Less is always more!!

Rating: 8/10 (4 July 2010)

Now this is my kind of horror film; something insidiously creepy but very understated. Of all the scary films I've seen in the past few years, this one managed to scare me more than most and show absolutely NOTHING at the same time. Not a very easy thing to do, but I'm a firm believer in the Hitchcock philosophy that whatever you can imagine will always be scarier than what is provided for you.
As the film starts, we meet Micah and Katie, a San Diego live-in couple who have been trying to get to the bottom of some mysterious occurrences in their home. They've heard what sounded like footsteps in their bedroom, some unexplainable noises coming from downstairs, lights flashing on and off, and other things. Katie believes its a spirit of some sort that has followed her since she was a young girl. Micah conveniently uses this as an excuse to purchase a state of the art video camera that he props up on a tripod in their bedroom to record what happens while they are sleep.
The film is shot reality TV style, a la Blair Witch. Usually this is rather tricky and the movie turns out some rather unrealistic home video camera angles, but here it works because almost all of the footage seems like scenes that a real couple would actually record. It also helps that Micah and Katie (their real names by the way)have a very natural and understated method of acting. Nothing they say or do comes off like they know they're in a movie; they talk the way real people would talk in a real situation.
The scare factor in PA is almost entirely based on the audience's imagination. We don't actually see anything that's scary in its own right; a moving door, swinging chandelier, footprints made in powder, yes, but no demons or monsters or ghosts ever appear on the screen. I find this technique to be 10x more effective than your standard horror movie that goes into "grotesque" overload. All the action sequences take place out of sight of the camera, so while we're still able to hear what is going on, our mind is running a mile a minute trying to picture the scene. Very effective.
If you don't have a healthy imagination or if you just simply prefer horror movies that are more "in your face" then you'll want to pass on this one. But if you're a fan of this type of film-making, I have no doubt you'll love it.
I can't wait for the sequel! 8/10