I’m going to say as little as possible about the new horror movie Paranormal Activity because spoilers would be, in this case, especially ruining. But I will say this: I was shaking as I left the theater. Not so much because I was scared, although I found the movie very scary, but because I was convinced that I'd just seen a classic.
A young woman, Katie, shares an apartment with her boyfriend Micah. After moving in together, she had shared with him that she’s been haunted since childhood. His response was to buy an expensive video camera and try to catch the ghosts in the act. She’s not crazy about the idea, but he’s so enthusiastic, like a boy with a new toy.
The early scenes have the slow, uneventful quality of home movies. The camera watches them sleep. A title on the screen says, “Night #1.” Nothing happens. I think a few people in the audience found the first ten minutes a bit trying. But, trust me on this, the movie is masterfully paced. It’s like placing a pot of water on a stove, calm at first, but, once the first bubbles appear, it is well on its way to a full boil.
One of the marvelous things about Paranormal Activity is that it scares you silly without showing you much. It’s like the great horror movies of the distant past such as Cat People (1942) and I Walked with a Zombie (1943). Those drew all of their scares out of shadows and silence. If you’re turned off by all the gore in recent horror movies, this may be just the ticket.
A friend complained about the movie. He said, “With all of the freaky things going on, why don’t the characters do something? Why don’t they go to a hotel?” “Well,” I said, “the movie does say that the haunting goes wherever she goes, so not much point in leaving.” But later I wondered, “Maybe their inaction meant something more.”
Article comments
1 - steve
I saw the movie last-night and the movie wasnt as good as i would of thought. my movie scale rating is 1-10 I give the movie a 2.5 rating.
2 - Kevin Latacki
How did you not like the movie. Well anyway, I think their relationship did become a bit strained but he still showed how much he cared he just did it in his own way. And no she went outside for completlely something else
3 - Todd Ford
Kevin, I assume your last comment is directed toward my review. Keep in mind that many films are about more than one thing, especially horror films. I'm suggesting there is both a story reason and a sub-textual reason for her sitting outside on the swing.
It really may just be that a connection between PA and a childhood memory entered my mind, but this movie has really resonated with me. I emailed a link to this review to my niece in Seattle. She had recommended I see the movie several weeks ago.
She replied (in part): "I completely agree, the subtlety is what scared me and what I liked the most about the movie. Horror movies are way too exaggerated now. It seems like they're all trying to compete with Saw...Your comparison with domestic violence is interesting. I'm glad you liked it!"
I emailed back some more thoughts:
Funny, there is even a nice poetic symmetry between the words "Paranormal Activity" and "Domestic Violence." A few other things I noticed but didn't have room to include in my review: As the abuser (abuse by over-zealous videotaping?) Micah has no problem sleeping at night. As the abused, it is Katie who wakes up every night in fear. Domestic violence is something passed on from generation to generation. Both the man and the woman accept it because they were taught to accept it by their parents. It is interesting how strongly the point is made that the haunting has been going on for Katie since childhood and that the photo of her as a child is burned. And, finally, all of the film's animus is directed toward Micah, the man, the abuser.
I can easily imagine the director watching all of the many first person video type movies like Diary of the Dead, [Rec], and Cloverfield and saying, "Wow. In all of these, the camera is characterized as a weapon, a tool of aggression between the cameraman and his (always his) often female victims (I mean subjects). All that was left was the idea of using the bedroom as principle place of conflict and PA probably wrote itself.
4 - Monica L
The movie was a psychological horror movie it feeds of your imagination which is what makes this film so terrifying... It starts off slow... but, that is essential; the more you can identify with the characters and come to believe they are just like you, the more vunerable you yourself will feel to a similar chain of events occuring in your own life. Thats what makes this movie the one that'll keep you up at night!
5 - Monica L
Yeah Todd, hate to say it but your wrong, I agree with Kevin, she didnt go out side because she could take being in thesame bed with Micah. My eerie take on why she was out on the swing is because the demon was trying to take her over and was planning out what would happen on that last fateful night. When she was out there, she was not really her in the mental sense.
6 - Todd Ford
Monica - Thanks for your comments. I certainly agree with you and have never stated otherwise. On a story level, what you say is precisely why she is outside on the swing.
7 - eddie
paranormal activity is the dumbest bullshit fake movie i have ever seen it is nothing but hype. the blair witch project was ten times better,and thats not saying very much.
8 - Glen Fleetwood
Security door for bedroom, with Schlage deadboltlock and heavy duty hinges, installed $418.00, Home Depot. End of plot. Also, when police go into crime scene, THEY turn on the lights.
9 - Todd Ford
I'm starting to think that this movie will really divide people into two groups: those with an imagination will love it. Those without, well, won't. So, if you are prone to suggest a security door for the bedroom (how that would stop a ghost or demon is beyond me), you have wandered into the wrong movie.
10 - balerick42
comment 9 is bull, don't pull that "If you don't like this movie you have no imagination" crap. Movies are about entertainment. What entertains one person might not another. It is personal preference, like music. I've been watching horror movies for 40 years. This one (my opinion) is ok at best and I don't see it becoming a "classic". In fact, I found little new material in this flick. The smartest thing about the movie is it was made on the cheap and released at the right time of year, so the profiteers will love it. Get ready for Paranormal Activity II through X. UGH!
11 - balerick42
BTW, the security door may not stop a demon, but it will sure as hell stop a body (the girl). Pretty sure that was the point being made.
12 - Todd Ford
balerick42 - I'd agree with you (hell, I do agree with you in that my name-calling was bull) except for the fact that I don't find the negative comments here and elsewhere to display any sense of imagination, something vital to a film such as this. Or to countless other horror films like The Descent and Night of the Living Dead and High Tension and...
Robin Wood said famously in 1978, and I paraphrase, "To understand the horror film, one must understand what the monster represents." It's not very profitable to begin trying to answer this query by quipping that all the characters needed to do to solve their problems was install a deadbolt.
13 - Cannonshop
Went to see it last night, walked out after forty five minutes. This movie should do well with the "Ghost Hunters" and "Reality Show" set, but frankly, it wasn't entertaining or even particularly interesting.
14 - zingzing
you walked out after 45 minutes? that's when it starts to get good. you should've given it a chance. kind of a waste of money not to.
it's like any good horror movie in that it actually builds tension and atmosphere. it's not a slasher flick with false starts and red herrings.
proclaiming judgment on something you haven't watched is also kind of silly. watch half of the shining sometime. you'd declare it "makeover: home edition" or whatever that's called if you only watched half of it.
15 - Jordan Richardson
I found the creepiest parts to the movie to be what happened to Katie as a person. The way she stood up out of bed in the middle of the night was just flat-out eerie and it was presented beautifully. No effects, no lame music, nothing but Katie standing there for hours.
I think what we're seeing here is a division of people spoiled by modern moviemaking and people who are still able to get into a picture without needing glitz and effects to do so. Paranormal Activity made me appreciate Hitchcock's magic in some of his more subdued films (like the ultra creepy Rope where the suggestion of murder is chilling). There's something remarkable about what happens to the characters in Peli's film that makes it something truly special and unique.
And, perhaps best of all, this is a movie that never tilts its hand. It never feels like a movie, the actors never come across like they're acting (except for one or two minutes that I could've done without), and the whole process is designed to invite the viewer in. Today's moviegoers will, far too often, sit at a movie with their arms crossed "waiting to be entertained."
Movies are not all about entertainment. They are about a process, whether through Bergman's exploration of bleakness or Hitchcock's exploration of terror, and they are about making that process bigger and more significant for a mass audience. If movies are merely about entertainment, I fear the art of it all will be soon forgotten in favour of what "entertains" these days.
More Transformers sequels, anyone?
16 - Todd Ford
Jordan - you should be writing for blogcritics. Do you have a blog somewhere?
My 17-year-old daughter was so creeped out by those moments when Katie would just stand and stare for hours. It reminded her of her 13-year-old sister who sleepwalks and does some very freaky stuff when she does.
17 - Jordan Richardson
Jordan - you should be writing for blogcritics. Do you have a blog somewhere?
I do. :P
My own review of Paranormal Activity is here at my movie review blog.
18 - Todd Ford
Awesome! I didn't see a URL on your name and figured you were someone from out in the wild.
19 - Rebekah Jones
Just watched this film and loved it, as an avid horror film buff, really creeped me out! I completley agree with the persons imagination that watches it, ive always had a dreadfuly over active imagination, and no director or writer could ever create a monster scarier than what is in your own head if that makes sense. Just like the Blair Witch, its what u dont see so have to imagine that scares us the most. Excellent film x
20 - Denil Chitrakar
For those who hate this movie i'd like you to think this way. What if you're watching such type of movie for the first time and you're being told that this movie is real. and you don't use internet too. i guarantee you'll love this movie then. The things to admire on this movie is how naturally and cleverly things are presented so that you'll find it real. the movie should have things which can make you think "Is it real? If not? How was it made? Wow! I can't believe it?" thats what I felt when I saw this movie. It really scared me.
Hats off to the crew of this movie who has done a really good job specially the actors, director and vfx team. paranormal activity has become the best movie on my horror movie list. the other movie of such type to admire is rec, cloverfield and cannibal halocaust.
But frankly I didn't like Blair witch project much as there are no such elements where I can ask myself "How was it made?"