Paranormal Activity (2009)

Katie and Micah, a young couple in San Diego, hear strange bumps in the night; Micah buys a fancy video camera to capture evidence in case something weird is happening in their home. And it is. We, the audience, see through the lens as the video evidence accumulates, the bumps get bumpier and the nights get both stranger and scarier.

Paranormal Activity isn't your the usual slick horror we've become used to - although obviously a lot of work and editing has gone into it, it's very proudly a low-budget Blair Witch-inspired film, shot over just seven days by a first-time filmmaker with just two assistants. There's no music and a very small cast. At 90 minutes, it's only just a feature film really, and it feels like a short. The atmosphere is also undermined by some comedy, not all of which I'm sure is intentional, an annoying character (Micah) and some hilariously clunky storytelling.

But considering the budget, this is a pretty good film, and quite an achievement for the writer and director Oren Peli. It does build tension pretty well and it is quite scary in an old-fashioned unoriginal way. Katie Featherston is pretty good as Katie, while Micah Sloat is okay in a very irritating part, doubling as cameraman. I enjoyed it, and even the clunkiness and occasional laughs contribute to a potentially ironic cult appeal. It could do surprisingly well. It's a slight film, and the ending is a let-down. It says a lot, though, that I felt disappointed there wasn't another twenty or thirty minutes of tension and exploration. I was never bored, and left wishing there'd been more.

It's not the best horror out there but it is entertaining and the scare factor is amplified when viewed at home. The walk up to your bedroom, after watching this, will be a long, fright filled one.

Director: Nora Ephron
Starring: Meryl Streep, Amy Adams
Certificate: 12
Runtime: 90 minutes (approx.)
Special Features: Alternative Ending/ "Film Your Own Paranormal Activity" Short Films/ Introduction by Director Oren Peli/ Audio Commentary by Director Oren Peli
Release date: 22 March 2010
RRP: £19.99

Carl Gardner, Barrister and Legal Blogger

To read more musings from Carl Gardner check out his insightful and entertaining blog at;  http://www.freelanceintellectual.com