Paranormal Activity will give you the chills, and proves again that you can make a good horror flick on a shoestring budget (estimated at a mere $11K). Hardcore horror fans will probably not be drinking the Kool-Aid, but if you’re like me, and don’t watch much horror, it’ll do the trick. There was a definite Blair Witch Project and Cloverfield feel with the non-stop handheld camera work, but much less jittery. With a pretty simple plot, and increasing suspense, you won’t be completely disappointed with Paranormal Activity.
Paranormal Activity Movie Poster
We follow a couple weeks of – get this – paranormal activity that Katie (played by Katie Featherston) and Micah (played by Micah Sloat) experiences in their home. They are a cute, young couple that come off as very normal, with what seems to be a demon haunting them. After some weird shit, Micah decides to buy a camcorder, and high-end audio equipment to track what’s going on. He carries the camera around at all times throughout the house, aside from when it’s on a tri-pod while the couple sleeps.
Katie has had a history of paranormal signs, dating back to when she was eight; they try to figure out what might be the cause of it, so they invite a psychic to speak with them. The psychic’s opinion is that Katie has been dealing with a demon, and refers the couple to work with a demonologist. Micah isn’t sold on the demon option, so he tries to take the matter into his own hands (e.g. a weegie board, online research, putting baby powder on the ground to trace physical steps, etc.). As the experiences get more and more intense, Katie is getting noticeably fed up with Micah’s sarcasm and disbelief (which we needed him so the audience kept their grounding in reality).
Paranormal Activity Bedroom Scene
I loved the authentic feel between the couple, because their chemistry and normal “couple quirks” continued to leave a realistic atmosphere. The acting was unnoticeable; what I mean by that is Katie and Micah’s interactions could have easily been any couple, that wasn’t on film. That being said, I wish more of their life would have been explained, since there were several scenes during the day and at night; how do these 20-somethings afford their nice two story house, without leaving for work? Another thing that bugged me was that, aside from one of Katie’s friends, who comes over to their house twice, neither of them contact other friends or family. I might be a pussy, but you better believe if there’s crazy shit going on at my place, I’m calling daddy.
The R rating comes from language, but there’s no gore, killings or other such “typical” horror features. But what the fuck – Katie has such awesome tits, yet we never get to see them – that’s fucked. The film was successful at freaking you out, with nearly every scare coming from an expected scene, which (to me) is even more impressive than forced screams with shit popping out of nowhere. If you have a vagina, you will be clinging to your armrests and / or boy toy, which makes it a good date movie.
October 12th, 2009 at 8:08 am
WTF!! Best scary film ever, how about most boring movie ever!
I dont really watch scary movies and it didnt do a thing for me. The reason that I do not watch scary movies is because of movies like this that have nothing to give, if it says scary it should be scary. Everyone in the movie theater is just a bunch of wimps, how can you get scared with this bs, grow some balls. Great actress yes! but that is it. That is the only nice thing I can say about this movie.
October 12th, 2009 at 9:53 am
Seriously, this movie was boring as shit. If they know that taping was pissing off the demonic spirit, then why the hell did they keep on taping!!!!!
October 18th, 2009 at 12:49 pm
Got all worked up over nothing… laughed more than I jumped.
The Hype marketing on this movie was brilliant..sucked me in.
Can say, they did some good acting and made a vidio for $ 11,000.00.
October 21st, 2009 at 9:43 pm
You sir, are correct. Katie has the most perfect tits. You just wanna squeeze them and play with them for hours.
Film disappointed, for no tits.
October 22nd, 2009 at 1:37 pm
Probably the most boring,dull movie of all time,watching paint dry is more entertaining,and the acting….these two should work in a timber yard they were so wooden.
Ahh yes “hype” the greatest seller in the world,Well ladies and Gents don’t waste your money to watch this shite,No wonder it took so long to be released no distributer wanted to touch this pile of dog dogs eggs.
October 23rd, 2009 at 8:06 pm
I WAS DISAPPOINTED!!! this movie sucked! everyone talks about it like its good and i went to watch it cuz i seen people’s opinion off the movie and some guy was like i had to walk out half way thru cuz it was scary! IT SUCKED!! I dont think he watched the same movie lol! waste of 10 dollars!
October 24th, 2009 at 9:15 pm
the movie was actually amazing. so low budget, but scares the shit out of you. i loved it. everyone in the theater was screaming, and i was crying by the end i was so scared. i would definetly recomend it.
October 25th, 2009 at 7:42 pm
Boring. B-O-R-I-N-G! And I am usually freaked out a scarry movies. My boyfriend almost dozed off mid-way thru. Too much down-time between the mildly ‘ohh what was that’ moments. Ugh! HUGE waste of $11.00 x 2.
October 25th, 2009 at 8:12 pm
Hey dude im sorry this isnt an actress or actors this is real footage of what happend and they really did die lol you are so smart its not a killing kinda scary its not really a horror movie it is a movie about demons that are out there and that do kill that is all it is trying to show
October 27th, 2009 at 9:30 am
1st off i must say if it was a FAKE movie it would deffinetly be a waste of time to produce it, i believe the it is authentic and that it was real, someone knows the truth. I THOUGHT IT WAS THE SHIZNIT!, and i plan on asking every women before she moves her ass in with me if she is paranormally connected with any entities that i should know about
October 29th, 2009 at 8:38 pm
I had very high expectations (something I usually try to avoid because you end up disappointed 90% of the time) for this movie and I wasn’t disappointed at all! It’s awesome! I’ve seen over 1000 horror movies and Paranormal Activity is definitely one of the best I’ve seen (top 50)! It’s not one of the best I’ve seen only because it’s one of the scariest, it’s also one of the most realistic and it’s the movie I’ve always dreamed of! I’ve always wanted someone to make a realistic movie like The Blair Witch Project about a family or a couple filming in their house to catch ghosts and this movie has everything that I wanted! It’s very suspenseful and it has some truly effective scenes! A lot of people say that it’s boring and I really don’t get it! It’s WAY too suspenseful to be boring! I’ve been trying to understand why the people that thought that it was boring went to see it since it was released! Why does someone who get bored easily go see a movie about a couple filming in their house? While we’re at it, why does someone expect to be scared in a theater full of people? The fact that there are idiotic teens that can’t stop talking and laughing 90% of the time doesn’t help. Personally, I can’t imagine finding a movie scary with 30 persons around me. I thought the movie was scary (compared to most movies), but I watched it alone in the dark with an headset. The fact that I believe (or want to) in ghosts/demons helped as well. Actually, I can’t imagine someone who doesn’t believe in ghosts/demons finding a movie about them scary. What makes ghost/demons movies scary is the fact that maybe they exist. Anyway, the first few minutes of the movie is the only time I didn’t feel uneasy! The atmosphere was simply creepy! Hell, even a few parts with nothing but the couple talking were creepy! I guess it was the expectation that something really bad was going to happen. Anyway, when the movie was about to end I felt bad because I really didn’t want it to end and any movie that makes me feel this way deserves 5 stars. I Can’t wait for the DVD.
PS: All of the people who call the people who like this movie sheeps are immature idiots. Just because you think a movie is bad doesn’t mean that those who think it’s good are sheeps or wrong or whatever stupid *beep* bigots love to come up with.
October 30th, 2009 at 6:35 am
You will get more fun and be actually entertained if you watch some looney tunes or any old Bugs Bunny cartoon:)
Don’t fall for the hype and lie… A new twist on “reality” acting with no real actors, no script. Don’t believe the BS complimenting it. They are all seeded by the promoting camp of con artistes!
November 2nd, 2009 at 7:36 am
Believing in paranormal happenings such as this, I found the movie not only entertaining but extremely interesting and not boring. It is all about how you look at the realistic part of the movie. I know that these two were actors and that the movie was fake, however great acting. This two elicit some great acting that when i was watching the movie made me think that the movie was real. However the story was real, and whom ever owns the real tapes, should tell the real story to the people who really are really interested in parinormal phenominon such as this.
November 12th, 2009 at 8:54 pm
people who thought this movie was boring are just total pot heads who are so out of it they need to see some guy get his arm sawed off to be scared. this movie was scary because of the subtle things, i.e. the dull throbbing sound you could hear every time the demon was coming, the fact that everything the couple does, from taping the experiences to using the ouija board, just creates an increasingly stronger parasitic bond with the demon. also you could see the couples descent into paranoia, anger, and insanity. ultimately this makes the woman vulnerable enough that see is able to be posessed. (for those of you who saw the movie, you know how creepy it was when she smiled). all in all, it was one of the best horror movies i have ever seen, and I would recommend it to anyone.
and by the way, it is NOT a true story. it says in the credits that they made it up
December 4th, 2009 at 1:49 pm
I would have been glad to be Micah and be all scared in bed with Katie because I would have been able to cuddle up to her and squeeze her big tits.
December 12th, 2009 at 3:31 am
b4 see these comments i thnk its a reallity in big realls bt now i thnk its a big bluddy fuck.suggetion to drctrs make a blue film with them katie and micah it gave u a more better hit…..
December 29th, 2009 at 10:26 pm
OMG! I am so pissed off, I just went and bought this DVD today and was so jazzed about waiting for it and now I feel like a big sap! Just goes to show you the old adage “A fool is born every minute” still is alive and well! DON’T WASTE YOUR MONEY OR TIME!!!
December 31st, 2009 at 8:37 pm
YOUR A FUCKING CREEP. You watched the movie, and all you have to say is, they didn’t show Katie’s ‘tits’, WTF? GET A LIFE!
January 9th, 2010 at 2:54 am
Well, 85 mins of my life wasted. The only thing gud bout da movie ws da girl wid a high rack.
January 9th, 2010 at 2:56 am
The tagline says “Do not watch alone”
I say “Do not watch the movie”
January 21st, 2010 at 6:57 am
[i](which we needed him so the audience kept their grounding in reality).[/i]
No we didn’t! He came off as an idiotic ASS who really managed to get both him and his stupid lady killed!
He was so stupid it sucked any scariness out of the movie.
March 12th, 2010 at 4:39 am
for crying out loud show us dem titties!!!!!!!!!!!