Paranormal Activity

[Lookingglassman]

It looks like a rip-off of the Blair Witch Project. Basically a wife is haunted by a demon and her and her husband film their experiences in their house.

Has anybody seen this movie? It has been released in a limited run and if you want to see it in your area you have to go to a website and request it. If you have seen it is it any good?

 

[Mike Farley]

It was okay. Pretty good for a movie that only cost around $15,000. It's not as creepy or compelling as BLAIR WITCH, but it does pay off better.

 

[Awesome Possum]

It's getting a wide release now, I'm looking forward to see it.

 

[sithlord]

Just saw it tonight. It's fun, especially if you're into ghost stories. The scares are cool and mostly in camera. The build up and atmosphere are great.

I will say it is difficult to be at home alone tonight, as I can't stop thinking about the movie. Just a little while ago, I'm sitting reading some web sites, with my cat on my lap and a loud noise goes off behind me. Just turned out to be an empty box I had precariously stacked on some other stuff, but DAMN, creeped me the hell out.

 

[JacksonArcher]

I saw the movie last weekend. An extremely effective albeit overhyped horror movie, it stays with you far after the movie is over. My friend that I saw it with has been paranoid all week hearing noises and apparently seeing odd lights, and the night we saw the movie apparently his garage was robbed, which either happened whilst we were away or while we were at his house, except there was no sign of forced entry.

All in all, the experience and feeling you have after seeing the movie is probably more effective than the movie itself, but that is merely a backhanded compliment since clearly in order to be affected so the film had to do something, and Paranormal Activity will definitely stay with you far after the movie has ended. To me, that's the mark of a damn fine horror flick.

 

[The Mirrorball Man]

I saw the movie last weekend. An extremely effective albeit overhyped horror movie, it stays with you far after the movie is over.

How can a genuinely frightening horror movie be overhyped? It doesn't happen that often.

 

[JacksonArcher]

The movie takes a while to get going and isn't actually that scary itself. It's the feeling you get after watching it which is the most unsettling, if that makes any sense.

 

[Ryan]

I found it very disappointing. I know a few people who had to sleep with the lights on after watching it. I went home, watched an episode of The Big Bang Theory, and promptly forgot all about the movie before my head even hit the pillow.

The insane amount of hype going into this really amplified the plot problems and pacing issues. The psychic exists only to keep the couple isolated and alone in the house and does a completely unconvincing job of it. They just sorta do what he says because, you know, things are working out so well for them.

We also have huge lengths of time where nothing happens. For a second it looked like the Ouija board might signal a ramping up of activity in other locations in the house but nope. The movie went right back to everything happening in the bedroom punctuated by long periods of nothing happening anywhere else.

When Micah went into the attic I was reminded how much better a film [Rec] was in the same "recovered footage" horror genre.

 

[roguephoenix]

WORST THING YOU WILL EVER SEE! they should have called it Paranormal Craptivity. that would be a more accurate title. NOTHING HAPPENS. the trailer IS the movie. i have been on a campaign telling people about this crap. watch the trailer and you've seen everything there is to see in the movie.

 

[Capt_Piett]

Blair Witch was crap. This movie I haven't heard much critical reviews of, so for individuals, it's probably going to be hit or miss. Though I'd imagine if you HAVE had a paranormal experience personally, you might view the movie slightly differently....

 

[The Evil Dead]

I saw it last night, I enjoyed it but I think I'd have liked it a lot more seeing it in an intimate environment. Watching it with a girlfriend or a few friends in a basement den or something would be a great experience. I find with any horror movie by the time I get back out on to the street the "vibe" from the movie, no matter how creepy, just washes away and I become my usual cynical self again.

Very good film for an aspiring filmmaker to see what you can do with 10 000 dollars and a neat little premise.

 

[bigdaddy]

It was okay. Pretty good for a movie that only cost around $15,000. It's not as creepy or compelling as BLAIR WITCH, but it does pay off better.

Oh Jesus it's worst that Blaire Witch!

I don't bother with "horror" movies anymore because they aren't at all scary and just gore. However I know several friends that have seen it and they say it's this generations Blaire Witch.

 

[ExcaliburZeta]

I just saw it today with a bunch of friends and I thought it was rather overhyped. The movie had a creepy/eerie feeling to it, and the buildup was good, but I felt as if the payoff at the end was just a big letdown. By the end of the movie the characters were annoying me and I really didn't get scared once during the whole movie.

I liked where it was going and it did have the creepiness factor down, but I don't see where people were calling it one of the scariest movies out there.

 

[Mr Nighttime]

Blair Witch was crap.

Quoted for truth.

 

[Cutter John]

Not a big fan of standard ghost movies (prefer Lovecraftian style horror) but I'll probably pick up the dvd, since I personally enjoyed Blair Witch a lot.

I like those few and far between horror films that work on your imagination rather than just waving a bloody machete in front of the camera or having a guy in a latex mask or CGI monster jump out and yell 'Boo!'. (unless its a zombie movie of course. In which case sign me up!)

Though from the sound of things, I'd better prepare for a few sleepless nights.

 

[backstept]

WORST THING YOU WILL EVER SEE! they should have called it Paranormal Craptivity. that would be a more accurate title. NOTHING HAPPENS. the trailer IS the movie. i have been on a campaign telling people about this crap. watch the trailer and you've seen everything there is to see in the movie.

indeed
the only good thing about the movie is that the girl has a nice rack

the ending was horrible . . . absolutely no resolution to the story
and I've seen better demon faces on youtube . . .

 

[Trekker4747]

Paranormal Activity

My grade: B+

-------------------------------------------

I just got back from seeing it. Decent enough movie with some decent scares and sense of atmosphere in it. I can certainly see how it'd really spook someone if they saw it at night.

The movie purports to be recovered video-camera footage of an "engaged to be engaged" couple's experiences with a haunting, a haunting entity that has been following the girl since she was eight. Her boyfriend purchased the camera that records the movie's events in an attempt to document whatever is (or is not) going on in their home and he increasingly does more and more things to "taunt out" what they're told is a demon by a hired psychic. The nightly events grow more and more intense as the days wear on.

The camera work is far more steady than other hand-held camera movies that've came out in the past (Blair Witch, Cloverfield) and the movie features all of four actors (the boyfriend and girlfriend, the girlfriend's friend and the psychic) and the action takes palce entirely in their home.

Again, the movie has some decent "real" scares in it but more than that the scares and fears in it are going to be psycological and in atmosphere. All and all a decent enough scary movie suited for this time of year.

 

[The Boy Who Cried Worf]

Just came from seeing it tonight with my girlfriend and here is our review as we both had basically the same opinion. A caveat before I give my opinion is that this review is based mostly on how the film sounds as we had our eyes closed most of the time. That is not an indication of how scary it is, but how prone to motion sickness we both are. The Blair Witch Syndrome kicked in big time at about 15 minutes in and both of us were heavily nauseous for the rest of the film. If you are prone to that I'd recommend taking some Dramamine, siting way in the back, or waiting for the DVD to come out.

Based on word of mouth we were expecting the greatest thing since sliced bread. Well it wasn't. It was however an effective and creepy if somewhat formulaic haunted house story. I agree with the assessment that the film will stay with you after you see it and it is the contemplation of it rather than the viweing of it which is the scarier experience. I suppose that is the hallmark of a good haunted house film when for days after every stray noise in your house is interpreted as a demonic possession(because of course demons always wait until after you have seen a scary movie to start haunting your house).

The strength of the film was its realistic depiction of how a couple might act in a similar situation. Both actors were convincing and attractive, but not in a Hollywood way. The slow ratcheting up of the tension was both a plus and a minus. It builds to an effective level of fear, but also makes the film seem a bit sluggish in getting to where it wants to go. The Blair-Witch-esque ending simaltaneously comes across as shocking and yet also somewhat overboard ands perhaps too abrupt. The attempt to make this seem like "real footage" was not as effective as Blair Witch And like most of these hand-held camera movies there are times when you are wondering why anyone would have a camera on them at that time. The film didn't break any new ground as far as haunted house films go being fairly standard approach to it. Its willingness to take its time, not go overboard with the haunting, and realistic veneer all added up to a genuinely creepy and scary experience though and I'd recommend the film to anyone in search of a good scare.

 

[Admiral_Young]

I saw it last night and enjoyed it a lot. I agree with most of the reviews posted in the thread, all through the movie I was reminded of Blair Witch which I'm still a big fan of and was back in 99. This is this decades Blair Witch I think. It does take almost half hour to get into the film. I think the movie also did a great job of depicting the differences between Micah and Katie. I am scared easily so I was freaked...especially during the last twenty minutes of the movie. The psychic was great, I thought the dude who played him did a good job and I agree with the poster who stated he was another plot device to keep them in the house. I'm in love now with Katie Featherston (not nearly as over dramatic and annoying as Heather Donahue was in Blair Witch and much easier on the eyes) and thought both the actors performances were pretty good.

Spoilers perhaps...but which ending did everyone see? I read on wikipedia that there are at least three alternate endings. The one I saw had

Spoiler: my ending

Katie murder Micah and we see her get shot by the police after rocking back and forth upstairs

 

[The Boy Who Cried Worf]

I saw it last night and enjoyed it a lot. I agree with most of the reviews posted in the thread, all through the movie I was reminded of Blair Witch which I'm still a big fan of and was back in 99. This is this decades Blair Witch I think. It does take almost half hour to get into the film. I think the movie also did a great job of depicting the differences between Micah and Katie. I am scared easily so I was freaked...especially during the last twenty minutes of the movie. The psychic was great, I thought the dude who played him did a good job and I agree with the poster who stated he was another plot device to keep them in the house. I'm in love now with Katie Featherston (not nearly as over dramatic and annoying as Heather Donahue was in Blair Witch and much easier on the eyes) and thought both the actors performances were pretty good.

Spoilers perhaps...but which ending did everyone see? I read on wikipedia that there are at least three alternate endings. The one I saw had

Spoiler: my ending

Katie murder Micah and we see her get shot by the police after rocking back and forth upstairs

The ending I saw was...SPOILERS AHEAD






Katie wakes up and stands over Micah for about an hour. The covers get pulled off Micah. She goes downstairs and starts screaming. Micah runs down to check on her(this is all off camera of course) and you hear a struggle and Micah screams. Slowly you hear ponderous footsteps up the stairs. Out of nowhere Micah gets flinged into the camera really fast. Katie appears and her shirt is covered with blood. She slowly crawls on all fours over to Micah and starts to sniff him like an animal. She looks in to that camera with a demonic snarl and attacks the camera. The End. I'm curious my version ended with a title card that said that Katie was never found. In your version was there any title cards after the movie ended?