Paranormal Activity is one of those rare movies that stays with you long after it’s ended because the storytelling is so deftly handled. Very simple elements, almost bordering on clichés, are used in a way I can only describe as virtuoso. The sound of footsteps proceeding and receding, seeing a light turn on & off down the hallway, the slight movement of a door in the context of the plot take on a significance way beyond what you would have thought possible. My fears that I would be underwhelmed were unfounded.
The biggest surprise to me was the amount of humor in the movie. The best scary movies have elements of humor in them to prevent them from being too grim to enjoy. The humor in Paranormal Activity not only served as a contrast to the intensity of the more frightening scenes, but also helped the audience to empathize with Katie and Micah, who were a likeable dare I say pretty normal couple.
My only complaints are minor ones. Even though I liked the ending and found it especially disturbing, the fact that the effects went beyond the reality of the entire movie to that point took the movie out of character a little and made it less believable. I certainly hope the DVD release contains the other endings as bonuses.
I’ve seen a lot of scary movies, and Paranormal Activity is right up there with the best of them, if not on top, certainly within spittin’ distance.
I think it’s due for release in the UK on the 27th of November.
