Paranormal Activity review

This film came out a while ago but I wanted to wait until the new issue of SONAR magazine was published before I put it up, so here it is.

Paranormal Activity
Directed by Oren Peli
Starring: Katie Featherston & Micah Sloat
Review by Cherry Pullinger

This low budget horror film started its life way back in 2007 when it was screened at various film festivals such as Slamdance and Screamfest and now the hype surrounding Paranormal Activity has seen it blow up in popularity, raking in millions of dollars from the Hollywood box office.

Katie and Micah live together in San Diego, California, but what Katie failed to tell Micah before moving in with him was the fact that she has been haunted ever since her childhood. Eerie noises start to wake the couple up in the middle of the night and Katie fears that whatever it was that haunted her before, is back. Help comes and fails in the form of Dr Fredrichs who refers the two to a Demonologist, who very conveniently, seems to be out of the country when the couple need him most.

The film has a particularly slow start and about as much paranormal activity as an episode of Most Haunted but stick with it and you find yourself gripped to your seat as you witness the strange goings on..including bizarre thuds, footsteps and general aggravation which develops into a full on attempted kidnap by the ‘demon.’

Although Paranormal Activity is in no way billed to be a comedy, there are some priceless comedy moments concerning Katie’s boyfriend Micah who’s whole take on the haunting leads him to filming every waking, and sleeping, moment, à la The Blair Witch Project. This causes Katie much annoyance in the process as she continuously has a camera shoved in her face and the fact that Micah has to pick up the camera before rushing to Katie’s aid adds some well needed giggles.

Although Paranormal Activity has been described as ‘one of the scariest films of all time,’ it can only really be compared to movies such as The Blair Witch Project and The Last Broadcast which both use the same style of ‘found footage,’ to engulf the viewer in terror. With a bigger budget, Paranormal Activity, could have been up there with the likes of Cloverfield, but its atmosphere and pure thrill would have been sacrificed.

As previously mentioned the film does take a while to really get going but once you’re in, you’re not getting out, as it makes for seriously gripping viewing and you will be left with an imagination that will run wild after witnessing the films fateful ending that reveals enough, but not too much.