Paranormal Activity: The Marked Ones 2014

As the sun beats down on Oxnard, California, in the sweltering June of 2012, Jesse (Andrew Jacobs) celebrates his high school graduation with a raucous party in the courtyard of his apartment complex. The festivities bring together his tight-knit family - including his father, sister, and grandmother - along with a circle of friends, all united by their joy and relief at the end of one chapter and the beginning of another. Amidst the revelry, Jesse confides in his friend Marisol (Gabrielle Walsh) about the peculiarities of their downstairs neighbor, Ana (Gloria Sandoval). There’s something unsettling about her apartment, particularly the mysterious sounds that echo through the ventilation shaft that connects their bedrooms to hers. The nocturnal wailing and moaning noises have become a recurring phenomenon, leaving them with more questions than answers.

The next day, Jesse and his friend Hector (Jorge Diaz) decide to take matters into their own hands by experimenting with Jesse’s new GoPro camera. They use it to capture some light-hearted stunts, but their fun is short-lived as they’re suddenly alerted to commotion coming from Ana’s apartment. That’s when they spot Oscar (Carlos Pratts), a former classmate of Jesse’s, making a hasty exit from the premises. The boys attempt to strike up a conversation with him, but Oscar proves evasive and beats a quick retreat. Back in Jesse’s apartment, they’re treated to another unsettling episode of the mysterious wailing noise. Hector convinces Jesse to take his camera and peer into Ana’s apartment through the vent, hoping to uncover some answers. What they find is nothing short of surreal: Ana, accompanied by a young woman, engaged in an intimate ritual that seems shrouded in mystique. The pair’s awareness of being watched forces them to cut their surveillance short. As Jesse and Hector process what they’ve seen, Marisol weighs in with her own theory - that Ana is, in fact, a bruja, a Mexican witch - which only adds fuel to the boys’ growing curiosity. Their attempts to snoop around Ana’s apartment are met with resistance from both Ana and the young woman, who sternly warns them to stay out of their affairs, insisting they have no idea what’s really going on beneath their noses.

As the sun dips below the horizon, Jesse and Hector attempt to ignite their fireworks outside, but their evening is disrupted by Oscar’s sudden and unexpected appearance, fleeing from a room in Ana’s apartment as if pursued by unseen forces. The police arrive shortly thereafter, only to find Ana’s lifeless body, with Oscar becoming the prime suspect in her tragic demise. Yet, as time passes and Oscar remains at large, Jesse and his friend are reluctant to reveal their whereabouts to the authorities, fearing retribution from Arturo, Oscar’s brother and a notorious gang member.

In an effort to uncover more about Ana’s apartment, they decide to pay it a visit, where they discover a gruesome scene beset by bloodstains and the remnants of a black magic ritual. Amidst the chaos, they stumble upon occult symbols and a VHS tape labeled “Katie & Kristi 1988,” a discovery that seems eerily connected to the Paranormal Activity franchise. Their exploration is suddenly interrupted by Arturo’s arrival, who insists that Oscar was not Ana’s killer, before ordering them to leave. However, Jesse and his friend take one of Ana’s journals with them as they depart.

The next morning, Jesse awakens to find a mysterious bite mark on his arm, accompanied by an eerie trail of bloodstains leading from the bed to the floor. Their family dog, Chavo, has also taken an inexplicable dislike to Jesse’s presence. As they delve deeper into Ana’s journal with Marisol’s help, they uncover cryptic messages in multiple languages and a disturbing depiction of people drawing symbols on a woman’s belly, eerily reminiscent of the markings Jesse and Hector witnessed earlier.

One passage appears to provide instructions for constructing doorways through time, but only to “unholy places.” As night falls once more, Jesse and his friends gather around a Ghost Box, a device rumored to facilitate communication with spirits. The box uses colors and sounds to indicate ‘yes’ and ‘no,’ and its unseen presence is palpable as it accurately answers all of their questions, sending shivers down their spines.

Jesse’s abuela (grandma) proves less than enthusiastic about the game, confiscating the device in a bid to restore some sense of normalcy. However, Jesse soon discovers that his newfound abilities are anything but ordinary. When confronted by two would-be muggers, Hector is brutally attacked, only for Jesse to intervene and dispatch the thugs with superhuman force. The recorded incident leaves them stunned and unable to explain how it transpired.

As they turn to the Ghost Box once more, seeking answers about a potential protective spirit, the device eerily confirms that the two thugs met a violent demise at its hands. While refusing to confirm whether the unseen presence is benevolent or malevolent, the box’s unsettling responses only serve to deepen their unease and sense of foreboding.

As Jesse’s newfound abilities continue to astound, he discovers that his body has become a canvas for acrobatic feats. With his confidence soaring, he and Hector embark on a nocturnal adventure, crashing a block party and encountering Penelope (Catherine Toribio) and Natalia (Gigi Feshold). The night takes a darker turn when Jesse and Penelope slip away to Ana’s apartment, where they find themselves face-to-face with the unknown. In a flash of insight, Penelope stumbles upon a hidden trapdoor, leading her to discover a sinister presence lurking in the shadows. As she flees the scene, Oscar emerges from the depths of the basement, bearing an unmistakable bite mark on his arm.

Jesse’s return finds Oscar already in the bathroom, his eyes haunted by a desperate warning: Ana has unleashed some kind of dark force within them, and their only escape is to take their own lives. The words hang heavy as Oscar vanishes into the night, leaving Jesse to confront the reality that their friend has succumbed to despair. In pursuit of the truth, Jesse and Hector track down Oscar’s final moments, watching in horror as he takes his own life by leaping from a skyscraper onto the roof of a car.

As they process the tragedy, the trio turns their attention to Jesse’s camera, where evidence reveals that Oscar was indeed the one who grasped Penelope. In a bid to unravel the mystery, they delve into the depths of Ana’s basement, uncovering an altar, cryptic photographs, and haunting images from their pasts. A picture of baby Jesse sparks memories of his father’s long absence, while another image from 1994 shows Jesse’s mother - who passed away during childbirth - standing alongside Ana and an enigmatic woman (Lois, Katie’s grandmother from Paranormal Activity 3). The trio also catches a glimpse of an unknown woman fleeting through the house before disappearing into the night.

As Jesse’s ordeal unfolds over several days, his physical state begins to disintegrate. A peculiar skin rash erupts on his face, accompanied by the unsettling discovery of thin wires emerging from the corners of his eyes - an agonizing sight that compels him to extract them with great trepidation. Desperate for answers, he and Hector visit Arturo, Oscar’s brother, who agrees to grant them access to Oscar’s room, a space filled to the brim with a kaleidoscope of missing child posters from around the world. The eerie display appears to be a testament to Oscar’s discovery that a coven of witches is involved in the disappearances, targeting first-born sons like Jesse. A chilling realization dawns on them: Oscar was not only Arturo’s younger brother but also a biological adoptee, having been the firstborn son of another woman who met a tragic fate while giving birth, much like Jesse’s own mother.

As Jesse’s behavior becomes increasingly erratic, Hector and Marisol bear witness to his sudden outbursts of aggression against schoolmates and shopkeepers alike. The once-timid teenager is now capable of withstanding the force of a baseball bat swing, only to confess that he can no longer control his actions. In their desperation to find a solution, they attempt to communicate with the ghostly presence through the Ghost Box one final time, but it stubbornly refuses to heed their pleas.

That fateful night, Jesse’s canine companion begins barking frantically from Ana’s apartment, drawing him to the scene. As he enters the living room, he fails to notice a woman standing behind him. Undeterred, he proceeds to the basement, only to be confronted by a ghastly procession of ghostly apparitions, including those of young Katie and Kristi from Paranormal Activity 3 (2011). Jesse’s attempt to flee is foiled when the trapdoor slams shut, trapping him in the dark recesses below. The darkness coalesces into a cacophonous demon, hell-bent on tormenting its hapless victim.

As the days dwindle, Jesse’s descent into darkness becomes increasingly pronounced. His family is consumed by worry as he retreats to the solitude of his bedroom, locking himself away from the world like a prisoner within his own mind. Hector’s concern deepens when he visits Jesse at home and discovers the cryptic scrawl “Meus” etched onto the wall - a haunting harbinger of the turmoil to come. Jesse remains unresponsive to Hector’s pleas, leaving him to wonder if his friend is lost forever.

Hector and Marisol turn to Ali for guidance, and she shares her research on the malevolent forces that have taken hold of Jesse. She reveals the existence of a cabal of “Midwives” who manipulate young women into surrendering their unborn sons, imbuing them with a demonic essence through a ritualistic mark left on the mother’s womb. As Ali imparts this chilling knowledge, she urges Hector and Marisol to act swiftly before Jesse is irretrievably consumed by the demon.

At home, they are met with a disturbing sight: Jesse, lost in a world of his own making, telekinetically torments his poor dog Chavo. Hector intervenes, prompting a desperate discussion with Marisol and Jesse’s grandmother about the gravity of their situation. The wise elder takes them to a revered Mexican religious healer, who imparts ancient wisdom on how to cleanse Jesse’s soul of the evil that has taken hold.

That evening, Jesse’s grandmother sets out to purify her grandson, beginning by smearing his body with a raw egg. But as she holds it, Jesse’s hand shoots out, shattering the egg in a jarring, crimson-stained moment before all light is extinguished. With the aid of night vision technology, Hector bears witness to Jesse’s disappearance, followed by an unsettling sight: the warping of their living room, which suddenly resolves into a blinding flash, and then, as if suspended in mid-air, Jesse’s form, telekinetically wreaking havoc on the space around him. As he collapses, they rush to tend to his wounds.

The next morning brings no respite, for when Hector and Marisol search outside for Jesse, they find only silence. Upon their return, they’re met with a grim discovery: Jesse perched atop the stairs, his grandmother lying motionless on the floor below. Hector springs into action, calling for emergency services as he rushes to aid the injured elder, but it’s too late - Jesse has vanished once more, leaving behind only the faintest glimmer of hope.

As the news of their grandmother’s precarious health spreads, Hector and Marisol rush to the hospital alongside Jesse, whose possession has reached a crescendo. En route, however, Jesse’s malevolent energy surges, causing him to block the road with his unconscious body. Despite Marisol’s desperate attempts to intervene, they’re suddenly caught in a high-speed collision that leaves them shaken and Jesse’s lifeless form missing. Panicked, Hector and Marisol seek guidance from Arturo and Santo, only to find themselves face-to-face with a gruesome scene of ritualistic chaos.

The trio flees to the site of the occult rituals, where they’re met with resistance by possessed women wielding knives. Santo valiantly holds off the attackers while Arturo takes down several assailants with his trusty shotgun, urging Hector and Marisol to make a hasty retreat back to the front door. As they flee, they’re met with the grim reality of Santo’s lifeless body, but he manages to open the door before succumbing to death.

The group flees into the eerie abode of Grandma Lois, last seen in Paranormal Activity 3 (2011), only to find that it’s a hotbed of dark rituals. Marisol vanishes into thin air, leaving Hector to navigate the labyrinthine halls alone. He stumbles upon Arturo’s lifeless form, his body brutally smashed against the windowpane, before frantically searching for any sign of Marisol.

In a desperate bid to escape the supernatural forces closing in, Hector flees to the garden chamber, only to be startled by an elderly woman lurking behind him. In a heart-stopping sequence, he’s beset by a flying sheet and then pursued by the possessed Jesse, whose malevolent energy has reached new heights. As Hector locks himself into an upstairs bedroom, he finds himself trapped with no escape route except for a mysterious wooden door adorned with occult symbols.

Jesse, his voice now eerily calm, begs Hector to let him in, but when refused, Jesse’s fury is unleashed as he brutally breaks down the door. With nowhere else to turn, Hector makes a frantic dash through the marked portal, leaving the horrors of the house and the possessed Jesse behind.

As the darkness dissolves, Hector’s disoriented gaze is greeted by the dimly lit confines of a garage. His hazy perception gradually sharpens as he navigates the space, eventually finding himself in the living room of Katie and Micah’s household - a setting eerily reminiscent of the events that transpired at the end of Paranormal Activity (2007). The atmosphere is heavy with foreboding as Hector watches Katie glide downstairs in a trance-like state, her eyes fixed on some unseen presence. His attempts to rouse her fall on deaf ears, and it isn’t until she snaps back to reality that he’s finally able to get her attention.

Katie’s sudden awakening sparks a flurry of panic as she screams for Micah, who hastens to the scene with an air of menace about him. The confrontation between Hector and Micah is brutal and swift, culminating in Katie’s decisive intervention - a knife plunged into Micah’s chest, silencing his struggles once and for all.

Hector’s terror-stricken flight is short-lived, as he’s confronted by a fully demonic Jesse, whose malevolent presence sends him scattering. The camera, still clutched in Hector’s hand, meets its untimely demise as it hits the floor. As if summoned from the shadows themselves, an elderly woman materializes, her eyes fixed on the abandoned camera with an air of quiet resignation. With a deliberate slowness, she picks up the device and extinguishes its light, plunging the scene into darkness once more.