Directed by: Oren Peli
Starring: Katie Featherston, Micah Sloat
Plot: After moving into a suburban home, a couple becomes increasingly disturbed by a nightly demonic presence. Taken from www.imdb.com.
Remember the "Blair Witch Project?" Remember how that found footage look was played as real and the makers went so far as to use the actors' real names for their characters and even made a documentary about the 3 kids that got lost in the woods?
Remember how the movie was a lot of buildup followed by 40 minutes of two out of three characters running apeshit through the woods screaming "JOOOOOOOOSH!" at the top of their lungs and shaking the camera around so much that we couldn't see anything but blurry treelimbs followed by a creepy but dissatisfying ending?
"Paranormal Activity" is not that movie. It only pretends to be real in the context of the movie (there's beginning and end caps that talk about the disappearances and the characters' names are the names of the actors) and the promotional campaign was composed of a website where people could request it to be played in their area.
Sure the hype was built up, but not near as much as with "Blair Witch" which is why I think more people enjoy it than they did with the former.
"Paranormal Activity" is the story of a funky-fresh young demon with a crush on a girl he's been watching all her life. When disaster strikes and she hooks up with a douchebag who decides to film said demon and mock his true love for her. So he decides to kill him. Picture "Whatever It Takes" only Shane West is an invisible demon.
So Katie Featherston plays the victim of a "haunting" that's followed her around since she was eight years old. Since she was a little girl some invisible thing which she assumes to be a ghost has been following her around. Unfortunately a psychic who desperately wants to be Tom Noonan tells her it is in fact a demon and that it probably wants her.
So naturally her boyfriend Micah sees this as a golden opportunity to get video footage of all kinds of supernatural shit. He guilts her into letting him do this and basically just pisses off the demon any chance he gets.
Now you'll notice I'm not talking about acting right now which you've probably figured out at this junction is what I do between picture 3 and 4. The thing is that Micah and Katie don't seem like they're acting. They're entirely convincing as a real couple really experiencing these things.
The only time you ever really get your suspension of disbelief challenged is through Micah's insistence on bringing the camera during moments where it doesn't really seem appropriate. This is pretty much explained away as he's kind of a dick and is far more interested in capturing cool supernatural shit than protecting his girlfriend. Still doesn't mesh as well as "[REC]'s" explanation of need to film/source of light or "Diary of the Dead's" crazy film-maker but it's passable I suppose.
This movie is all about immersion. For those of you not familiar with immersion, it's when you turn the TV off after watching "Poltergeist." For some horror movies immersion just enhances your experience, but for "Paranormal Activity" it is essential.
If you don't get into this movie you're going to be that fuckhead that sits there and whispers "that's not scary" at all to whoever cares to listen and ruins the movie for everyone. It is at this point where I will turn around and break a knife off in your ear because YOU ALWAYS FUCKING SIT BEHIND ME YOU CHATTY FUCKING COCK IF YOU DON'T LIKE THE MOVIE THEN FUCKING LEAVE THE THEATER OR I WILL TURN ALL THE RAGE I HAVE AT THE TEXTING TWEENS ON YOU!!!!!
You should also get immersed because it won't be scary otherwise... but mostly just because I'll stab you. I've killed for less.
Now I'll be straight up with you, for the scares portion of the film this is a one-shot deal. You will only jump out of your seat at this movie once, so if that's your thing then really get into it. That part of the movie will be over with you.
However, there's more than shocks and jump scares to this movie. What "Paranormal Activity" does far better than "The Blair Witch Project" is makes an atmosphere that is tense and seems like it could explode at any minute.
"Blair Witch's" inescapable forest was kind of scary but the thought of something you can't escape no matter where you go seems to really twist the knife into that base part of your spine that makes you squirm uncomfortably.
In addition it's the creepy moments in the movie that stick with you long after the initial terror of the shock has passed on. Sure the door slamming on its own makes you jump but it's the sound of heavy footsteps coming up the stairs and the shadow that lingers on the door that really bury themselves deep down in the fear receptors of your mind.
Many say that this movie has no re-watch value, and if you're just in it to be scared out of your seat it doesn't. But only watching the movie for the jumps is like getting a nice well-cooked steak and then dousing it in ketchup.
This movie is more than cheap scares, it goes right down to the root of your fears. It attacks the viewer where they feel the safest, at home. It's a home invasion movie that manages to go even deeper than a stranger in your home: it's a stranger you can't see, hear, or feel unless it wants you to. The stranger is always watching no matter where you go or what you do. The stranger doesn't sleep, eat, or do anything other than torment you for the rest of your life and the more you try to get rid of it the harder it comes after you.
I fully look forward to watching this again alone in a dark room of my home.
"Paranormal Activity" is a movie that's very bogged down by its hype, but that shouldn't take away from the fact that this is a very chilling movie that's more than just cats jumping out of cupboards and doors slamming. Ignore the hype, see the movie!
I give "Paranormal Activity" a 5 out of 5.
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