"The Blair Witch Project" was a box-office hurricane due to its frightening, realistic vibe. And after movies that followed in its wake, such as "Cloverfield" and "Quarantine," we finally get a horror movie in the tradition of the 1999 creepshow. "Paranormal Activity" is a haunted house movie in the vein of "Blair Witch." This is the phenomenon that many people have demanded in their city. Brace yourself, because this movie is the most suspenseful, creepy, and absolutely terrifying ghost story since "The Haunting."
Katie and her boyfriend Micah have just moved into a house in San Diego, California. Katie is all but well. For years, she has been haunted by something, and she's afraid that "something" might still be with her, in their house, waiting for them. So, Micah, being the obnoxious skeptic he is, buys a video camera and sets it up in their upstairs bedroom so he can record any strange events while they sleep. What goes on is a lot more than strange. It's downright traumatizing.
"Paranormal Activity" is the most effective horror movie in years, maybe even decades. Why?
1) Well, first off, it's so damned suspenseful. Director Oren Peli begins the film with a slowly building tension. Then the tension gets higher and higher, and, therefore, becomes unbearable to handle. Even the strongest horror movie buff might find it hard to sit through. Every time Katie and Micah go to sleep, you are paralyzed in fear, hoping that whatever's haunting them will leave them the hell alone.
2) "The Blair Witch Project" never showed the witch, but left it up to your imagination to figure out what was happening. Although that's a smart move, "Paranormal Activity" shows all of the supernatural phenomena that it's supposed to. A lot of the times I was screaming at the screen, and hurling myself into the edge of my seat. Never, and I mean never, has that happened to me that often in a horror movie.
3) It feels real. The movie begins and ends with no credits, almost like it's actual footage of real ghostly encounters. I believed in the movie, and so will you.
4) Finally, the acting is perfect. Katie Featherston and Micah Sloat are so believable on the screen because they don't look like they're acting. This feels like an actual couple who really are experiencing weird stuff in their house. You felt for them.
Overall, "Paranormal Activity" might be better than "The Blair Witch Project." It's definitely one of the scariest horror movies I've ever seen. Even if I did see it during the day, it still leaves a profound impact on you for a long time to come. It's amazing what you can do with just 11,000 dollars. What did Oren Peli do? He created a masterpiece. This is one movie that is not for the faint of heart, and not for people who just expect gore. This is for those who love psychological horror movies like "The Haunting" and "The Others." You won't be able to sleep for days. And most of all, you must never see it alone. This is the one we've been waiting for.
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