"I Think We'll Be Okay Now"

Can you guess what the plot of Poltergeist, the creativeness behind The Blair Witch Project, and $15,000 equals? That’s right, Paranormal Activity. This low budget horror/thriller about a couple who videotape themselves day and night in hopes of finding evidence of “paranormal activity” isn’t the scariest movie out there, but I bet it’ll make many viewers shut their closet doors before going to sleep.

The story, set in 2006, cribs from prior ideas established in classic horror films. The only setting is in a house, much the same as Poltergeist, and only handheld shaky cameras are used to film, just like The Blair Witch Project. I remember hearing an audience member say they felt like throwing up within the first 5 minutes of the film. I didn’t think it was that bad.

The movie opens with the freakishly controlling, day-trading boyfriend, Miccah (Miccah Sloat), experimenting with new camera equipment he’s purchased in hopes of catching what goes bump in the night. He videotapes his English student girlfriend, Katie (Katie Featherston), as she pulls her white convertible into the driveway of their house in what looks to be a family-friendly San Diego neighborhood. After a few onscreen minutes of playful banter between the couple, the first night of videotaping is set.

There is something very uneasy about watching someone sleep in the dark. The audience watches the couple through the camera’s POV (fly on the wall) with the camera time elapsing on the bottom right of the screen. The combination of fearing that something might happen along with the aggravation of waiting for something to happen only heightens an audience's anxiety. I could see people squirming in their seats as we watched the couple sleep.

It’s not too long before the eerie occurrences do happen: doors moving, loud booms, and misplaced keys are just a few things that are caught on tape. After the disturbances worsen, Katie employs the help of a psychic. The psychic informs them that the presence within their home is a demon. Without giving too much away, the couple learns why they are being haunted; basic rules to follow, so that they don’t aggravate the demon; and what exorcist they should contact. This scene gave me the same frightening chill I had as a kid when watching the part in Gremlins when Billy’s dad explains the rules of caring for Gizmo. I know it’s Gremlins, but there are some scary parts in that movie for little kids. Anyway, much like Billy, the couple fails to follow the rules.

Miccah brushes off the psychic’s remarks, convinced that he (Miccah) can fix the problem with his camera equipment and his Googled research. Katie foolishly obeys Miccah or offers only nagging rants as if Miccah forgot to take out the trash. As their aggravation for their situation and each other heighten, so do the demon’s activities. Simple sounds and moving doors turn to more frightening occurrences as the demon's strength grows. Remember, it’s always important to follow rules if you want to survive a horror movie, much like Zombieland and this other horror/thriller:


Watching Paranormal Activity made me feel like I was waiting in a long line for a so-so rollercoaster ride. Most of the excitement came before the ride, or climax, because I was waiting for something better to happen. The movie inches closer to its climax and pulls the audience along by heightening the demon’s activities. For the audience, there’s anticipation and excitement in waiting for the big rush ahead. But, like a mediocre rollercoaster, the rush comes and goes so fast that the audience is left asking “Is that it?”

I’m not one of the many critics who's been caught up in the hype of Paranormal Activity. It did have some creepy moments, but flickering lights and eerie shadows get old after a while. Much like The Blair Witch Project, I probably won’t need to watch this movie a second time—and it won’t be because it’s too scary.

Rating: 6 out of 10