SYNOPSIS:
After a young, middle class couple moves into what seems like a typical 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.
MOVIE REVIEW:
So after all the hype touting it to be one of the scariest movies of all time, there were many who came away disappointed after watching Oren Peli’s surprise box office smash “Paranormal Activity”. Made on a shoestring budget of US$15,000, its US domestic gross now stands at a whopping US$107mil. That’s more than 100 times the cost with which it was made- most certainly a record by any standards.
What was it that made early audiences rave about it? Why did it receive a fair amount of flak from those who watched it after its initial popularity prompted a nationwide release? To answer these questions, one would do well to take a leaf from 1999’s “The Blair Witch Project”, another movie that took initial audiences by storm but left others sorely disappointed. Besides the fact that they were both low-budget horror movies, there are at least two other similarities “Paranormal Activity” shared with “Blair Witch”.
First, both were filmed using a home video camera- basically one of those cameras that anyone can buy from your friendly neighbourhood electronics store- and by that account, told their stories from a first-person perspective. Because they brought the viewer right into the heart of the action, there was a certain immediacy and tension to the proceedings. Of course, “Blair Witch” had more of the notable shaky-cam camera and left many feeling nauseous after watching it. “Paranormal Activity” had less of that, so many people emerged from the cinema frustrated instead at the second thing that the two movies had in common.
Whether in “Blair Witch” or “Paranormal Activity”, the reasons for the haunting were never fully explained. We never knew why those three teenagers in “Blair Witch” were being pursued in the woods; nor do we ever find out why there was something following the suburban couple Katie and Micah in “Paranormal Activity”. The best we see are hints of an otherworldly presence around- the sound of footsteps, the moving of sheets, or the slamming of a door- and that is as far as the movie goes, leaving the rest to your own imagination.
That ambiguity undeniably left many feeling unsatisfied- was that it, they asked? Yes and no. For audiences accustomed to the stifle of typical Hollywood horrors, it was only logical that one would feel that there was a lot more that could be told. But as a slice of real-life horror, what is unsaid or untold is perhaps just as scary, if not scarier, than what was being said. Think about it this way- is it more frightening to know why someone or something is haunting you, or to not know the reason why?
The fact that “Paranormal Activity” takes place in the confines of one’s own house makes the viewing experience even more terrifying. Imagine how what used to be a place of shelter and peace, a personal abode and a harbour of refuge now suddenly turning into a prison of fear, panic and terror- that’s the kind of torment Katie and Micah are going through. And the fact that both these characters are played by first-time unknown actors makes it even more terrifying, since it only helps us relate to them better.
So indeed, “Paranormal Activity” is an intense and gripping affair that you won’t soon forget. Just remember first that it isn’t your typical Hollywood horror movie, and second, that you should keep an open mind while watching it. Let it play on your imagination and you’ll find this quite the experience that you shouldn’t miss.
SPECIAL FEATURES :
This Code 3 DVD contains no extra features.
AUDIO/VISUAL:
The Dolby Digital 2.0 audio does its best with the home-video camera quality audio. Similarly, the picture looks grainy, but that’s just the way the movie was shot.
MOVIE RATING:
DVD
RATING :
Review
by Gabriel Chong
Posted on 21 January 2010
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