It’s not uncommon for horror film franchises to spin a bit out of control with excessive sequels. Series like “Final Destination,” “Saw” and “Scream” never seem to end, with four or five sequels that often decline in quality with each installment. The “Paranormal Activity” series is perhaps the most recent example of this phenomenon. The sixth and final film in the series, “Paranormal Activity: The Ghost Dimension,” premiered on Oct. 23, and though the film is truly frightening at times, it quickly reveals itself to be another passable yet entirely unremarkable sequel.

Like its predecessors, “Paranormal Activity: The Ghost Dimension” is a found-footage film chronicling the haunting of a typical suburban family. In this installment, Ryan (Chris J. Murray, “Grand Theft Auto IV”) and Emily (Brit Shaw, “Clemency”) and their daughter Leila (Ivy George, “Curse of the Slender Man”) have recently moved into a new home and are spending Christmas with Ryan’s brother, Mike (Dan Gill, “The Wedding Ringer”) and Emily’s friend Skyler (Olivia Taylor Bradley, “Chernobyl Diaries”).

When Ryan uncovers an old video camera in the house, he begins to see strange shapes on the recordings. Then Leila starts spending time with a new imaginary friend, Tobey, and little by little her behavior seems to change; her family finds her trying to burn Bibles and bury rosaries in the middle of the night. As strange occurrences continue to happen around the house, the family begins to fear that their daughter is being haunted.

At its core, the premise of “Ghost Dimension” is essentially the same as the other five “Paranormal Activity” films, but it is different in that it connects the dots between each separate storyline. Footage from “Paranormal Activity 3” is used to explain why the family is being haunted, which adds some extra depth to the mostly recycled plot. However, this may be confusing for those who haven’t seen the rest of the series, as very little is fully explained and some knowledge of the characters from previous films is necessary to completely understand what’s going on.

The standout actor in this film is undoubtedly George, who skillfully portrays the gradual shift from loving daughter to demon child. Gill also adds some refreshing moments of humor throughout the film, but, outside of these brief interludes, his performance is hardly remarkable.

The film does provide several good scares, but it’s unlikely to leave viewers with nightmares. This is partly due to the fact that for the first time in the series, the spirit haunting the family actually becomes visible. In some scenes this is effective, but for the most part it removes the air of mystery and detracts from the frightening aspect of the film.

Overall, “Ghost Dimension” is better than expected, but it certainly won’t become a classic. If you’re looking for a fun night out for Halloween, this could be a good option, but make sure you’ve seen the other “Paranormal Activity” films first. Otherwise, you’re better off sticking to an old Halloween favorite.