Paranormal Activity is a superb addition to the craze for first person POV horror/thrillers, joining REC, Cloverfield and The Blair Witch Project. Like those movies, the footage from the 'found' hand held cameras allows the audience to participate as if they were actually there. There's no 'obvious' movie trickery like scripting, framing, lighting or editing that breaks the illusion that this freaky haunting is really happening. Of course it IS all staged but the illusion is maintained throughout...even to the point of having no main or end credits to the film.
It's reminiscent (and frankly, nearly as good as) Robert Wise's The Haunting, The Exorcist and Candyman in the supernatural horror department. Like those movies it makes you believe in the reality of the situation, gradually introduces a terrifying elemeny over which the protagonists have very little control and asks you, "what would you do?". The two inhabitants of the haunted house react just as you or I would; both scared, but one wanting to investigate and resist, the other preferring to be submissive and get advice. Their actions would be our actions, avoiding many horror characters cliche's...they turn the lights on, they consider running for it, they get help. Plus the fact it's set in a modern suburban house, of which most people can identify with further makes this all too close to home.
The tone is unsettling throughout, building as the disturbance grow in frequency and intensity. The ending, re shoot at the suggestion of one S. Spielberg gives the story the dramatic umph it need after 75 minutes of sphincter puckering. An excellent, excellent movie that is a rare thing; a scary horror movie. A Poltergeist for the webcam generation, this will be the movie that wives, mothers and girlfriends will refuse to watch for generations to come.
2 comments:
Yep. Great movie. Scary, tense, creepy and unsettling. Atmosphere and tone is everything here.
The grimness of the situation just gets slowly worse and worse until you are desperate to see this couple - especially the sweet Katie - escape their torment. But you know that ain't gonna happen. Which makes the awesome and freaky and tragic ending all the better.
The couple have become isolated in their own home. Sleep deprived, paranoid, terrified. Nobody will come there and help them. And they can't run as it's Katie who is being haunted and not the house.
There is something most unsettling about watching people sleeping through a locked off camera while you scan the screen tensely awaiting the next freaky incident - be it a moving door, ghostly footprints appearing, a moving bedsheet or a nasty sudden and violent attack. Yes, a couple things make you jump like any decent horror film should, but it is the hopelessness and the relatability of the situation that scares the most.
When I came home from the cinema on Sunday I walked around the back of my house in the dark...and the shed door suddenly flew open right in front of me banging the wall behind. I kid you not. And I almost shat my pants. Paranormal Activity nearly cost me a perfectly good pair of kecks!
I must be jaded. It was good, but like Blair Witch, not that good for the big screen. When I left the cinema I walked through a dark Broadmead off to The Mem. Just not tense at all.
It's everything you both said it is, except like all docs, should be watched at home. And as I said, the trailer (which luckily I did not see) pretty much ruins the whole film.
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