Low Rent Demon

Rating: 3/10 (20 May 2010)

Yes, the Low Rent Demon That Could. That's what this should be titled. I had very low expectations for this film, partly because it took 2 years after production to finally make it into theaters, a place it never belonged.
The premise is something you see every day on cable TV shows like A Haunting or Ghost Hunters or whatever. Two people move into a house, they have some strange occurrences, they record it, etc. I won't give away the ending.....because the trailer already did! Anyway, I am not a fan at all of those TV shows or hand-held camera or ShakyCam as it is also known. So, immediately, this film wasn't holding much water for me at the start. We begin with Katie and Micah, who annoyingly has his name pronounced Meeka, which is abominable. They are dating, living together, and "engaged to be engaged." Katie has been experiencing weird things and seeing shadows moving since she was eight, and her house burned down when she was little. Flash forward to today, I mean 2006, where Micah has purchased a camera and is now documenting anything that happens. The creators of this film obviously loved the Amityville Horror series because very often, the "horrors" take place right around the same time every night, sometimes even 3:15, just like in old Amityville. But, we don't have a ghost going bump in the night, we have a demon. It is obsessed with Katie and sadly never rips her clothes off to reveal the only thing anyone wanted to really see in this film. Thus, after filming begins, we get the usual haunted house trappings. Things go bump in the night, usually around the same time, sheets get moved around, lights turn on or off, the door closes, etc. Towards the end of the film, obviously the film has to lead somewhere, we get more intense happenings as footprints are left in powder on the floor, Katie is dragged from her bed, and then there is the finale. Or, rather, 2 endings. One you see in the trailer(idiot producers!) and the other is an even more unbelievable bit of tripe.
Now, I know there are people out there who believe in ghosts to their core and this movie will cater to you just as the aforementioned TV shows do. But the finale comes out looking like something straight out of The Ring or The Grudge and is very weak. Of course, plenty of fools think this is real film footage. I will say that acting like they are not acting is something these actors are sort of good at, better than TV haunting shows but certainly not ready for the big screen.
The main problem I have with this plot is that the haunting itself is not believable nor is the reaction of the participants. First, when does Katie go to school? I thought she was a student. We see her study, finally, towards the end of the film, and Micah is never at work, he's always screwing around with the camera or his computer. Next, no one stays with them to verify the story. It only happens to them, and when the psychic visits, he gets some vibes, but he doesn't actually see anything good. To alleviate the issue, if the demon is so troublesome, have other people stay in the house and get some night jobs! Seriously, everything is scarier at night(not to mention that these idiots never seem to want to turn the lights on downstairs when they repeatedly wake up to bumps and thumps. Therefore, work at night! Sleep during the day! I've done it! And get a dog. And get a few friends to stay over. That's some of the more unbelievable aspects I found myself pondering during this "film."
I can't believe some guy spent 20 bucks taking his girl to see this garbage at the theater. I know, there will be some staunch supporters of this tripe who will lavish praise on its non-existent budget and what inventive people can do with just a camera. Well, that's fine, but unless you are 16, today's horror audience wants a little more than what they can find any day on afternoon cable. As far as low budget films like this go, do yourself a favor and just watch Blair Witch Project again. Even that isn't original(see The Last Broadcast to find out what I mean), but at least it has an element of fear that is sadly lacking in Paranormal Blah. It reminds me of the way many people on this site who are younger(and would be attracted to and scared by this movie) comment about how Jaws and the Exorcist are laughable. Amazing.