Review by Neil Queen
Stars Katie Featherstone, Micah Sloat, Amber Armstrong, Mark Friedrichs | Written by Oren Peli
UK certification 15 | UK RRP £19.99 | DVD Region 2 | Runtime 82 minutes | Directed by Oren Peli
Watching Paranormal Activity on DVD after the white-knuckle hubbub it caused on its theatrical release feels like watching Match of the Day after missing the match live – it’s still a valid experience, but the thrill of not knowing what happens is greatly diminished.
Fortunately, the film’s simple domestic set-up actually lends itself kindly to home viewing, neatly reinforcing the J-horror trick of making the mundane monstrous. Plagued by unexplained incidents of nocturnal ghosty bumpage, preppy couple Katie and Micah decide to video these events. This not being the first time Katie’s faced this, she also calls in a psychic, though her more cynical boyfriend leans towards more practical solutions. After being warned that they have a demon for a lodger, the night terrors get worse. In spades.
Paranormal Activity feels more of a procession than a film, with the narrative no more than a peg to hang the shocks on. Closer to the carnie methodology of B-movie gimmick-peddler William Castle than the smart planning of The Blair Witch Project, director Peli simply leads us from one incident to another, hoping that the primal fear that the stripped-down format and found-footage genre stir up will suffice. Which they do – if you buy into it, you’ll spend the next day fearing that your George Foreman grill will try to Linda Blair you, and even if you don’t buy it, you’ll still find yourself getting creeped out, not least by the brutally intense ending. This is despite some glaring flaws. Micah’s an impressive specimen of douchey repugnance – clearly his crass actions are meant to be driving the plot, but his sheer dickheadedness undermines the gravitas. As things escalate he never succumbs to fear, unrealistically so. On top of this, the footage feels too filmic, too neatly framed, and the found-footage genre conventions are all too plainly visible. Micah’s need to include the camera is also too contrived and drags you out of the tension.
Despite all that, it works. Peli’s intent to scare is boldly stated, and by confining the scope, he’s produced a potent shocker that deserves your time and attention.
EXTRAS ★★ An audio commentary with writer/director Peli; an alternate ending; the winning entries from the Film Your Own Paranormal Activity short film competition.