Paranormal Activity: Movie Review
By dianacammarota
***Update: Win tickets to Paranormal Activity now!***
Did anybody hear that?? If you heard eerie sounds coming from the Arclight Theater in Hollywood last night – don’t be frightened – it was just the insufferable moans of a disappointed audience leaving the midnight screening of Paramount Pictures’ latest marketing experiment Paranormal Activity. I think everyone was rooting for writer/director Oren Peli, an Israeli-born game-developer turned fledgling filmmaker who made the horror flick just inside of two weeks and $15,000, but it’s a difficult movie to get behind.
The camera-in-hand, home video style film made its debut in 2007 at Austin Texas’ Screamfest film festival and it probably should have not gone much further without major modification. It’s not wretched enough to keep out of a festival, but it really should have not made the big screen quite yet.
Rumor has it that when a copy of the film was in Stephen Spielberg’s possession, his bedroom door mysteriously closed and locked itself. He was reportedly so spooked, that when returning the film to the studio he carried it in a black plastic bag. I’m not quite sure which chapter of “ A Field Guide to Demons” indicates that black hefty bags contain or repel evil – but for better or worse, the anecdote is working.
The Plot:
Paranormal Activity is the story of a young San Diego couple trying to get to the bottom of strange household disturbances that seem to happen only while they are sleeping. They call in a psychic who defines for them the difference between ghosts (relatively benign entities grounded in human behavior) and Demons (non-human beasts who know no bounds.) He determines that their particular brand of trouble is, in fact, demonic. One would expect then, something sort of behavior on its part beyond a pesky poltergeist but nothing more drastic really played out. The psychic warns the two not to invite trouble by calling on the demon, but Micah, the gadget-obsessed boyfriend who just doesn’t listen, sets up a camera in the bedroom hoping to find something good.
The Players:
- Writer/Director: Oren Peli
- Cast: Katie Featherston, Micah Sloat, Mark Fredrichs’, Amber Armstrong, Ashley Palmer
The Good:
- Hmmmm…: The Arclight Theater has a wonderful gift shop.
- Marketing Chops: You just have to respect Paramount for creating such a buzz for such a below average film from an unknown filmmaker. Steven Spielberg’s story is more compelling than the film itself.
- Run Time: I am grateful that it didn’t run over 90 minutes.
The Bad:
- The Acting: Quite possibly the worst leading actress I’ve ever seen. It doesn’t help a horror film when you are rooting for the demon; half the time I was hoping that it would kill the couple and move to a house with better actors. It is usually not of paramount importance to have great acting for the purposes of a horror movie, but the performances here were so bad that they detracted from any ability to be frightened. Also, it was a subtle horror movie, relying on psychological fear over blood-and-guts, a nuanced performances was the only way for it to work, and this film didn’t have it.
- The Story: Even if this film were to be categorized as “campy” or “cult” the story is so incongruent that one can’t but to feel lost in the confusion. Things just don’t add up when you really think about them and I see the ending as one of those cop-out tricks devised to try and justify the rest of the film.
- The Fear Factor: I like to be scared to the core – not shocked into paying attention. There are moments where you tend to jump – but it is more like the cheap thrill you get from a haunted hayride or haunted house. You are left with nothing long-lasting and disturbing, you are just glad that it’s over so that no one is trying to rudely startle you anymore
- The “Fantastic Fest” method of presentation: Before the film, the hosts from the group coordinating the free screening (Austin’s “Fantastic Fest”) make a Billy Mays style live request for audience members to go online and “demand” the film be shown in their area. As if that weren’t annoying enough, they have a second request in the form of a preview. Why are you showing us a preview? W are the people in a town where it was already here to see it! Don’t spoil it for us! Secondly, while there is nothing wrong with making people aware of this option, begging repeatedly is a sure sign that the success of this film relies wholly on internet buzz.
- Lack of Originality: The LA Times used the word “original” and try as I might, I couldn’t conjure anything original about it. Each haunting was quite like all the others we have seen and the format was a direct descendant of The Blair Witch Project.
Overall:
Peli does show us that he has vision, tenacity and the ability to generate some level of suspense. There are also some rather clever and funny lines, but what this film mostly demonstrates is what can happen when a clever marketing campaign is put into action.
With as bad as I thought this film was, I actually look forward to seeing what else this novice filmmaker will do in the future with a better cast and perhaps some more time and thought. He clearly does not need a large budget to get things done, but he may benefit from a little more experience.
Rating: 2/10
Paranormal Activity is currently in limited release in 13 theaters around the country. If you wish to have it come to your town, you can go to: www.bloody-disgusting.com and “demand” that it be shown.
Further Reading:
- Paranormal Movie Review Redux – A different perspective
- New Paranormal Activity Trailer
- Celebs Tweet About Paranormal Activity
Monday, September 28, 2009 7:37PM
Dude, you suck.
Monday, September 28, 2009 11:47PM
Stupid movie.
Wednesday, September 30, 2009 1:09AM
you obviously were expecting a typical asian mock horror or hack and slash horror. i dont believe you can see a great horror movie if it literally bit you in the ass. I bet you gave the gruge high notes for its originality. Blair witch was a sad excuse for a movie and if it were done like this i would have welcomed it as a top contender for horror classic. How many horror films can you think of where you never see the villian, how original is that.
Wednesday, October 7, 2009 8:52AM
[...] heard of this movie, it has been getting rave reviews as a great scary movie. Although our reviewer for the movie wasn’t really feeling it, everybody is different so why not you see for [...]
Friday, October 9, 2009 9:33PM
Discovery channel's "A Haunting" series which are based on real paranormal stories were far more scarier.
Saturday, October 10, 2009 7:29PM
all i have to say is that they're not suppose to be acting dumb shit's they were just bein themselves which made it that much better, you cant tell that their acting at all it literally looks like its just them and a home camera and weird shit happens, its a good fuckin scary movie i bet if anyone and i mean anyone rents this goes home alone at night watches it alone in your living room with the lights off and then have to go to bed afterwards, you wont…. so ya talk shit all you want when your in a theater wit a lot of ppl but i bet you wouldnt alone at home so quit hating on the movie its a good/different kind of scary it gives us a break from stupid ass movie like saw mother fuckin 6 like for real thats retarded 6 of those! i cant even remember 2,3,4,or 5
Sunday, October 11, 2009 4:10AM
I haven't seen it yet.
But I want to. In the trailer
it seems far more scarier than
how you people are describing
it. I don't know, I'm going to go
see it tonight though.
Sunday, October 11, 2009 4:19AM
I just saw this movie and thought it was amazing. Okay "sorry" I dont get frightened by the stupid slasher monster movies these days, but this movie grows on you because this could happen to anyone. Your review was dissappointing to me. And p.s. the acting wasn't horrible AT ALL. I think you were on crack while making this review.
Sunday, October 11, 2009 3:36PM
Wow……it sounds like you have an axe to grind Dianna. I am wondering what your film background is and curious as to whether your lack of a highly credible forum at his stage in your life has made you bitter. I saw the film and, though I am rarely impressed by most horror flicks, this one was truly chilling. Your 2 out of 10 rating and disagreement with nearly every other review ought to have you wondering if you might want to rethink your "career" choice.
Sunday, October 11, 2009 11:21PM
haha youre a dick
Monday, October 12, 2009 12:17AM
[...] Paranormal Activity: Movie Review ScreenCrave.com [...]
Monday, October 12, 2009 2:58PM
is this a true story or not
Wednesday, October 14, 2009 4:42PM
havent seen it. want to. i'll see for myself if its scary
Thursday, October 15, 2009 7:36AM
[...] case you’d rather know for celebs think about Paranormal Activity than read out review, here is a list of some celeb response tweets to Paranormal Activity (and in the case of Kat [...]
Thursday, October 15, 2009 7:21PM
Terrible review. 2/10??? The point of movie was to be scared beyond your imagination and the majority people that watched it, were!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Don't go into the movie only to bash it because you were well aware of its small budget and C actors. I doubt you could even dream of making a movie like that …. Its like you go in there already knowing you DONT WANT to enjoy
GO SEE IT!!!! Very entertaining and an original, unlike your average zombie/serial killer moveis….
Thursday, October 15, 2009 11:59PM
I completly agree with you. This movie was terrible and the ending dont get me started!
Thursday, October 15, 2009 9:01PM
[...] we already posted a review of Paranormal Activity here on ScreenCrave, we were invited to a later viewing and decided to give [...]
Friday, October 16, 2009 3:01PM
[...] out our Paranormal Activity Review, and our Review Redux two very different interpretations of this terrifying [...]
Saturday, October 17, 2009 10:15PM
I'd rather prefer watching the asian scary movies like ju-on or something or maybe the grudge
Sunday, October 18, 2009 6:24AM
This review is complete shit. I was scared out of my mind, (a rare thing.) Great suspense. Worth every dime
Monday, October 19, 2009 4:57PM
Seems like there are really mixed reviews over this movie, people seem to love it or hate it with little denominator.
I just saw it last night and I actually really enjoyed it, I also enjoyed the Blair Witch project. I think that most horror movies these days are shit because they're hardly ever psychological and rely on quick squares and gore scenes to get the audience going. This is the kind of movie that gets under my skin after I've left the movie theater when I'm home alone at night.
7/10
Tuesday, October 20, 2009 3:53AM
the people who write movie reviews must be the worst people to hang out with, they look at the worst in everything and hardly ever have anything positive to say…..instead they ramble on for 6 paragraphs on how something didnt satisfy them…..jeez what a waste of a job
Sunday, October 25, 2009 11:58PM
This was a scary as hell movie!! I don't know what all of you are talking about. The people aren't trying to be the best actors ever. The point is that this actually happened and thats the extreme part about it.
Monday, October 26, 2009 3:35PM
BORING MOVIE, that is all I have to say.
Monday, October 26, 2009 10:33PM
Did they also make the lead actress ugly to make it seem more real too?
Monday, October 26, 2009 11:26PM
I had no idea that this movie was going to be a "found film" movie. I had no idea that the budget was $11,000 and it didn't take a genius to figure out that the "actors" were unknowns. I heard the hype and rushed right out-what a waste! Those are 90 minutes of my life that I'll never get back. The movie was horrible. There was no suspense. There was no horror-psychological or otherwise. I could have saved $14.00 and stayed home and watched Ghost Hunters for a bigger scare. If you haven't seen it-DON'T!! Two big, fat-I'm no critic-thumbs DOWN!!
Saturday, October 31, 2009 5:44PM
[...] Paranormal Movie Review [...]
Monday, November 2, 2009 10:35AM
go for discovery channel’s “a haunting” series.Its more scarier than the movie and its real too.
Thursday, November 5, 2009 6:42PM
[...] Paranormal Activity Movie Review [...]
Friday, November 6, 2009 5:45PM
yes why the **** 3 toes???!?!?! i don´t get it
Wednesday, November 11, 2009 12:55AM
I agree 100% with you. Horror movies these day are really bad. I am a huge blair witch project fan and now of paranormal activity. I saw it today in a small theater at 12h20 pm and I was alone in the theater. So I have to admit that the movie frightened me a little just like blair witch project back in 1997.
Wednesday, November 11, 2009 6:15AM
Over the past few weeks, I've heard people say this movie was scary. I went with my friend, and we got to the theatre excited and expecting something quite thrilling. We had heard that the movie might seem to "drag on" a little bit in the beginning- but that was to create horrifying suspense. We gave this movie a real chance, up until the point where we looked at a watch and saw there was only 30 minutes of it left.
Things started happening. When Katie got dragged out of the bed, I started cracking up. I wasn't shaken with fear, I was shaken with laughter. When the posessed Katie walked downstairs and started screaming for Micah, I laughed again, but hoped something terrifying would happen. Then she brought him back upstairs, blood on her shirt, and sniffed him on the ground (to make sure he was dead? ) and jumped at the camera and it ended.
I never even flinched. I did not scream. I did not even have chills zip down my spine. I thought Disturbia was scarier than that, and I watched it at home on my little computer screen… not at the dark theatre on the big screen expecting to claw the seat or my friend.
Thursday, November 12, 2009 2:24PM
I agree with you. I love to be scared and I am not into "slasher" movies; however, this one failed to "startle" me–I was more startled by the person sitting next to me moving in her seat. I went into with the thought that it was going to be scary and cool (that's what I had heard), but the movie was so pathetic that I actually laughed when it was over. I wouldn't recommend wasting the time or the money to see this movie!
Friday, November 13, 2009 1:52PM
Stupidest movie i had ever seen. BIG waste of time and money. What a joke. 11 people in the movie when i went, by the time i left there was one person left in the movie. But i did get my money back and a free voucher for a FREE movie. Dont waste your time seeing this bullshit movie.
Tuesday, November 17, 2009 8:00AM
itsa documentary genre. they dont have to act up like a horror movie. fuck ur review and people who agreed with ur review. nowadays, horror movies would make u shock with the sound effects and sudden appearances of ugly costumes, and u can predict what would happen next. yawn. thumbs up for this movie. well i dont think thats enough. i got my toes up for this movie too!
Saturday, December 12, 2009 11:11AM
Taling about some other movie…
Saturday, December 12, 2009 8:04AM
I enjoyed this review more than I enjoyed the movie itself.
I don't understand how a lame couple getting haunted by an invisible Howard the Duck could scare anyone with more than 2 brain cells to click together. As for the genre, it's not horror. I think it's called a Tragedy when everybody dies in the end. At the very least it's satisfying to see the dumb cow get shot in the end. Yay!
Wednesday, December 16, 2009 12:50PM
was the guy a bit obsessed with the camera in normal time, or did he only start excessive filming soldely because of the demon?
Thursday, December 17, 2009 4:05AM
this is so stupid movie, it might be interesting if the couple fucked all night with the video cam on….LOL
Saturday, December 19, 2009 8:09PM
amazin movie…. seriously amazin… so real… acting was wonderfull….the most scraiest movie i ve ever seen… its like livin with dos characters…great job done!
Sunday, January 3, 2010 12:56AM
i think the last scene in the movie was terrifying but the rest i couldnt really care for, i think it mostly is scary because it seams real.