Paranormal Activity 2 Discussion and Grading

[Admiral_Young]

I saw it this afternoon and was a little disappointed by it. It definitely wasn't I was expecting. The theater I saw it in was pretty much full with a few seats empty at the front rows because no one sits in the front if they don't want their neck ruined. The reaction from the audience was to be expected, they were scared where one would expect to be scared, there were some jack asses making fun and laughing through the film. I didn't get really scared until the last fifteen minutes of the film...and interesting the way they set up the end by building up the first two thirds as a prequel and by letting us know that there will most likely be a third movie. We get almost no answers or explanations about the demon from the first movie, only that Katie is still possessed and has an attachment to her sister's kid, something that we would have never have guessed from the first movie. There was no mention of Micha or Katie having an interset in kids, this part felt kind of forced but it is implied that this is the demon, at least that is what I took from it. The Demon haunted them as children and has some kind of interest in poor Hunter. It sucks being a baby in a horror flick. With the monster weekend "Paranormal Activity 2" had (40.1) we're pretty much assured a third film next Halloween. I'd give this 2/4 stars and agree with Roger Ebert's review.

[Ethros]

You know a problem I had when watching this film too? Recently I've become addicted to Supernatural after buying the series on DVD blind and watching all the series straight after one another (I'm currently two episodes into Season 5)

So when watching this movie I was half hoping at some point for Sam & Dean to kick the door in, the Impala outside, shoot the demon with their salt loaded shotguns, start pouring salt over the windows and doors, set up a devils trap near the basement, maybe burn some bones, and Sam uses his Season 4 demon mojo to exorcise Katie and all this black smoke comes out of her mouth, and all the while AC/DC's 'Thunderstruck' is playing in the background.
That would have been a good ending

[Obiwanshinobi]

Speaking of Supernatural, it was explained that the first born son of the family was to be claimed by the demon (most likely crossroad demon) when the grandmother made the deal to be wealthy. That was the interest with Hunter. Not sure how a third movie could go down. Maybe surveillance cameras all though out the town or city.

My biggest complaint storywise, was why didn't they just call the cops when the really bizarre stuff started happening. They could have just rolled back the tape as proof. Or why didn't the mom and hunter just go with the daughter and dad to the vet. Totally could have avoided being possesed. What a dumb ass, haha.

[Admiral_Young]

I will say that I liked the explanation of how the Demon attached it's self to Katie along with the clever tie-in's to the first movie. I suppose my main problem with the film has to do with the non-linear structure of the film, framing it as a prequel with just the final scene of the film being the sequel. I might give it a second viewing by myself. The father wanting to protect his family and ending up causing their death makes him a tragic character, I found similarities that Dan had to Micha. I think Ali will be elevated to hero status in the third film as she attempts to hunt down and stop Katie. Also will be interesting to see what Katie does with Hunter now. I should have put spoiler warnings in the thread title, oh well.

[Obiwanshinobi]

I wouldn't call the ending a sequel perse, but more of a bookend. I thought it tied together just fine although the ending was a little abrupt and again some of the character decisions that took place urked me. All in all it was decent and will probably be way better than Saw 3D

[Admiral_Young]

Yeah I agree a better description for the end is a bookend...this whole movie is like a companion piece for the first and sets up which will be the sequel proper in the inevitable third film. I don't think the decisions made in this movie were any more irksome than the decisions that Micha made in the first movie...the most bothersome would be Dan's decision to bump the demon to Katie stands out for obvious reasons. He's trying to protect the woman he loves at the expense of her sister who she's close to. I think Kristi would have been pissed at him had she found out what he did.

[Awesome Possum]

I enjoyed it, maybe not as good as the original, but not by much. I enjoyed the ties to the first, even Micah being fascinated by the camera. I do think another movie would be interesting, I guess it would be about Ally trying to rescue her brother. I was especially creeped out by the focus on the baby, given that my very young nephew has the same name.

[Bob The Skutter]

I enjoyed it mainly for the audience reactions to it. It was nice to see it tied together but besides the occasional jumpy moment I was fairly bored, as was the guy sitting a couple of rows over by the sound of his "This is shit, might as well be watching Big Brother" half way through the film.

[Admiral_Young]

Well I was correct and the inevitable has happened..."Paranormal Activity 3" has been announced for Oct 21, 2011.

http://blogs.indiewire.com/theplayli...tober_21_2011/