When things go bump in the night

Rating: 7/10 (17 July 2010)

*** out of (****)
"Paranormal Activity", Oren Peli's directorial debut, which first started out as an independent film, made on a shoe-string budget, was shelved for two years. After a plethora of test screenings, the hype started to flood. After the immense hype, the advertising campaign demanded audiences to make this movie worldwide. Now, Paranormal Activity stands as a universal prosperity and even some have compared it to the legendary "Blair Witch Project". I actually quite enjoyed Paranormal Activity. I'm a die-hard fan of the horror genre and typically, a majority of modern horrors are lackluster, but this was surprisingly fresh. I know many will beg to differ, but I was actually scared during this film. However, my definition of "scares" are having a feeling of discomfort that just won't let up and feeling uncomfortable in an atmospheric fashion. I think most audiences are scared by the cliché "jump scares", so obviously they were disappointed. Still, whether you think this is a great film or a disappointment, you have to give credit where credit is do. Finally, a modern horror film that side skirts clichés, resorts to some good scares, and overall just gives audiences a knockout.
Paranormal Activity revolves around a couple who start to hear things at night. Kate gets frightened, so her boyfriend decides to record each night they sleep, to film what they obverse and hear.
First off, the performances are simply terrific. The couple comes off as so authentic, that you can easily pour your shoes into theirs. The film boasts strong character development. Furthermore, the premise is great because it relies on subtlety and simplicity. Most horror stories are way too contrived and over-the-top to be taken seriously. Additionally, the way the film was shot adds to the creepiness and gives a more atmospheric look. "The fourth kind", which has a slightly similar story, is filmed with celluloid and it completely dampens the atmosphere. To add to that, I thought the pacing was excellent. No scenes feel too rushed or feel too tedious. This movie was very entertaining. Moreover, this movie was inclusive to a lot of "money shots". Money shots are basically scenes that kind of seal the deal and exude excitement.
While this movie is recommendable, there are still some drawbacks. For starters, while the experience is very realistic, there are some scenes that are a little contrived, which detract the experience, but very slightly. Moreover, I thought the ending was a little too gimmicky and almost destroyed the fear factor. Furthermore, I thought some of the character decisions were a little questionable.
Overall, "Paranormal Activity" is that rare horror film that's inclusive to great character development, a fresh script, and terrific pacing. It manages to crawl under your skin and it boasts of a very creepy, atmospheric vibe, which is highly significant for a horror film to do. This movie mainly works because it has the requirements of a great film and because of its simplicity. Paranormal Activity comes off as a recommendation.