Paranormal Activity Movie Review
Friday October 9, 2009
Paranormal Activity takes a Blair Witch Project-style approach to storytelling, using 'footage' found after an event to reveal what took place. But while the Blair Witch Project filmmakers opted to keep the actual action (other than rock piles) off camera, Paranormal Activity shows us the goods. What scares the participants also scares the audience.Whether you're going to find Paranormal Activity a complete waste of time, a decent horror film, or the scariest movie ever depends on whether you think there's enough revealed by the time the film ends. I'm plopping Paranormal Activity into the decent category. It didn't live up to all the prerelease hype; it's not the be-all, end-all of horror movies. But for what Oren Peli was able to accomplish with an $11,000 budget, Paranormal Activity should definitely be applauded. Peli wrote, produced, directed and edited the film and shows real talent and flair for storytelling, signaling the man's got quite a future in filmmaking (if he chooses his follow-up project wisely). Read On...
(Photo © Paramount Pictures)
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This movie was not scarey at all. That had to have been a fake audience in the trailer.. I was shocked, it was so slow, and boring. I can’t take movies that are too scarey, but this is some hyped up advertisement. Now if i videotaped the lady next to me when it ended..haha that was scarey!! She was soo pissed when it ended. my jaw just dropped..”is it really over” is what everyone’s face looked like..
I completely agree with the comment above. I could not get into it at all. I was looking forward to this being a very good and satisfying movie– and it was not; leaving me discontent and angry. The trailer basically showed the only good parts in the entire movie ! Don’t get me wrong– those were good parts. I just felt the movie was very boring, the plot was not compelling– I felt no empathy for the couple, and some events were exaggerating. On top of that some events did not make sense to me. The performance was, personally, not convincing– and it’s everything any ghost cliche movie is. Low budget or not– this movie had great potential that it hardly lived up to.
it’s funny, for the first time ever, i think my boyfriend got more scared at a movie than i did! i think i got more scared by the privew for fourth kinds than i did paranormal activity. lol
this movie was kind of scary but not scary scary.
not a total rip off either, tho, like some people say.
my boyfriend seemed pretty freaked out by it, but he thinks the house he grew up in is haunted, so that might explain it.
My son and I went to see what it was supposed to be a scary movie. But such a surprise, a really bad movie. Every body left the theater very, very, very upset.
Congratulations to the marketing people.
oooohh havent seen it but i heard it was amazing and i also think all of these comments are fake
This was the worst movie I have seen in years. Cheezy acting plot and the fact that this movie was presented blair witch style really made me wish that I had just thrown $10 bucks down a toilet and saved two hours of my life. I would bet my left kidney that some people are getting paid to jack up the reviews for this piece to spike the turnout on this movie.
SOOOOOOOOO disappointed……cheesy, unrealistic big bird demon in the attic, who is transparent, but leaves footprint on the floor and who entices these people to stay in the bedroom where this is all going on (cause the camera is there). The alarm never goes off even though there are clearly sensors on the wall downstairs. AAAAAHHHHH too many dumb instances to mention. That said, I was hoping this would live up to the hype…… sooooo not scary!!!! The sudden noises were the only thing that gave me a startle or two. I give it a 5 out of a 10…. Just cause the guy was cute!
Everyone is entitled to its own opinion mate…I kind of like the reel, more when the fella in the row below, with a babe at his side jumped more frequently than her. He really got scared and she was kool chick, gigling at the tough scene, when the gal gets taken off the bed and carried out of the bedroom and Mikka can’t stop the demon. It really felts to be a real thing, everyone at the theater was shocked, commenting how “real” it was, specially when the narrator say the last words…Overall, the movie has its flaws, but is a good piece of whatever it was made with. Cheers!
meh.
Haha this movie was amazing…it was as scary as all get out and i’ve never seen so many people jump or so many people scream at once in my life…haha it was deff. the best horror movie since forever!!!
Don’t pay attention to the other they prob never even seen it…me and a few of my friends haven’t got 3 days of sleep becuz of that movie!!! BUT IT WAS SOOOO GOOD!!!
this movie was terribly scary..it is truly the suspense that gets you. i don’t think any of the above comments are true, because when i went the theatre was packed and everyone was screaming..even some people cried…no one was disapointed. i have never gotten this scared during a movie and i have seen a lot of scary movies…so trust me it will make you scream, give you night mares and make you afraid of the dark.
These people act WAY to much like their ACTING instead of being real. I don’t believe this movie in the least. The people were not believable. “oooohh havent seen it but i heard it was amazing and i also think all of these comments are fake” OOOO i think your comment is fake. Watch the movie and see for yourself, the movie is FAKE
This movie was stupid. The 2 people were ANNOYING and inconsistently seemed like actors!!!! FAKE FAKE FAKE this movie was fake as s–t and not scary. COME ON PEOPLE come out with a REAL scary movie, not fake s–t im tired of seeing.
The movie really did disappoint. Many were walking out angry even before the movie ended. It was overhyped!!!! I thought it was going to be the first movie to finally get me to scream like the girl I am. My friends who are scaredy cats were cracking up the entire time. Not worth dishing out $11.50!!!!!! And wasting 2 hours of my life. The previews were scarier!!!!!!!!! I do admit there was some “interesting” parts but not enough to live up to the hype. I thought it was going to be a thrill ride from the very beginning. It kept building up VERY slowly and never took off. I am not even gonna recommend it!!!!!
For those who think of it as the scariest movie ever, must get scared of paint drying!!!! I know it’s mean but it had to be said.
If you want to go waste your money on it, well go ahead but don’t say I didn’t warn you!
I am 45 and have seen alot of scary movies over the years. This was the stupidest movie I have ever seen Come on Nikki how old are you. It was the yylast 25 minutes of the movie that really anything happened and still was not scary. The actors were awful and she was not convincing at all. You never saw anything ooh a door slam, some noises and the sheets were moving. She did get pulled out of bed but still did not seem real at all. If anyone thought this was scary they must have been high watching it…..
I agree with the first comment I wished I would have waited to rent it for a Dollar. I was very disappointed!!
I don’t understand why ROTTEN TOMATOES can give it 85% score. I guess now I am more scared that I can’t trust the movie review sites anymore!!!
Some episodes of CSI are more scary than this stupid movie.
well geez no duh the movie was fake, but god is saw real or frekin the ring? give me a break, how many scary movies are actually real, i thought the movie was alright, i liked the end, and i wish it went on longer, and id buy the movie too, so call me crazy but i liked it, and i dont think im the only one in the world.. it was quiet, no cheesy music, it was supensfull… i liked it
This movie was really good! i was in the edge of my seat the whole time, not gonna lie the actors were fake but when i went to see it everybody in the audience were jumping eachtime somethin happened. The only thin that bothered me was the stupid ending other than that it was a different, scary and amazing film! loved it
This movie was fake. They put 11,000$ into it and so far made 84Million + I just saw it today. It all fake. [deleted spoiler] I was watching CTV news and they had 2 of the ACTORS. Kniko and the girl on there GOING TO WATCH IT! Let it be. MAKING THE MOVIE TOOK 1 WEEK! Even thought the ” paranormal activity ” was from 1-18TH that’s longer then 1 week dumbass’s Well props to the producer. Putting in 11.000$ into a 84 million doller + so far. The ACTORS got paid 500$ each for ACTING it. =D dumb goofs think its real
the movie its self was good but not scary out of ten i would give it a nine. i just have to say i belive in ghost now and im wantin to go ghost hunting
I was EXTREMELY disappointed with this film. Just for clarification…THIS MOVIE IS NOT REAL!!!! I knew that going in to the film but I was expecting more. It is similar to the Blair Witch Project and should not be taken seriously. This is a low budget film and I wish I could have those 2 hours of my life back. Unfortunately I fell for the hype!! =(
Believe me this is THE Worst movie i have seen in my life.. Its crap, totally disappointing, a waste of time and you leave the movie theatre frustrated!!! It is not scary. I was mislead by the good reviews and the pre release hype. Avoid this movie at all cost.
rubish, stupid, and the worst movies ever, waste of money, time
a product of 11,000 $ making it generate 9 million within a week,, now thts wht i call.. good marketing… (they deserve a big applause for tht)
now for the product, the movie. u will get scared only if u will think… oh my GOD.. its real…!! now y would u think like tht..?? reason being, alot us believe in such things… and also believe tht.. ”hey..i have been through it.. in some way.. atleast…” so they will definitely like it.. and will jump.. like some people did mention…
but the thing is.. if u r a movie fanatic.. u love good movies… u admire the script.. loves the dialogues.. amazed by animations n graphics… the sound effects etc.. u will be completely bored with this ‘Activity’.. as it has many loop holes… in all ways… everywhere…!! but hats off to the director . for really making it look like.. an amature video… so some people did . initially believed it to b true..!!!
Its really a BAD movie, we are very upset and angry after seeing this movie. Time and money waste..
It’s a fun movie, and a well told story. Not so much jump out of your seat scary, but more creepy, the way it’ll get to you a few days later when things in your own home remind you of the film.
I’m not sure what people’s problem is with the handheld aspect — it was never really presented as a true story — the home video aspect is the context for the story, not its proof.
One contest I have with this review is that I didn’t feel sympathy for Micah at all — he is such a disrespectful jerk his fate in the film is justified. This highlight’s the film’s subject as metaphor for the power of a woman to find inner strength — often unaware — to overcome the oppression of a bad relationship. It has always been inside Kate since she was 8 and is in all women.
Many people will be upset at some level by the film’s (not-so) subtle shot at middle-class, suburban life.
For such a small budget, the result is excellent craft and a well told story.