The national phenomenon and indie horror film Paranormal Activity gives a new meaning to “things that go bump in the night.” This is the first film for director Oren Peli and I’m sure it will not be the last. Believe me, if you’re going to go and see this movie, be prepared to jump out of your skin!
The film was shot in a week back in 2007 on a budget of $11,000. It is not The Blair Witch Project, nor does it try to be. There is no faux disclaimer about found footage at the beginning.
Although the actors in the film shoot it on a home video camera, it is only to give the viewer a sense of what it feels like to be the characters in the film.
There has been hype for Paranormal Activity everywhere, from Facebook to Twitter to chilling previews with night vision of the audience jumping and screaming in unison. I must tell you: do believe the hype.
Much like Blair Witch, the main characters share the same first names as the actors playing them. This is also the first film for the lead actors. Katie Featherston and Micah Sloat play couple Katie and Micah, who have just moved into their new suburban home in a San Diego suburb.
The couple begins to experience strange occurrences in their house, and Micah purchases a video camera in order to document those that occur while they are sleeping.
At first, the film seems like a happy home video with many quirky and funny moments, mostly coming from Micah.
Katie has an interest in the paranormal and believes that malevolent spirits have been following her since childhood, though Micah is not so easily convinced.
However, after several nights of loud noises and strange happenings, Micah starts to agree with Katie that some sort of ghost may have followed them to the new home.
Katie and Micah have a psychic come to the house to give them an overview, but he says it isn’t his field and he can’t help them. He tells them a demonologist would help.
Micah decides he will play ghost buster and take control of the situation. He reviews the footage caught on the video camera and audio, even does research on exorcisms and demonology.
Katie tells him not to buy a Ouija board, so instead he borrows one. These tactics seem to really tick off the spirit.
Micah even goes as far as to quote Monty Python and the Holy Grail to the spirit. “What is your name? What is your quest? What is your favorite color?” As I mentioned, Micah is the comic relief of the two.
With improvised acting and the home video feel of it, Paranormal Activity delivers all the chills and scares, which are sure to disrupt sleep patterns of many and cause paranoia to all.
You will go home from the theater investigating every creak of a floorboard and thinking the icemaker is going to get you in your sleep.
This is the film Steven Spielberg left a screening halfway through, because he was so scared. The ending will really shock you too.
Paranormal Activity builds on suspense. You will be on the edge of your seat with your stomach in knots, and it will creep you out immensely. It doesn’t need cheesy computer-generated images and special effects to scare the pants off you.