You know that feeling, right? You leave the theatre at 10. You hang out for a little while, joking all the while. You walk to your car looking over your shoulder. You drive home checking the backseat in the rear view from time to time. Then you're back home, the lights are off, and you switch on all the lights plus the television to keep from realizing that you are alone in the house. The creepy crawlies visit your imagination. The hair on your arms stand up. Is that something upstairs?
Yes, Paranormal Activity has me slightly freaked out. I was restless when I got home and was somewhat afraid of going to sleep in my bed with the lights off. But I did because it's only a movie.
Paranormal Activity follows the fate of a couple who move into a home that they believe to be posessed. In a brilliant move to forestall the audience from talking to the screen, the story assigns the frightening activities to a demon who haunts the girl throughout her life. You can't even say, "Girl, just leave," because it will always follow. The girl's boyfriend is typically sceptical. He doesn't believe the demon to be real. It will take a demonstration of supernatural force to change his mind.
The movie was filmed, as all reviews must tell you, in the fake documentary style of The Blair Witch Project and Cloverfield. It's supposed to signify that this is real. There are no credits, beginning and ending, which contribute to the reality. But there are no ghosts. It's a demon which haunts the girl. For me, this was less disturbing than a good old ghost, as demons are not real, but ghosts, the spirits of the dead, could be.
Yet, as with all fake movies, Paranormal Activity leaves you scratching your head. Am I to believe this? Did I just go along with the joke? Why am I still creeped out hours later? Did the curtains move? Is that footsteps in my bedroom? What's the deal with the shadow in the corner? Paranormal Activity plays on you psychologically. There was no gore or dismembered bodies shown. Just good old fashion dread throughout the movie. As they fall asleep, what's next? And isn't that just plain creepy the way she...? What's with that noise? No respite even when it's over. The lack of end credits continues the dread and you can't just leave. Is this thing over or is there the final scare?
It's the anticipation of something bad is going to happen that hits the right marks. It's worth it just for the fright.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1179904/
3 of 5 stars.