WARNING: The following contains major spoilers for Paranormal Activity: Next of Kin, now streaming on Paramount+.
In the Paranormal Activity series, the cult at the heart of the initial story was a female group that struck a deal with the demon, Tobi. He offered power and wealth over centuries, but they needed to produce a male heir for him to possess to reign down hell on Earth. It's why the six films dealt with sisters, Kristi and Katie, manipulating them, as their grandmother and her coven worked their scheme to get a "son." However, come Next of Kin, there's a new cult on the block, and it's vastly different than its predecessor.
This Norwegian-influenced cult is the Beiler family, who are pretending to be Amish. The community they're based in has many Amish families, and given their European look and perceived non-technological way of life, they certainly fit the bill. They dupe Margot, her cameraman Chris and sound tech, Dale, who think they're visiting to document Margot reconnecting with the long-lost family she never knew she had.
Her mom, Sarah, left the cult temporarily and dropped her off at a hospital years ago before disappearing, but Margot's now reconnected with Samuel, a relative who's taken time off from the society and is traveling America. But as the outsiders get acquainted, they're caught off guard by the leader, Jacob, the kids and young women, who seem to be under stern orders, and the lead maiden, Lavina. Sure, they're getting to see these people's way of life, but after some bloody events unfold, it becomes clear there's more going on than meets the eye.
As the outsiders dig a sinister German church they found in the woods, they find drawings depicting the demonic Asmodeus, who spreads pestilence and suffering that causes mankind to kill each other, and a tunnel leading to a tomb below the church where something sinister is being kept.
Eventually, when they get topside again and Margot gets kidnapped, Chris arrives to find her, only to get the truth confirmed after wandering into town and finding out details online about the demon. They learn women are used as sacrifices to store the being, which leads to a nighttime confrontation with Jacob. He admits they have been hiding for centuries after brokering a deal with a witch to become these twisted guardians. The female form's the strongest vessel around, which is why Sarah tried to get Margot away from the cult. However, Samuel was an agent of the cult, and he went off to lure Margot back under false pretenses.
Next of Kin's cult is simpler than its predecessor, and it's easier to be sympathetic to their cause. Yes, they're taking these women against their will, but it's the only way to trap an evil soul. And while some of that sympathy goes out the window when Sarah emerges in a decrepit form in a very cruel sequence, it's still less convoluted than Katie's ancestors, which somehow couldn't produce male heirs after so many attempts. And their journey got even more complex when the cult evolved into a time-traveling entity in Ghost Dimension, leaving fans confused as to their real power.
Ultimately, the way Next of Kin handles things is more streamlined, and it gives the Beilers the edge because, while they're still villains, they are protecting the planet rather than acting out of greed.
See how this new cult fares with its demonic ambitions in Paranormal Activity: Next of Kin, now streaming on Paramount+.
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