Plot
After moving into a suburban home, a couple becomes increasingly disturbed by a nightly demonic presence.
Release Year: 2007
Rating: 6.5/10 (91,683 voted)
Critic's Score: 68/100
Director:
Oren Peli
Stars: Katie Featherston, Micah Sloat, Mark Fredrichs
Storyline After a young, middle class couple moves into a suburban 'starter' tract house, they become increasingly disturbed by a presence that may or may not be somehow demonic but is certainly most active in the middle of the night. Especially when they sleep. Or try to.
Filming Locations: Bavarian Drive, Rancho Peñasquitos, San Diego, California, USA
Box Office Details
Budget: $15,000
(estimated)
Opening Weekend: $77,873
(USA)
(27 September 2009)
(12 Screens)
Gross: $193,355,800
(Worldwide)
(21 January 2010)
Technical Specs
Runtime:|
(extended version)
|
(unrated version)
Did You Know?
Trivia:
The actors weren't given scripts but were given guidelines on how to behave or what to discuss in their scenes.
Goofs:
Revealing mistakes:
Towards the beginning of the movie, when Micah and Katie are talking with the psychologist, there is a hard cut from the doctor to Katie as the doctor is talking, but the dialogue does not skip. Since the movie is supposed to be entirely self-filmed footage, this would imply that either there were two cameras filming at once, or that they did a second "take" with the doctor, both of which are unlikely.
Quotes: Micah:
[Micah replays the tape of him questioning the entity, when he asks "Would you like to you the Ouija board?" he hears a grunt]
I'll take one for yes, two for no.
User Review
Wonderful Under Certain Conditions
Rating: 8/10
PARANORMAL ACTIVITY is THE most popular movie of the year and will
ultimately be regarded as one of the best horror movies of all time.
Therefore, PA has warranted a HUGE debate on whether it sucks or not.
Under this pretense, I have divided this review into 3 sections: 1 for
the things in the movie that work, 1 for the things that don't, and 1
for the summation.
******THE GOOD******************************
1. Originality - not a cheap knockoff or a member of Hollywood's
non-stop horror remake/reboot wave. That is a game winner right there!
Comparable to the Blair Witch Project, PA has received a lot of flack
as being a rip off of BWP. Taken into consideration, the film's only
real similarity to BWP is the use of home camera/1st person footage,
and non-professionals inducing reactions from the supernatural world.
That said, you have to answer yourself a question: Would you rather see
another Texas Chainsaw Massacre remake, or a completely original
off-BWP type film?
2. Suspense and Tension - the film does not rely on cheap scares and
loud noises deafening you to induce the desire reaction of fear. Nor
does it have the smallest fraction of gore/sex/exploitation compared to
most of today's horror movies. If you prefer horror movies that usually
don't stick with you and follow you out of the theater, then skip it by
all means. The film gives you a few inches, and leaves your imagination
to finish the mile.
A suggestion on viewing the film: If you want to get the most out of
Paranormal Activity, then DO NOT see it in the local theater on a
Friday night. We all know what happens when you are in a theater with
middle and high school kids during a horror movie. To fully immerse
yourself in the movie, see it with your significant other, by yourself,
or with just a couple of friends at a time when the theater is the
least crowded. Try to see it at night, or at home in the dark. This
film invades the sanctity of one's bedroom, and the old tactic of
pulling the covers over your head doesn't work.
3. Special Effects - even on a small budget, the film provides some
very impacting scenery. Some effects are blatantly obvious, and some of
the best effects are actually the most subtle.
4. Acting - the movie is well acted considering it is full of unknowns.
The characters are not obnoxious like most horror movie protagonists.
They appear genuine and very convincing in most of the film. But in
some scenes, not so much. More below.
5. Plot - there is a pleasant (oxymoron) surprise with the direction
the film went regarding the source of the phenomena. It's not your
typical ghost or haunted house story. I will not embellish on this as
it will spoil the movie for those who haven't or are deciding to see
the movie.
******THE NOT SO GOOD***********************
1. Writing - this is actually a 50/50 split. The 'supernatural' scenes
are very convincing considering the subject matter, whether scripted or
improvised. However, the dialog and character motivation/action during
the 'down time' is unrealistic at times. This is a large complaint by
those who didn't like the movie. Although the film is a large departure
from teen filled slasher movies, the characters at times seem to be
just as brainless as the teens getting whacked by Jason. There is a lot
of "WHY DIDN'T THEY JUST....?" scenes in the movie.
2. Acting - like the writing, the acting seems to suffer in the 'down
time'. Fortunately, during the important (scary) scenes, the acting is
spot-on, and very convincing. However, you might be taken out of the
movie when the protagonists are interacting with each other during the
in-between scenes, and the authenticity of their relationship is
questionable in some parts.
3. Scenery - granted that the whole movie is filmed in or on the
characters' house, the static viewpoint of the camera gets a little
boring. With all the phenomena going on, it would have been refreshing
to see things from a different angle, especially in the bedroom.
Fortunately, this doesn't hinder the movie, just a minor complaint.
******AS A HORROR FAN***********************
Follow the suggestions above regarding with who, where and how to watch
the movie. Seen under the right circumstances, and with the right state
of mind, the film can be very effective, and having you looking over
your shoulder when you turn out all the lights in the house, and crawl
into bed. For this reason, I fully endorse this movie as a new member
of the horror family. Fresh and original, the movie deserves all of the
attention it is getting.
Let this be a glaring message to Hollywood that originality is still
the craved for in the movie industry. Horror fans have grown tired of
having their favorite classics butchered and pointlessly remade.
Directors and producers do not deserve revenue for just upping the
violence and sexual gratification of old horror movies.
The film's success is also a great indication that as a population,
movie goers respond better to thought provocative subjects than
mindless in-your-face cannon fodder. It relieves me to some degree to
see that tension-fear based horror movies still have the chance to take
the cake. Especially on such a small budget.
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