'Paranormal Activity 4' lacks spirit and innovation

KANSAS CITY, Mo. - It's become a Halloween tradition, full of originality and terrifying images.

The previous three Paranormal Activity films have made a name for themselves in the horror industry for scaring the living daylights out of audiences.

But now it's back for a fourth time, and it's one time too many.

Paranormal Activity 4 takes place in 2011. This is five years after Katie killed her boyfriend Micah, and ran off with her sister's baby, Hunter (now named Robbie).

The two move into a new home in Nevada, where it's now the neighbors turn to witness true fear.

The problem with this fourth installment is that it lacks the spirit of its predecessors.

All three films were strong. They each had their own unique way of telling a believable spooky story.

Paranormal Activity 4 has now gotten so off track with its original storyline, that its reached the point of just plain ridiculous.

Fans will be turning their heads, not in fear, but trying to make sense of it all.

I have to give credit to the original three films for making a combined $296 million at the box-office. Audiences clearly love horror movies. It also doesn't hurt when Paramount Pictures releases them so close to Halloween.

However, there's a point where a series just gets too old and too unoriginal. This happened to the SAW movies, and it's happening again with Paranormal Activity.

Enjoy the three films while they lasted. Paranormal Activity has about one more addition left, until the entire series faces its ultimate death.

Paranormal Activity 4 is rated R for language and some violence/terror.

Runtime: 1 hour and 28 minutes.