Review of Paranormal Activity

I remember one time I was in a restroom and out of nowhere the sink came on (was not a sensor sink). At the time I simply figured the plumbing somehow short circuited, but who knows. Perhaps some supernatural ghost or demon was haunting the bathroom on the 3rd floor of Buckman Hall at Rhodes College and was trying to tell me to wash my hands. Most people have had something unexplainable happen to them, and it just depends on the individual to decide whether the cause was coincidence or if there is such a thing as ghost.

In Paranormal Activity a young couple begins questioning the weird sounds in the night and the mysterious things that happen while they sleep. In an attempt to get evidence of the ghost or demon haunting their house, the husband named Micah buys a video camera to try and catch the "paranormal activities" on tape. Day by day the camera records stranger and more evidential activities of demons in the house, who appear to be trying to control the body of the wife named Katie. The couple has no idea what to do because the demon seems to have been following Katie since she was a small girl. They want to leave the house but they know that the demon will only bring torment to other people they come into contact with. In broad terms, they're fucked. Micah wants to figure out the problem, but his pride and reckless personality does not allow himself to call for help. Katie just feels desperate, confused, and guilty. She doesn't understand why this is happening to her and simply wants it to go away (who wouldn't).

What is very frightening about Paranormal Activity is despite its extremely low budget, it is one of the most believable horror films ever made. It is shot with a hand-held camera and with simple effects, which makes it almost look like a home movie. With this in mind, Paranormal Activity makes the audience question those sounds they may hear in the night. This is what makes this film really scary and unique. So if you like horror films, Paranormal Activity is a must see. First time director Oren Peli has proved that a big-budget, experience and all-star actors are not needed to make a top-notch horror film. All it takes is an original, interesting idea and 10,000 dollars (The Paranormal Activity budget) to scare people out of their seats.

RATING: 3.6/5