclusion can be somewhat perplexing, filled with ambiguity and numerous plot twists. Finally, Margot realizes that her visit to the Beiler residence, orchestrated by Samuel, serves a darker purpose: she is to be sacrificed for a family ritual.
It becomes apparent that her mother, Sarah, is still alive, leading Margot to make shocking discoveries during her stay at the farm. Sarah was ostracized from the family due to her out-of-wedlock pregnancy and documented her experiences in a journal, revealing the family’s cult-like nature and their intentions to steal Margot.
After Margot, Dale, and Chris uncover unsettling symbols on the church floor, they learn that the Beiler family serves as a last line of defense against the demon Asmodeus.
To maintain the demon’s containment, Sarah had been sacrificed, and now Margot was to be the next. This explained why Sarah had left her at the hospital years prior, as the family employs female descendants to contain Asmodeus.
Margot’s Battle Against the Demon
Upon uncovering this harrowing truth, Margot faces an attack or possession in her room and is taken to a pit beneath the family church, where the ritual for Asmodeus’s transfer from Sarah’s decaying form to her own is set to occur.
Chris and Dale delve into research about Asmodeus, realizing just in time that Margot is the intended next sacrifice, which prompts them to spring into action to rescue her. Chris manages to pull Margot from the pit just as the ritual remains incomplete, allowing Asmodeus to wreak havoc.
The chilling legacy of Asmodeus looms large over the Paranormal Activity franchise (Photo: Paranormal Activity Next of Kin/Blumhouse Productions and Paramount Players)The demon follows them out, resulting in Dale’s tragic death. Chris and Margot take refuge in a barn, engaging in a tense confrontation with Asmodeus. To exploit the demon’s humanity, Margot calls out to the essence of Sarah within him, successfully buying herself time to kill the demon.
They escape to their car, witnessing chaos as the Beiler farm burns, with individuals attacking one another under Asmodeus’s influence. As they drive away, Margot glances back at the horrific scene and screams in terror.
The Fate of Asmodeus
In a chilling twist, the scene shifts to police officers arriving at the devastated farm to investigate. Their expressions reflect shock as they hear what initially seems to be a baby crying from the barn.
Upon investigation, they discover that the source of the sound is actually coming from Samuel’s body. When the officers approach him, Samuel’s cries cease, and a malevolent grin spreads across his face.
In a shocking turn of events, two officers, under the demon’s control, take their own lives. This confirms that Asmodeus survived the destruction of Sarah’s vessel by transferring into Samuel, who then drives away in a police vehicle, evading capture.
Speculating on Future Installments
The implications are clear: Asmodeus is now seeking Margot as he requires a female host to harness his full power. Margot stands as the only barrier to Asmodeus’s potential reign of terror on Earth, making her his primary target.
Unlike previous films in the series, this one shifts the focus from unwittingly summoning a demon to actively attempting to restrain one. This nuance cultivates a more sympathetic portrayal of the Beiler family, despite their morally questionable methods to contain Asmodeus.
The film’s conclusion leaves room for the next installment to follow Margot and Asmodeus’s conflict, tying up unresolved storylines. As the only entry not directly linked to the previous films, the possibility of Margot and Chris intersecting with characters like Katie could create a cohesive narrative arc throughout the franchise.
Fans eagerly anticipate Blumhouse’s announcement, hoping to see their beloved found footage series concluded with answers to lingering questions.
