Undoubtedly, the first and most relevant question to ask aboutParanormal Activity 2is: how scary is it in regard to its predecessor? For horror fans and the legion of viewers terrified by Oren Peli's POV supernatural chiller, the answer is, to echo the quote on the sequel's poster, that your sleepless nights are about to return. Part of the reason for its success is thatPA2hews to the old principle that if it's not broken, don't fix it, so the action here also unfolds via hours of camera footage, stitched together to resemble a documentary. It's also a prequel to the first film, taking place several months beforePA1, and focusing on Kristi (Sprague Grayden), the sister of PA1's ill-fated heroine, Katie (Katie Featherston), who also returns here. Seems that the demonic force that pursued Katie also had designs on Kristi, and its relentless assault on her, husband Daniel (Brian Boland), and, most unnervingly, their new son Hunter unfolds in a barrage of quiet-quiet-jump! moments that should have most audience members clutching their seats or movie mates throughout the running time. As a pure scare machine,Paranormal Activity 2is as well-oiled as the first picture, with director Tod Williams (Door in the Floor) innately grasping the inherent chills of strange things happening in static camera images; if there's any complaint to be had, it's over the family maid, who hews too closely to the stereotype of superstitious ethnic servant. That quibble aside, one can expect to get a serious workout for the nerves fromParanormal Activity.--Paul Gaita