Paranormal Activity Review

Published by Jeff Leins on October 11, 2009

At the risk of sounding cliche and redundant, Paranormal Activity is bone-chilling, goosebump-inducing, and spine-tingling.  It’s an effective, affecting little horror flick that will leave you breathless and restless.

Oren Peli’s micro-budget film uses a hand-held camera and viral marketing approach inspired by 1999’s The Blair Witch Project to lure audiences in, but it’s his creative use of gradual eeriness and minimalist structure that terrifies.

Micah and Katie are an ordinary couple: he’s a day trader and she’s studying to be a teacher.  Only since the age of eight she has been haunted by an unknown source of paranormal “visits.”  When strange events start happening in their shared suburban home, Micah buys a video camera to capture the activity and document their response.

Other than a psychic called out to the house and a girl friend of hers, the film essentially focuses on the young couple dealing with escalating brushes with an unseen force.  The two-man show works because of Micah’s sarcastic charisma and the authentic, improvised banter of the frisky, funny pair.  But once terror strikes the two fresh-faced actors react like someone would if a demon was harassing them.

After a few spooky occurrences in the wee hours of the morning, the audience is conditioned to squirm at the sight of the night-vision setting and when the timestamp slows the heart races.  Since the phenomenon is linked to Katie, they can’t simply leave the haunting to the house, which contributes to an added element of helpless claustrophobia.

Peli preys on our innate fear of the unknown; a dark hallway, an eerie feeling of being watched, and things that go bump in the night.  A door creaks slightly, a shadow glides across, or an ominous thud are more frightening when linked to the horrific anticipations in our own imagination.  A ghost popping out for a quick stun isn’t as scary as the thought of a demon lurking and waiting.  In my theater a crying teenager begged for the feeling to be over.

This “found footage” chiller may not be for the easily spooked, but it’s worth a look for horror fans and Halloween thrill-seekers.  Paranormal Activity is suspense mastery and a welcome escape from the remakes and bloodbaths of the genre.

4 out of 5.