Paranormal Activity review

I'll be upfront with you guys. I've been hyping this since I saw the trailer. And I'm terrible with horror movies, but this is the movie I've been excited about for a few months now.

Plot:
A haunted couple record the various demonic activities that go at their house. The girlfriend has been haunted since she was 8, and believes this is just another small spout, and her boyfriend gets interested. He buys a camera, and the first 15 minutes or so is just them talking, setting up the background and establishing who they are. Eventually the sun sets, and he sets up the camera on a tripod in their room, and record their bedroom while they sleep. Once they wake up they go over the footage and see some disturbing things. They repeat this, and the events just get more and more horrifying until the final night.

A lot of the plot isn't explained, but it's filmed in a mockumentary style similar to Blair Witch, and I think it works incredibly well for the movie. Things are intentionally left out to create a level of realism, because you wouldn't know why, when or how.

Special Effects/Visual/Sound:
There is little to no music at all during the movie, relying a lot on character dialogue and sound effects. You will know when something is about to happen, because you will hear it before it happens. These sounds are not only authentic, but truly terrifying.

On such a small budget there are very few SPX, and since the majority of the movie takes place during the night there isn't really too much need for it. I thought it was for the most part believable, but not entirely realistic. Just enough to make the hairs on the back of your neck stand.

Scare Factor:
To be entirely honest I'm terrible with horror movies. Even once the movie started out, and for the first 15 or so minutes it's mellow, my heart was pounding slightly faster than normal. But once things start to escalate it gets more and more terrifying, not because of gore or blood, but just because you witness how truly helpless these people are and you can identify with them.
Like stated above in SPX the sound effects are some of the most bloodpounding things in the movie. The creaks, the steps, and the low moans are so creepy that I'm still getting chills.

And the movie has what I call "that sound." You know, that sound that every horror movie has, to warn you that something is going to happen. But unlike most movies, you have no idea what is going to happen, and you are practically wanting it to just get over so the anxiety doesn't kill you first.

I've watched two of the endings: the theatrical and the cut ending (only watch if you've seen the movie) and I can say they are both frightening in their own rights, but I'm glad the theatrical version has the ending it has because it was literally the scariest part of the movie. Personally I thought the ending was a bit lacking, but really there are only a few ways to end this movie after they all build it up to be.
You leave the theater confident you are fine, but once you are a few blocks away, fears start to settle in you. I'm not sure how well/how much sleep I'm going to get.
Overall:
This movie definitely does live up to all the hype, even with a slightly meh ending, and it worth seeing. From what I understand it's a limited time release, and it leaves my city after Thursday of this week.

What I am telling you do to is these three things:
1) Go see the movie
2) Don't see it alone
3) Sleep with the lights on, and fall asleep before 3AM/witching hour

lol one of my friends saw it and couldn't sleep the night following

Ha, I feel yah I'm terrible with horror movies too because I have such an active imagination. The grudge was the last movie that had me curling in the fetal position under the covers. Actually, I think all ghost horror movies are scarier overall then gore/slasher/zombie ones because ghost don't ****ing die

I might see this

It was fun but I wouldn't consider it good.

just saw it tonight

was shaking when walking out

wow the door opened by itself while making a squeaky sound

quick call the cops


or better yet

call ghostbusters


GHOSTBUSTERS

doo-doo doo dudu doo-- damn i need sleep ):

dude that girl you like

ask her if she wants to go see it with you (you know but in a cooler and less straight forward kinda way!)

chicks. dig. this. kind. of. ****.

if only i had some cash and not blow it all on yugimon cards

maybe on weekdays where i can get me some fast cash

and yeah you're right

chicks dig this kind stuff

I don't believe in dem ghosties.

But I don't like horror movies, either, so I probably won't see it.

dude lemme lay down how this ****s gonna go down

you my man: so you think that paranormal activity movie looks good?
(NOW HERES WHERE IT SPLITS INTO 3 VARIOUS PATHS but since you'z such a playa just jump right down to option c)
path a
her: i've already seen it... it was pretty good!

you're ****ed there then

path b
her: no, i think it looks pretty dumb

****ING UNLIKELY knowing chicks these days

path c
her: it looks good yada yada i wanna see it
you: yea so do i yada yada i love ice tea
her: dats coooo
you: wanna check it out sometime this week? YOU KNOW if you aint bizzaaay
her: FOR SURE STUD





(results may vary but probably not)

brilliant

except for the iced tea part

yeah bro

it's a tactic used in the getting chicks business

called: "feigning interest"

Uh yeah, just finished watching it, and I actually ended up laughing at most of the supposed "scary" parts. Like, for example, the part where you hear a loud screeching sound and a then the bang on the wall; for some reason I found that hilarious.

I dunno, don't really see anything in it, especially after all the hype it got. Most of the spots that they tried to make serious just came off as cheesy and the ending was pretty terrible, imo.

This post has been edited by Razz on Oct 25 2009, 04:17 AM

It seems to me like it's just generic american BOO horror or some ****

better than the original ending which made me rofl

(link in original post)

Another thing I don't understand though, is how oblivious the main characters are ... the fact that they keep grabbing their cameras and recording even though the demon is getting progressively worse and worse makes the entire movie completely unbelievable.

Yeah man what was that. The girl just sits there and rocks back and forth ... that's terrible lol

This post has been edited by Razz on Oct 25 2009, 04:35 AM

then

Spoilers:

cops shoot her in the ****ing stomach, she dies, movie over

my friend has seen it and says its worth the watch. I'm interested.

I'd love to watch it but doubt it is showing up here any sooner :/

aaaaaaaa I am not good with horror films.

I would not sleep for weeks after watching this and I don't even believe in ghosts ;_;