“Paranormal Activity” movie review
Find out why Eric’s actual theater-going experience ruined the movie for him here.
I try really hard to go into movies without prejudice. But with the advertising tactics being employed to push “Paranormal Activity,” I’ve found it very difficult to not be extremely skeptical.
Take a look at the posters. They’re going for an amateur/home-made/printed at Kinko’s look I find almost infuriating. Of course, the trailers that contain more scenes of people reacting to the movie than actual scenes from the movie is a pretty brilliant way to sell it. The midnight screenings in college towns and the whole “demand it in your area” campaign is also clever, if also slightly annoying.
I get it. They’re trying to capture that “Blair Witch” magic. But this Herculean task is difficult particularly because of the backlash “The Blair Witch Project” inspired. The movie that launched a thousand shaky-cams disappointed those who thought the footage might be real, or didn’t care about the characters, or were expecting more scares or gore.
But while Paramount has been careful to not explicitly state that the footage that comprises the movie is real, they’re being coy in a way that will leave many people to assume it is. Nowhere is this more clear than in the introductory text, which is something to the affect of “Paramount Studios would like to thank the families of Katie Featherston and Micah Sloat, and the San Diego Police Department.”
I don’t think the movie needs it, but I can appreciate that it ratchets up the suspense by narrowing down the places it can go. But its inevitable that some people are going to take that it at face value and assume its real. Make no mistake, this isn’t real. These are actors.
Fortunately, they’re good actors. I don’t know if any of the dialogue is improvised, but the way they talk to each other will feel very familiar to anyone who has ever been in a long term relationship that is facing a crisis. Both characters are charming and amiable in the same way that makes reality television appealing. Even when both have their stubborn moments, this movie never falls into the trap of making either character an illogical stereotype. They’re not movie star attractive, and actually look and talk like an average couple. This is a big part of a definite sense of realism that really grounds the proceedings.
Of course, realistic can be good, but also boring. Thankfully, the tight editing and smart pacing keeps that from happening. The plot is simple: A couple in a long term relationship have recently moved in together. As they start to notice strange noises and other unexplained phenomena, the girl reveals she’s been seemingly followed by those phenomena since she was a young girl. Confident that there’s a rational explanation, the boyfriend buys an expensive camera that can also record in the dark. He figures that after a few days of nothing strange captured on video they can both put it to rest.
Of course things don’t quite turn out that way, and a visit from a psychic leaves him more skeptical and her more afraid of what they’re dealing with. It seems the more attention they grant the phenomena and the more they fight over what to do, the more empowered and active it seems to become. What is it exactly that’s toying with them? And is there anything they can do? Are there lives in danger? These questions all make for an engaging and suspenseful movie, filled with some of the most affecting jump scare moments I’ve ever experienced.
There are also a lot of filmmaking lessons to be learned by how this movie builds its suspense and payoffs. First off, the movie’s assembled as if from found footage, and only things of interest pertaining to the haunting is shown. This makes for some skipping around in time and fast forwarding through long, static shots. As most of the strange things that happen occur at night while they’re asleep, the static camera angle it returns to is a cue to the audience that something bad is about to happen. This just ends up putting you on edge so that you’re still caught off guard once something does happen.
In addition, nearly all of the camera work is brilliantly executed. Sure, there’s some dreaded shaky-cam moments as one character or the other begin to play with the camera, but on my first viewing I didn’t notice any “cheats.” No moment stuck out that seemed unlikely it could have naturally occurred the way it did by incorporating the camera.
The special effects themselves also deserve credit for being fairly seamless and really selling the proceedings. In fact, nearly all aspects of this movie are stronger than expected. This really is the little scary movie that could, and I have no doubt it will find a huge audience that will appreciate it. Ultimately, “Paranormal Activity” is disturbingly good and good at disturbing.
I WENT AND SEEN THIS LAST NIGHT AND IT WAS A GOOD FLICK BUT I FOUND IT TO BE MORE AMUSING THAT SCAREY
I laughed only one time during the movie and that was a scene when she was yanked out of bed. I believe that the actors did a great job and Katie’s screams of horror raised the hairs on the back of my neck. I thought it was generally a good horror flick. At first its slow but towards the end it starts picking up the pace. Even in the theater there were screams from audience members. Me personally never screamed during the movie but it did get my heart rate going.
its a pretty good movie, there are some comica parts but its in the dialog, not the actual events. probably the scariest movie i have seen. very very disturbing.
i just saw this movie a few hours ago and had to look up more research on it. definately one of the best movies i have ever seen and truly scary and disturbing. i found myself curled up and in tears during the last few minutes of the movie. i recommend everyone to see it but not if your easily scared. i will definately not be sleeping well tonight..
Horrifying…. The way the movie builds suspense slowly at first but ends in a dead sprint to leave you seeing Katie’s face for the rest of your life was amazing. Also the way that the trailer shows Micha being thrown at the cammera has every person looking at the door when he gets up at night even though there are shadows and stirings else where. One of the most briliant movies I’ve seen for this budget low of a budget. I might even go see it again to see if I pick up on more paranormal activity.
I saw that movie earlier and I thought I was really believeable and I thought it was funny how the guy was talking shit to the demon
I just watched this movie and was skeptical of how real it is. The way things happened are pretty freaky but when you go through the real thing and have a spirit or demonic presence follow you and try to bug you its no laughing matter. I have experienced this type of haunting but just not to the extent of being touched or attacked. I have heard and seen bizarre things that are unexplainable and freaky. Like hearing the voice of my wife next to me in the shower while she is at the other end of the house and she heard her own voice as well which freaked her out. To having things in the kitchen slam and seeing shadows in the corner of my eye and having lights turn off then back on when someone finally arrives home. Things like this really do happen and it is something you can never fathom. I just have one word of advice to those who have suffered from the same things. Believe in god as your savior and he will help pull you through. But you also have to have faith and a strong will to pull through because if your weak evil will prevail.
the show was prety scary but i think its a fake. its woth the ten bucks to go see though. good 4 halooween.
I just got through watching the movie and really liked it. It was kind of Blair Witchy but overall it was very good. The suspense was good and the actors did a great job. As the author of the main article above put it, “very familiar to anyone who has ever been in a long term relationship that is facing a crisis”. This invites the viewer to rationalize with them.
I found myself mentally high-fiving Micah when he was arguing with Katie. My wife laughed hysterically when he had to apologize to the camera and swear an oath on film. She was nudging me saying,”see who wins in the end”.
Great movie that kept me waiting for the next nightfall. Just don’t take out your Blair Witch anger on them, these guys did it right.
Kelly
Oh yeah,
It was was just a movie. If you watched the credits it says “The characters and events depicted in this photoplay are ficticious. Any similarity to actual persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.”
this is real they are my neighbor and all are neighbor is got scared when they saw this video acutally its not a movie it is personaL video of them!.
“this is real they are my neighbor and all are neighbor is got scared when they saw this video acutally its not a movie it is personaL video of them!”
get a life. seriously.
I went to watch the movie yesterday…i think
its pretty good n SCARYYYYYYY… especially the last
two part…AT that point i really did believe
that it WAS REALL… its SCARY IF U THINK ABOUT IT…
It was a great movie. I was laughing at Micah the whole time. My favorite part is when Katie was drgged down the hall by this so called “demon”. It’s so cool how somebody can protray this character and be so unknow. When I say “this so called demon” I’m not saying that they aren’t real. I am 14 years old which I have been haunted by a demon for many years. Waking up to feeling a presence in my room right over me. Or hearing my name being whispered in my ear. Once I finished seeing Parnormal Activity I felt breathing on me, which nobody was near me. Next, as in a hour later I was pushed down the stairs. I wasn’t even close to the steps. I actually got pushed by this demon. Being on 14 and haunted sucks. I just go to church and pray to God that he wil watch over me.
Jessica
That was some crazy shIt!! even though those were actors in this ..I would have to believe that the originol tape had to be a lot worse with more intense shit! BUTT YOU HAVE TO ASK YOURSELF——WHAT IF?—–
I watched it just an hour ago and I liked that there were no fake scenes. It’s good that they didn’t show a made up character. Instead, there’s a lot of suspense.
It’s fake.. it’s a movie… there where other endings… relax
movie scared me so much
i need proof the movie was fake, the internet doesn’t do much
i meant fake or real****
im not sure if it is fake or real , ahah i dont know why, the internet doesnt give it all away
still a good scare.
i think it is real.. all this stuff had to have happened at some point in time. if you look at other cultures stuff this really happens and they have beliefs about it and ways to keep the bad spirits out. and its illegal to put out a movie without giving credit to EVERYONE that helped..including special effect..so they couldnt have done special effect. if people can believe in god and all the amazing stuff he did..then why cant they believe in ghosts and demonds. so dont say its not real..cause you dont know
diz movies was killer….but the girl was always bitchy,,,,i love the ouiji board,,the devil star was AWESOME!!! i want 2 get 1 2 lol
loved da part where she was dragged across the hall,,,if yu havent seen diz movie and yu see everyones completely scared out of their wits of it…they are exaggerating,,,paranormal activity was entertaining but not mind blowing scary…it was cool though…FYI diz movies was not real…loved the ending though…the demond was fucking strong though…THE DEVIL RULEZ 666!!!!!!!
Similarily astyled to Balir Witch, it will inevitably be reconciled with and criticised next to it. For me, BW was tragically short in delivering the suspense and the suspension of disbelief in ‘what if…’. PA however, delivers the suspense and the dread on a slow cooker, and delivers its contents scalding hot! Suspense and dread wise, this is what BW ought to have been, but failed in its presentation.
A young couple move into a detached house and seek to make it their home. The girl carries with her a secret she has not yet found necessary to divulge to her boyfriend, and he, is a million ignorant miles from the type of experiences he is about to suffer, but which she has been afflicted with since her pre-teen years. As the crucible begins to heat up and boil over, we have come to like the couple as they display their mundane life, which is similarly played out by couples throughtout the world, and indeed, their is nothing remotely Hollywoodian about them.
Neither of them are film star gorgeous, but are attractive in a down to earth sort of way. It is this comliness that draws us in, and draws out our empathy towards them. They…could be we, up there, on screen, playing out our supernatural horror show as a warning to others. Something is amiss, something stirs the night’s ambience and drops it down into a dark pool of terror, and the couple are taken on a tormented ride of psychological hysteria which is reflected in the audience’s reactions. This is definately a pot-burner for Halloween!
movie is gay liked when she got pulled from her bed but still gay also the ending is just plain gay they shoot the girl and then the movie ends with their picture at the end
who ever made this movie just go kill yourself and film it now that will be scary
If you pay attention to all the mall details, youll find the movie IS real footage. And for all the idiots thinking other wise have big mouths without doing thier research first. Clearly says in the begining, thanks to the family and police department for the release of **THIS FOOTAGE**. this means that this acutal taped was used as evidence in court to find out what happend to this poor haunted couple. There are no credits at the end, and no special effects dude!
C’MON! my little sister could have figured that out!
Dylan- Are you serious? WTF?
Actors:
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm2209370/
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm2913790/
Paranormal Activity is just simply an amazing movie. While it may seem to borrow elements from other horror films, there are none like this one. You never visually see the demon and the fact that things happen in this movie are scary. The fact that things happen while they sleep disturbs you, then when it prgressess it scares you senseless. And this isn’t a “In you’re face!” kind of horror film. You can tell when something bad is about to happen because it has little cues, so after a while when the demons presence is heard your heart starts to race and you tense up even if it is something as insignificant as a door slightly moving or the covers moving. There is ONLY one moment where something jumps in your face and luckily it is delivered in such a way that it deeply disturbs you.
But this isn’t real either. The opening title cards are similiar in style to the Texas Chainsaw Massacre. The movie has a Director/Writer, and while it may not seem like it, you can find pictures of the actors and Director/Writer at the primiers. So anyone who actually fell for the opening title cards of “Thanks to the families of Micah Sloat and…..whereabouts unknown” after the movie was over, you are both very gullible and scared from this movie.
A genius little film that is garunteed to scare you to the core.
P.S. No one cares about religion on this website. Stop trying to convince me that things like this are happening to you and Jesus is the only answer. It’s not working and only makes you look insecure.
Oh and to prove this movie is fake, Oren Peli (Writer and Director) filmed three alternate endings. All shown at different film festivals and now having an official one that Paramount believes to be the most horrifieing.
oh ya ppl always get confused about the alternate endings…
if you try to view the alternate endings online, it wont allow it due to copywirte infringements, because all paramount did is took two look alikes and dubbed over the end, making part of the movie 100% owned by paramount, in addition, their are credits for the alternate endings, meaning there are ACTORS, FOR the alternate endings. but if you watch the actual video, like i said, there are no credits, and by watching it you are not going to find ne copywirte laws taking it out for public viewing.
all the director does is decide when to fade the camera, and which scene to show next, so he didnt write it, he rewrote how it was shown (who the hell wants to see 21 or 22 days of staight filmeing?!). the was no special effects guy mentioned, SO THERE WAS NO SPECIAL EFFECTS. do your reasearch before you run your mouth.
they thank the police deparetment for the *FOOTAGE* because it was obviously used as evidence in the courts as to what happend to this couple. in chainsaw massacre they say *based on true happenings*. HUGE difference.
oh ya and Eric, what do you think the odds are of the actors and the ppl who died, both having the EXACT same names…. its called impossible, think for yourself…
pretty cool movie. i laughed at some parts. but i was focused on katie throughout the movie haha
dont argue about religion/antireligion here people you look like fools
the movie is based on a real story bout a couple called katie and micah .. it was actors in the movie sure i new that myself from the get go but u googled the movie ypu’ll find pictures of the real micah and katie.
still not convinced its the real deal?
well, in that case, we should all possy up and sue them for false advertising.
well all split the profits…
right?
idiots…
I thought the movie was great. Definitely led me to the internet to find out if it was real footage or fake.
Philip - There is no need to put down religion. When someone brings religion into any debate, it’s not because they are insecure, it’s because they are attempting to give others answers. The fact that you need to lash out at religion shows me that you’re the insecure one. The real question is, do you know where you’re going to be when you die? I do. You probly think you do, I guess the only real way to find out is at death. I hope you find truth before then.
You people are honestly mentally retarded. You believe this is movie is actually REAL footage despite the fact that it was written, filmed and edited with a budget of $15,000 in one week. Not to mention that Peli held auditions for the roles of the Girlfriend and Boyfriend.
And i love how one simple statement about how religion does not belong on this website seeing how it is unrelated topic turns into a flame war. Good job trolls.
LOL!
Phil, your obviously an angry kid, this never turned into a flame war, whatever the heck that is, your the only one to see it that way, so if your able, just relax.
and as i said before, THERE WAS ONLY ACTORS FOR THE ALTERNATE ENDINGS, THE MOVIE WITH NO ALTERNATE ENDINGS HAD NO CREITS AND NO ACTORS. THERE NEEDS TO BE AN EDITOR TO MAKE SURE WERE NOT WATCHING 22 DAYS OF STAIGHT FILM. THE ORIGINAL FILM BELONGED TO “SOLANA FILMS” AND PARAMOUNT BOUGHT IT AND CHANGED THE ENDINGS BECAUSE THEY DIDNT THINK IT WAS SCARY ENOUGH. SEE FOR YOURSELF.
And Phil, see and anger management counselor, itll do you sum good.
so this the part where i get stuck. Everything looks pretty real i just want to know if its real! het back at me at sooka27@yahoo.com
Dylan… You seem to be the only using all caps to emphasize your points. So maybe you should seek help yourself. Also… the end in the credits it says: the people and events are fictitious. Meaning that even if Solana films own it and Paramount bought it, it would still be fake, because it would be against the law for them to put that at the end and it to have been real events.
So lets end the argument…. so who thinks they were really good actors? Katie’s screams made me quiver.
Even though the movie scared the crap out of me, after reading all these comments, there is only one person saying that it’s real footage. So…. I’ll go with everyone else dude. But I do believe the story is real. Just not the footage. :p
Saw the movie yesterday. Very fun! Similar to the Blair Witch project and I really enjoy this docudrama style of movie. My guess on how it was made is similar to the Blair Witch movie in that the director would provide general guidance, but left a lot open for improvisation to get a more natural reaction. For example I think what happened the night-encounter scenes were unknown to the actors so they would respond accordingly. The hallway-dragging and baby-powder footsteps would have been the director and assistants wearing Chromakey Green Screen Body Suit so it could later be edited out of the scene such as with blue screen technology. (http://www.tubetape.net/servlet/the-38/Video-Green-Full-Cover/Detail)
What I can’t get over is the overwhelming number of posts on here debating if this is real! How is this even a debate at all? Do people really have that much trouble deciphering a movie from reality? This is a movie and it was shot in the director’s house (Oren Peli) in San Diego and I give him credit for shooting under such a tight budget. Most people seen in the movie are actors through-and-through. They are not real people that were filmed by chance. Go to http://www.imdb.com and check out the cast.
Good Halloween movie for sure. Good posts by everyone, but for all the people trying to impose their religious views and previous demon encounter stories, you are just embarrassing yourselves so just stick to commenting on the movie itself.
Thanks.
Dylan you are the only one convinced this movie was real.
Heres the actors information:
http://www.tribute.ca/movies/Paranormal+Activity/stars/20730
That doesn’t work for you? How bout the fact that the film was filmed in less than a week at Peli’s old San Diego home with a budget of $15,000. He auditioned a few hundred by settled on Micah and Katie and let them improvise most of their lines but gave them the basis of what’s going on in the scene. Oh and the whole switching film publisher’s conflict is this: originally owned by Creative Artists Agency then to Dreamworks who wanted to re-make it with more of a cinematic feel, then finally switched over to Paramount who agreed to release the original with one of the alternate endings shown at Sundance and Screamfest.
Not enough? Well too bad, just accept that the movie is a great work of fiction and let it be.
But seeing how i’m not typing in all caps i’ll pass on the anger management.
What is wrong with you people!! This has to be the worst movie every. I can make a better movie than that.Nothing was scarey. Stuiped people.If I heard a sound or someone I first would turn on all the lights and lock my door and call the cops!! Why would you go to it. Why would she just stay there? I didnt even see them eat breakfast,lunch,dinner?Did they even go to work?Maybe they were high?
Not true!! But they sure got all of you!! Oh I mean they got you money!! LOL!! Not mine! Never.
from what i can tell, you ppl are all very simple.
sorry.
Dylan, I’m sorry that you’re sorry.
I’m glad I didn’t pay to go see the film. Snuck into it, that’s how badass I am.
you guys know then when your looking at the actors names you find the actual names of the people who died?
damn…. what else should i say?
getting tierd of repeating myself.
with the real video, they dont list out actors names…
can u guys add? have you been through what i like to call school?
cmon people…
well, guys the movie was written and directed, however the footage seems real but is not. Here is the website to check on the movie… click the about tab and read the description… Great movie, funny at times and leaves you wondering…http://www.paranormalmovie.com/ check this website
Dylan,
It is clear you are either you are working to promote the movie or you are very mentally challanged, or a 10 year old child that snuck into the theatre; in any case I should probably not even be bothering answering your posts. Since you are the only person on the face of the planet that believes that this movie is real, one way that you can resolve it for yourself (since you are not listening to the overwhelming advice in here) is to address your own post where you said “…this means that this acutal taped was used as evidence in court ” - Since court hearing are a matter of public record, why don’t you find this “court” case that your refer to and cite it for us all?
alright people listen up, vinny pretty much got me.
i was on a mssion to see how many people i could fool, this was one of the websites, ive fooled many ppl but others would reconvince them, but it was a personal mission. im training my debating abilities so i tried the hardest route on this movie, which to prove that it was real. there are alot of good points to prove that it is real, because things like they thank the families for the footage? if you take it straight forward, your screwed lol but there are about 7 loop holes too which they can say, without it being false advertising. another thing is that, it is very possible if you know the cost of running a movie that the alternate endings could have costed the budget of 11000 dollars. but it didnt, because of the cheap quality of the special effects.
i think the movie is one of a kind even though it has the same outlook as blairwitch. just imagen making a movie for 11,000 bucks, and imagen the profit he made, kudos to him.
i got sloppy with my defense at then end because i had to type to so many ppl! lol but yea ive had enuff, this movie is a straight lie and ive known it all along.
fuck this boring and slow movie. if you think this shit is scary ur a kid who watched godzilla. ur more like afraid of godzilla than a ghost! fcking crap. asian horrors the best. fck this movie
i like the acting and how real they made it but its nothing like the real one well it sort of is but not real and the movie wasnt like scary as in jump out of your seat too scary to look movie it was like a holy shit what the fuck just happened kind of movie thats what i thought