Film Review: Paranormal Activity
Paranormal Activity (2009)
Studio: Paramount
Release Date: September 25, 2009 (limited)
Directed by: Oren Peli
Starring: Katie Featherston, Micah Sloat
Review by: Kayley Viteo
Seeing Paranormal Activity is like riding a roller coaster. You build up to it, and when you finally have the chance, you’re both absolutely exhilarated and terrified all at the same time. And at the end of the ride, you feel relaxed that it’s over and full of adrenaline, but something lingers, making you feel uncomfortable. Paranormal Activity is addicting, genuinely scary, and a surefire favorite – and I’m not typically a huge fan of movies centered around hauntings.
The plot is simple. Katie (Katie Featherston) is a young student who has been haunted intermittently by a dark shadow since she was 8 years old. Now she is living with her boyfriend Micah (Micah Sloat), a well-meaning and affable guy who buys a camera to film what happens while they are sleeping. Of course, that just seems to make everything worse.
I’ve heard comparisons to The Blair Witch Project, and I want to assure readers that Paranormal Activity is leaps and bounds a better film. It is far more effective and realistic (despite the former’s claims of real footage), and what results is a seriously scary film. Jumping between night and day, showing both the initial response to the fear, and the struggle to rationalize the night’s terrors during the day, the film’s structure and script allow you to fully immerse yourself in this world. During the day, we laugh along with Micah’s antics and Katie’s sarcasm, but at night you’re gripping your seat waiting for something to happen – and, if you’re me, wondering how the hell these people can sleep in the first place. The anticipation is absolutely perfectly built.
My only negative with the film (and right now, all I can think of is the one) is the ending, which feels a bit abrupt and heavy-handed. Though, I’m not sure how they could have done it any differently especially considering the format of the film. With what is essentially home video footage (albeit expensively-shot footage), any ending is going to feel a bit abrupt unless it’s unrealistic. Still, I will say this: I was not a fan of the final few frames of the film.
I wouldn’t call this movie one of the scariest films of all time personally, but I can understand why some would find this movie absolutely terrifying. It certainly left me unnerved, jumpy and generally tense, even if I was disappointed with the ending. I definitely wouldn’t see this one alone, particularly because the experience of watching this with a full house is like no other. I have a feeling that’s going to be the case for most – if not all – audiences that get a chance to see this. It is certainly one of those films that is made even better by the shrieks and gasps of people around you. I want to stress that Paranormal Activity is more than just a movie – it really is an experience to be shared with others.
If you aren’t in one of the 13 lucky cities getting it for its initial limited release, please go to the official website to request it. You’re going to want to see this one, I guarantee it.
Looking forward to this. Nice write-up
[...] Last night it became official. If you were online at any point up ’til Midnight you could almost watch the countdown towards 1 Million Fans demanding Paranormal Activity to open nationally. Though a bit of a foregone conclusion it still was rather cool to watch as a million fans literally brought the film to local theaters throughout the country. Paranormal Activity is a film that wants to be seen after dark, in a crowded theater full of freaked out fans. What has made the film so addictive is the experience of seeing the film in a group environment, something that would never have been able to be replicated in a home environment had the film been given a straight to video release. And its great to see a film that was shot on a miniscule budget blow up to become this years cinematic phenomena. Read our official review from the Fantastic Fest premiere right here. [...]
This write up is complete BS. The movie is so boring and LAME! The hype is so overblown. I felt as if I was completely scammed. The trailer contains the two “scariest” moments in the film. All the rest is blah blah blah. DO NOT WASTE YOUR MONEY. It was so slow and so predictable and the end was a total sellout. It is not the least bit “scary.”
Well Jennifer the write up ISN’T complete BS. It’s a criticism based on one reviewers opinion of a film they watched. You may not agree with that opinion, but it doesn’t make it any less valid than your opinion. There are a lot of folks who would disagree with you. Is your opinion BS? No. So say you didn’t like the film, but refrain from throwing darts. It’s not nice, and we don’t like not nice people.
Not being mean, either, but I yawned through the whole movie, and the rest of the theater laughed. If I had drove hours to see this film I would be so ticked off. Not remotely scary and totally predictable. It took an hour into the movie for a door to move? Anyone scared by this movie needs to get out more, honestly. I dragged my friends to this and still cathching hell from them on how bad it sucked. Totally agree with Jennier
Believe the hype. Though, mostly for fans that appreciated Blair Witch Project and The Last Broadcast. It’s not really going to be for someone that needs everything spoon fed to them, and such a person will probably have the “That’s it?!” attitude when it is over. All I can say is that it has been a REALLY long time since I was freaked out in a movie theater, and I was up in bed off and on all night. Because of this, I highly recommend Paranormal Activity, in is a genuinely creepy film.
Parts of this movie were a little over-the-top – and in response to the people throwing snarky darts at anyone who found this movie even remotely frightening, I’ll just say this – if you have ever experienced something that you couldn’t explain (several of my waking dreams come to mind), this movie will leave you feeling very unsettled.
I thought this was a very fair review – wasn’t a huge fan of the ending either, but I thought for the most part it was a very well executed movie that met it’s primary objective.
Anyone who thinks this movie was boring, or fake for that matter, they are thinking of this as just a “movie.” If you have ever come in contact with anything paranormal personally it would change your perspective completely. Try being haunted or see an entity or “ghost” if you will and then watch this film again, and tell me you arent scared to death.
I agree with Jennifer & Cheryl. I found the movie boring. Kind of like watching home movies of people sleeping and brushing their teeth. We kept waiting and waiting for anything to happen. It never did. The things that did happen weren’t scary (and I scary easily).
I heard stories of people leaving the movie crying. I don’t think they were crying. I think it was tears streaming down their cheeks from yawning too much.
I wish I agreed with those who found it boring. Unfortunately, my sister and I were so frightened by this film that she had to leave the theater with about 20 minutes left (she made it pretty far) and neither of us slept for two nights after seeing it.
We discussed why we were so affected by it, and her husband was seemingly undisturbed (slept like a baby while we milled around all night). We figured it was because our imaginations are too active and we kind of BELIEVE this is a real possibility.
Are the people who were absolutely not scared by this also people who absolutely don’t believe in ghosts, demons, aliens, or other “paranormal” beings?
For the record, my sister and I do NOT find movies like SAW, House on Haunted Hill, Nightmare on Elm Street, etc scary. Not at all. Movies we find frightening are the Exorcist, Poltergeist, Blair Witch, IT etc. J-Horror is creepy, but doesn’t stick with me like Paranormal did.
I had very high expectations (something I usually try to avoid because you end up disappointed 90% of the time) for this movie and I wasn’t disappointed at all! It’s awesome! I’ve seen over 1000 horror movies and Paranormal Activity is definitely one of the best I’ve seen (top 50)! It’s not one of the best I’ve seen only because it’s one of the scariest, it’s also one of the most realistic and it’s the movie I’ve always dreamed of! I’ve always wanted someone to make a realistic movie like The Blair Witch Project about a family or a couple filming in their house to catch ghosts and this movie has everything that I wanted! It’s very suspenseful and it has some truly effective scenes! A lot of people say that it’s boring and I really don’t get it! It’s WAY too suspenseful to be boring! I’ve been trying to understand why the people that thought that it was boring went to see it since it was released! Why does someone who get bored easily go see a movie about a couple filming in their house? While we’re at it, why does someone expect to be scared in a theater full of people? The fact that there are idiotic teens that can’t stop talking and laughing 90% of the time doesn’t help. Personally, I can’t imagine finding a movie scary with 30 persons around me. I thought the movie was scary (compared to most movies), but I watched it alone in the dark with an headset. The fact that I believe (or want to) in ghosts/demons helped as well. Actually, I can’t imagine someone who doesn’t believe in ghosts/demons finding a movie about them scary. What makes ghost/demons movies scary is the fact that maybe they exist. Anyway, the first few minutes of the movie is the only time I didn’t feel uneasy! The atmosphere was simply creepy! Hell, even a few parts with nothing but the couple talking were creepy! I guess it was the expectation that something really bad was going to happen. Anyway, when the movie was about to end I felt bad because I really didn’t want it to end and any movie that makes me feel this way deserves 5 stars. I Can’t wait for the DVD.
PS: All of the people who call the people who like this movie sheeps are immature idiots. Just because you think a movie is bad doesn’t mean that those who think it’s good are sheeps or wrong or whatever stupid *beep* bigots love to come up with.
Going to see this later in the week…I am really interested in my own reaction cause this seems like a Love It Or Hate It kinda movie. Also, the friend going with me never sees eye to eye with me about horror movies ,since we are frightened by different things.Hauntings usually just bore me,but I really hope this is the exception.
Maybe I came into the movie with low expectations, but Paranormal Activity turned out to be something decent. I mean…it was pretty epic for something that was shot in the producer’s own home for the entire movie.
It was EERIE because the things that happen are small, subtle, but odd. The door opening, the footprints–they’re CREEPY. It’s like waking up in the middle of the night and walking down the hallway, and hearing creaks on the stairs, or feeling a slight chill despite it being summer. It’s that feeling of someone peering over your shoulder when no one’s actually there, or the dread of catching a glimpse of something supernatural in the mirror, or in this case, on film.
I think it’s the ‘fear of the unknown’ thing that gets to a lot of people, because you never see what’s actually haunting these characters. When you can’t see something dreadful, you usually imagine it as something much worse. That, and the way the story was told, how it seemed to be “based on a true story”; it’s the possibility that it COULD happen, to those that aren’t absolute skeptics.
Frankly, I wished there was an even deeper backstory…but the fact that they included a backstory at all was satisfactory enough.
PS. Just ’cause someone doesn’t have the same opinion as you doesn’t mean you can insult them. Hitler, much?
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