Parental Rating:

Our Score:

"Go enjoy your Blair Witch movie", were the last words a friend said to me before entering the movie theater. The movie was, of course, Paranormal Activity. With documentary like low-budget filming, Paranormal Activity can be easily compared to the 1999 film, The Blair Witch Project.  This style of filming seems to be quite effective for making movies even more suspenseful and - by extension - scarier. The loud screams that resonated throughout the theater while the movie played can attest to this.

Paranormal Activity takes place in San Diego, California, where a couple of twenty-somethings (Katie and Micah) have started to experience things that one can only describe as supernatural.  As things start getting worse, they purchase a video camera to catch the mischief this entity is causing on tape and are determined to put stop to it.

Holy F@#! Factor.

I found myself laughing throughout most of the movie. Though the film did offer intentional comedic breaks, even some of the suspenseful /scary parts made me chuckle.  Now, it's not to say there weren't suspenseful scenes, but audience reactions were mainly to blame for my ill-timed snickers. The "Holy S#*%!"  exclamations and the crowd's collective gasps for air were - I have to admit - hilarious. Shadows creeping from hallways, lamp shades moving, the sound of footsteps while the couple was tucked in bed, brought upon these reactions. At times, I found myself immersed in the suspense of a scene but definitely scared was something I was not. 

Horror Fans Need Not Apply

If you enjoy heads exploding, brain bits all over your face, legs being cut off with chainsaws or even creepy asian girls trying to eat you, this film is not for you.  There are very few parts throughout the film I would consider horror and even then, they don't make the cut.  However, Peli (the director of the film) created great build-ups which allowed the tension to build in the right spots.  This might not be enough to scare the upmost horror flick fan, but just the right amount to make you flinch marginally and pass it as the required seat readjustment.  

Is This For Real?

This film, much like The Blair Witch Project, was made to look like "found footage" made by the couple. However, I found inconsistencies in the video editing and acting which made me question and immediately took away from the realism. The video (which is our movie) was made to document the paranormal activity happening in the couple's home. Some parts in the film cut from one scene to another with both actors still on camera - who turned the camera off? Sure, the couple might have edited the film at some point, but I find it highly unrealistic. After all, the point is to catch this entity on film, not make a limited release movie for theaters...Oh wait.  The acting was decent, but at times it felt some card reading action was going on.

Verdict

Paranormal Activity, offers you a somewhat realistic low-budget documentary style horror/suspense film.  Horror fans are likely to chuckle more than be shaken, but the film is successful at creating suspense throughout the scenes, which it's really what saves this movie. Paranormal Activity kept me entertained, interested, and wanting to know what was going to happen next. If you were one of the people in my theater, "gasping for air" would be on that list too.