Film Review - Paranormal Activity

Film #46 of 2010 - Paranormal Activity

After a series of bizarre events in their home, Micah (Micah Sloat) and Katie (Katie Featherstone) decide to take further action. When Katie admits that she's felt a presence around her off and on since she was 8 years old, Micah gets a camera to document various disturbances around the house and to record them when they sleep, which is when the majority of the events happen. Katie calls a psychic in to help, but he suspects a demon is following Katie and suggests she speak to another man, a demonologist. Micah prefers to deal with things his own way, bringing in a Ouija board, tracking footsteps with powder, etc. which only serves to agitate whatever presence is in the house until the activities come to a head, with deadly results.

I had heard that Paranormal Activity, the feature film debut of Oren Peli, is similar in aesthetic and creep factor to The Blair Witch Project, and since the latter film messed me up pretty badly, I was expecting the same from the former. Though definitely very creepy, I think that the notoriety of Paranormal Activity was boosted by the hype surrounding it. I loved the fact that it was made so cheaply, and that it used unknown actors, and I think that, despite a really basic storyline, the thrills were successful. The film was largely improvised as well, (adding to the Blair Witch similarities) which I always find interesting, especially if done well, which it was here. Though I was creeped out by the ending, I thought the very end was kind of cheesy, and after hearing the alternative ending I would have liked to have seen that one attached instead, but it didn't kill the whole experience for me. I wasn't as scared as I thought I was going to be, but Paranormal Activity definitely gave me a lot to think about while I was laying in the dark trying to fall asleep the night I watched it.

If you're expecting to go into the film and be scared out of your wits like I thought I was going to be, you may come out disappointed. But if you're looking for a decent thriller of a movie then this is a great choice.

3 out of 5 stars