|
|
| MOVIES | MUSIC | | | VIDEO GAMES | | | COMICS | | | COMMUNITY |
horror |
dvd |
indie |
reviews |
coming soon |
video |
interviews |
articles |
 Movie Pit |
More |
Discuss
|
|
|
|
Paranormal Activity (limited)
 Read 235 User Reviews You have to be logged in to comment! If you don't have an account register now for free! Your account allows you to post comments and reviews, upload videos and images, access or our forums, write personal blogs, and maintain your profile.
any serious horror fan is not going to agree with the overhyped declaration that this is one of the 'scariest films of all time.' Not by a long shot. While i can applaud the lean toward realism, a woman getting sleepwalk-possessed and standing in the middle of her bedroom for two hours is just not scary. a fluttering bedsheet is just not scary. ridiculous looking footprints are not scary. the only moments that really got me at all was the last two night sequences.. the down the hallway shot was done superbly and the first half of the final night shot was as well. I could have done without the demonic grin into the camera and the cliched textual explanation ending. its not a BAD film but i think any jaded horror film isn't going to get a rise from anything in it, unless its the buxom Featherson spending most the film in her tanktop and then only barely. over-hyped.
First of all, I would not classify this movie as "horror", I would classify it in the "suspense" category. Nonetheless it was still a good movie. That being said, anybody who didn't like this movie either doesn't have an imagination, is jealous because they didn't think of it first, or just simply wants attention for being different. Comparing "Paranormal Activity" to "The Blair Witch Project" is erroneous. They are two different concepts and two different movies. Just because they were in a sense filmed the same way does not make them the same movie or one a copycat from the other. The acting is exactly what you'd see in these people's lives given the circumstances. This is where people's lack of imagination comes in. If you can't imagine what it would be like if this situation was really happening then obviously you won't be able to understand the movie and I'm sorry you have to live like that. One point of movies is to stimulate the imagination of it's viewers and, for those of us that have one, this movie certainly succeeded in that capacity. This movie was not "overhyped" it's called marketing. I've seen more commercials and trailers for "The Wolfman" than I did for "Paranormal Activity". That doesn't make the movie "overhyped" it simply means that the movie has a good marketing plan. Calling this movie the "scariest movie ever" I definitely do not agree with, but every year there is a movie or two that will make this claim. However I also realize that this claim is in the eye of the beholder, there may be somebody who legitimately thought that this was the scariest movie ever but that person is not me. Over all this was a good movie and definitely one worth seeing.
Scariest movie of all time? Hell fucking no! After hearing all the hype about this movie, i got excited. And when my chance came to see the movie, i did as soon as i could. And i was walking into the theater thinking to myself, am i finally going to see a horror film that does its job and scare me? No! This movie was so borning, nothing really happens, just a few load noises and a door slamming shut, it about all the action you get with this. I don't know why people like this movie so much or think it is the scariest movie they have ever seen. It isn't, the movie is not scary at all, it's just borning and slow, and its hard for you to keep you're eyes open through it. I was really really disapointed with this movie, and i think alot people will be, and have been. If anyone hasn't seen this movie, and want to because you've heard so much hype about it. My guess is you will probably not like this movie, i would stay away from this one.
I don't see what the big deal is, don't get me wrong, I liked the film its just I don't see why people were cumming on themselves over this movie. It was an OK movie at best, it doesn't get good until the end the rest is a bunch of bullshit. They should have showed her possesed a lot more that would have made it scarier. OK movie, but HIGHLY OVERRATED.
. . . . . WHAT THE FUCK. . . . . this is, dare I say it, more boring than fuckin "ghost hunters". heres the movie if you havent watched it. man and woman sleeping in the room, door opens. next day, check the tape. "omg, im so scared". sigh. the only suspensful part of the god forsaken thing was the ending sequence where she kills her hubby and looks all weird. thats it. in a nut shell. my friend wasted 4 bucks at blockbuster. suck for him. if your into "paranormal state" or ghost hunters, then this slow, un climatic snore fest is right up your alley. if you enjoy a story, acting, and something actually ahppening in a movie, look elsewhere. not even goo dpot and a few wisecracking friends couldnt save this heeping pile of rat monkey feces. fuck this in its ear.
Definite piece of shit and waste of my time Poltergeist was/is better than this piece of shit.2/10
awesome movie! Seriously, this is definitely going into my top 10 list. just the creepiness of it alone makes it a winner. I hear a lot of hater and if ur hating it because it is "overhype" then you're idiots. Sorry, that's not a legitimate enough reason to hate on it. As a life-long horror fan, i totally recommend this because if you ALLOW it, it will be worth the ride. 10/10. peace.
This movie is why i love horror movies. Simple storytelling and tight filmmaking. Scares in this movie are earned, not forced, and the level of tension is constant. Can't stand how people let the "hype" for a movie ruin the experience that the filmmaker intended on. This movie may not be everyone's cup o' tea (it is a bloodless affair), but it taps on fears that everyone can relate to. Do yourself a favor and forget the endless hype and praise, and try to enjoy a 90 minute film that entertains, and leaves a lasting impression.
wow, this has to be the most wasted time of my life and the only reason i am writing is so others don't fall victim to the BS hype surrounding this movie. This movie was worse than an Uwe Boll flick. For those who know what i'm talking about, take heed. For those who don't, just do yourself a favor, unless you want to be able to say that you saw the most terrible movie ever, leave this crap alone. bloody disgusting reviews are now useless to me...
DO NOT BUY THIS MOVIE Paranormal activity was made up to be the scariest movie of the year. I got it the day it came out, and all i got to say is a complete waste of money. The only people who would actually be scared while watchin this are people that have sheltered lives and have never watched an actual horror movie before. if you are looking for a good movie to watch and you wanna be scrared dont get this movie youll fall asleep half way through it and itll be 2 hours of your life that you can never get back.
This film was such a let down. It constantly built up moments only to last for 30 seconds any horror lover will agree this is just not scary at all. Just a pile of shit
this shouldent even be classified as a movie,this is not even you tube web series quality. people suck and so does this
The only thing scary about this film is the HYPE HYPE.....people are weak minded thinking this was SCARY....infact just to get more freaked out I watched this movie in the dark to be oh so daring and I was laughing thur this movie, oh I must jumped at the ending that was the really scary part lololol.....what is what reviewers thinking theses days?....how can this be so fcuked scary?.....I must admit it had some interesting scenes with KATIE being dragged out of the bed cool I thought. I thought it was so funny when the psych dude said he needed to leave the house it didn't like him being there that was soooo funny the dialog btw the couple was a hoot too. Gee wiz I hope they find KATIE lololo.
6/10 It's entertaining as a look into the lives of the victims of a supernatural haunting. As a horror film? It's just not scary and there's barely any horror. A total of maybe two minutes of actual horror scenes -- usually consisting of a door creaking or a brief noise. Hype. Hype. Hype.
First off all I what to say that the BD Review was the one I went off off to watch this movie. I'll tell you, it is over-hyped. While the premise does surround a post-Blair Witch Project pattern, it doesn't really pull if off as well. The story surrounds a Katie and Micah and the long history between Katie's past and a haunting. While I don't want to spoil anything in particular (and there is not much) the film does succeed in drawing you into the believable world of a haunted house. The camera work is superb considering it's all from a first-person point-of-view, and has the feel of an amateur film-maker. The problems come when the movie tries to scare you. Early on the audience is gone to figure out when to be nervous and when to relax. That's fine, if they pulled off the night "attacks" well- they do not. I don't really want to go into details, but immediately you get the feeling that all the attacks are not as fierce as Katie implies. Apparently she gone through this trauma before and has reoccurring nightmares because of it, but only once did I feel that an event experienced was one to be deemed "terrifying". The ultimate bomb comes at the predictable Hollywood ending and i guess is suppose to fighting you. You might jump a little, but you certainly wont have nightmares afterwords. Since this is filmed as an amateur video the movie has no soundtrack, which is fine as it adds to the films atmosphere. Which to add the actors themselves also play very well. They are believable as these two semi-helpless viewers to the happenings around them and that alone is great giving the lack of content to work with. Since the film is already on Blu-ray and DVD, it seems to add insult to injury as the Blu-ray version does not contain any special features (besides an Alt ending that is more suitable then the stock), which considering it's costly price is a ripoff. All-in-all I must say that this film disappoints. While others might be scared out of there wits, that should only fall on to those with weak stomachs and those that are not avid horror watchers, otherwise this might be a snoozer for you.
Its most effective if the viewer is watching it alone in the dark. Otherwise it can come off as kind of cheesy. I'll tell you what i'm not f*ckin around with a wiji board after watching this.
this movie does live up to the hype surrounding it...some people do not believe or are just not scared of the concepts in this movie...that is fine, but if you can really get into the movie it scares the shit out of you!!!
What I like about this film is the filmmaker put together a great little movie that really has all the elements of a failure. The acting was subpar,the characters were weak and annoying. The couple had a real hit n miss chemistry. the last 20 minutes was really the only high light of the film. But the film worked, It is the best ghost movie I have seen for a long time. One of the best horror/thriller films of the year. Very entertaining! Don't compare this movie too Blair witch because this film is watchable.
I'm sorry but this did nothing for me. The movie had been hyped by my friends and on tv to the point that it was supposed to be excruciatingly terrifying. I respect the movie- small budget film tghat took the world by storm and it's attempts to do something differnet but that's about where it ends. I think I jumped once or twice and that's it. It had the potential to be scary, alot of potential but that was just not met.And you could see the ending coming before it happened. Result of too much hype.
I think that people over exaggerate on this movie. Yes it is scary in places and gives nightmares bt it is easy to laugh it off. This film was losely based on a true account like The Exorcist and Texas Chainsaw massacre but it isn't a Shit yourself to death type movie. The Last two nights are scary but thats it. i tink the film is okay but all these the scariest film ever made movies i have seen. And guess what? i wasn't scared! I'm 14 and i'm not scared so why should you be!!!
Not as scary as people say it is, but it is pretty scary at times. It's nice to see it's not a gory remake, and it's certinaly better than the crap Hollywood makes today.
amazing
Okay, yesterday I bought this movie on DVD and, It was SOOO GOOD! It almost lives up to blair witch. My favorite part is when they find the picture in the Attic.
A movie that lives up to the hype? Can it be? I'd say Paranormal Activity almost does. It's creepy and actually is scary. First and foremost, I think this is the type of movie you watch ALONE in your empty house with volume at full blast. I read that you should experience this movie in theaters but I beg to differ. I can't imagine feeling scared at all during this movie if I have a large group of people around me. The thing that makes this movie scary is how these 2 people feel isolated from everyone in the world in their house. There is no one they can turn to for help. The reason I don't give this a perfect rating is because of the ending. Darn. It fails to live up to the rest of the movie. A shame for sure, but I can't think of any other way to end it so I guess I have to give props to them for trying at least. The theatrical and alternative endings are not too much different, just the theatrical ending is a little more special effects oriented I suppose. If I had to choose I'd watch the film with the theatrical ending (the DVD gives you an option). If you are like me..watches Ghost Hunters every week (and Ghost Lab now), then I'm sure you will find a lot to like with this movie as I did. At some points I thought the movie was gonna go too far with the exorcist kinda stuff but the movie keeps it simple (with the ending being the only exception) and is pretty creative with the ways it creeps you out. As for anyne that says the actors sucked or whatever (I've read a few say this), then the people complaining must not hang around normal people. Both actors should be given credit for pulling off 2 performances that feel very real. Sigh of relief on this part because the movie would of definitely sucked if the actors weren't capable of pulling it off (there is basically only 2 people in 90% of this movie). 9/10 for me.
A creepy movie, an unsetteling film that can be boring but is very scary
I loved this movie. As it says on the poster: "one of the scariest movies of all time" and I agree. Though there is one reason why I didn't give it full points: I hated the ending. Some people compare this movie to The Blair Witch Project, but in my opinion Blair Witch is way more scarier than this, as it does not depend on scares, though scenes in Paranormal were not fully scares, but pure, frightening horror with a mix of occasional scares. Still, I recommend this for everyone, but heed my warning: you will not be able to sleep for a few days after you've seen this. At least I weren't.
This movie fell victim to the "Blair Witch hype". I would have been very excited to randomly find this as an obscure gem at an art theatre or an independent film festival, which is where this films following began. However, it continuued on from then, and built a huge hype to become this major hollywood smash....but the problem is, once 100,000,000 people see it all at once, they figure out that it is not something for the masses. Now it is going to be rented on DVD....much like "Blair Witch Project", this movie seems like it wouldn't be remotely impressive on dvd. It's much more of a theatrical experience. The DVD's will be available for $3 at Big Lots before too long. Now, what's even worse is they are continuing down the erroneous road that Blair Witch took in securing an immediate sequel for next year. Does anybody remember "Book of Shadows: Blair Witch 2"? No, I thought not. They are going to shoot themselves in the foot. With that out of the way, this is a very neat, creepy, and sometimes genuinely scary little indie low-budget horror movie. If you have a last chance to catch it at a cheap theatre, do it now. Otherwise, don't bothering renting...maybe watch it when it comes on the sci/fi channel, but it probably won't be impressive.
I liked it and yes I did get scared...
This film has really taken off and I'd heard so many good things about it but I was left feeling a little disappointed. Maybe it was because of all the hype but it didn't really meet my expectations. I'm glad that I got the full effect of watching it in a cinema as I've heard that it isn't scary at all when watched on a TV screen. I liked how the more the boyfriend got involved, the more intense the activity became and there were some genuinely creepy moments in the film. Considering the budget I think that they did very well with the resources (mainly sound, lighting and setting) that they had although the acting could've been better. It isn't a bad film but it's not that great either.
Scariest movie of all time? Not even close. This woman is haunted by a demon (I don't remember any explanation why), and her boyfriend is initially skeptical, but for some unexplained reason he seems to be utterly believe and this is before any real weird shit happens. Oh, how do we know it's a demon? Some 'psychic' guy who gives some bad exposition then exits frame. But is this demon real? We don't know the answer until we see a ouija board catch fire. That's when the movie started getting ridiculous. Because it doesn't leave it open for any other explanation (which would be scarier). Anyway, seeing doors opening and closing and the sounds of footsteps isn't exactly scary. Neither is the 'possessed' girl. The ending is laughable and cheesy. There's no depth to this movie, it's made to scare 13 year old girls. The Blair Witch Project was better made and much scarier. Hearing stories of suppposed 'real' hauntings is scarier than this. I could go on but overall I thought this was boring. It did have some moments of suspense but as it went on it just became sillier. It's not the scariest movie of all time, The Exorcist still holds that title.
I really cannot trust Blood-Disgustings' reviews anymore after seeing the great review this movie had gotten. This was the worst horror movie I had ever seen, and I stand by that. There was not one scary part in this movie, the comic relief made me want to shoot myself, and nothing happened. It made you think that the whole movie was about a ghost but it turned out that it was a demon, but an invisible one that can make foot prints and carry things? This makes no sense. There were many times in this movie where I questioned my sanity for sitting through it, one time was the part where the ouiji board caught on fire, the main boy character sad NOTHING about the fire, yet was astonished that it moved. HE WANTED IT TO MOVE, you'd think that it catching on fire would be more miraculous. I was so disappointed with this movie, you have no idea. It really discredits a lot of horror movie fanatics when they say that this was "the scariest movie of all time, you will be effected" the only way I could understand you guys saying that is if you were paid off by the movie just to add more hype. So stating again, this was the worst horror movie I had ever seen, and I no longer will base my movie watchings on the reviews of this site because of this.
great movie. builds so much tention that ur heart is in ur mouth ready to pop out. theres one thing thats suck a bit, the ending
I went to the cinema last night with my two m8's to see this & showcase owe me £7.50. The film is definately trying to rip off Blair Witch & the whole thing a complete load of bollucks, for example her changing wtf's with that, the writer should've replaced the demon with a ghost. The film is a Blair Witch & exorcist wannabe, very dissapointed.
I've already made two reviews (one was very long) for Paranormal Activity. So making another one here would be very stressful and braindraining, but I'm just gonna give out my main posts. This is a movie that must be seen inside a theater without any distractions. The use of shadows, lighting, wind, and sounds are brilliant.And people would only be able to experience them the way they were intended to be experienced IF IT IS SEEN IN A CINEMA. I keep pointing this out because there are so many people here are downloading this film, watch it in there laptop or TV, and complain afterward. I am seriously pissed at these uncredible complaints. With just pocket change for a production budget, the makers of Paranormal Activity make the most of what they can do. People can complain if Oren Peli had Jerry Bruckheimer beside him as a walking ATM. Paranormal is a hugely creative movie and professors of film in colleges will forever mention the success of Paranormal Activit with noob and/or aspiring filmmakers. I haven't gave my full thoughts on this film, but after two reviews, I'm not sure if I have the strength and will to do so. I'm not complaining. Last thought: To appreciate this, a patient attitude and a fat attention span is mandatory.
Interesting and well acted...but highly over rated when it was all said and done. The whole having to "DEMAND IT NOW!" gimmick was so completely lame...since when do we as audience members have to "DEMAND" to see a film which has already been made AND sold to a distributor?!? It's not the movie's fault, but the whole marketing hype almost ruined the experience before I even got to finally see the film. I recommend seeing this if you enjoy Ghost Hunters or other paranormal shows (and it IS somewhat creepy), but don't buy into the hype or believe it's going to be the scariest movie you've ever seen.
I went to see the movie today. It started off pretty slow, I thought it would be as boring as some people had told me, but as the creepy things started to happen in the night, I was hooked. The scenes at night are sometimes terrifying, and make you jump out of your seat, but some are slightly predictable. I have to say from the moment Katie gets dragged out of bed I was on the edge of my seat. I loved this film and am going to see it again, dragging my horror-phobic friends with me. They have to see it. Can't wait until it comes out on DVD, I want to see the alternate ending. Disappointed it only has two of the three endings on it though. Awesome Film. =D
This is the Haunted house movie I have been waiting for. When I talk to people who didn't like the movie, they always say the same thing "it's stupid all we see is things moving by themselves and hear foot steps. Well no shit remember you walked into a hauted house movie what did you expect zombie's and werewolve's. The movie does a great job of building mood and the night scenes are definetly the best. I actually saw the original version which was quite different from the theatrical version (that's right I got it off the Internet, but don't you wory I will be buying it when it comes out on DVD and watch the other version). What I didn't like was the ending as I thought it was a little extreme, I just didn't buy it but maybe I will like the other ending better
Had to choose the in-between ranking here. The movie is fun and entertaining until the stupid theatrical twist ending. That brings the ranking of the movie down to 5/10. But, seeing the movie with the original ending, I give it a 7/10.
yes, one of the horror highlights of this year. super-scary from beginning to the end. Great actors, great effects, great movie
Overhyped, but that doesn't mean it's terrible. It was nowhere near 'scary', though. The more suspenseful scenes were of course the nighttime scenes, but beyond these scenes there is hardly any substance here. It's just... boring.
I honestly thought I wasnt gonna like this movie.Strangely enough I did.Ok it diffently reminded me of the blair witch project but with a better story line.I loved the build up between the two main characters,How he taunts the demon,and the end result of the taunting.How shes clueless as to handle all this and then her final possesion.to me this movie Had the Blair Witch Camera Style and The character build up of CloverField.Diff give this one a chance.
I could barely watch this movie, it just wasn't my thing.
Pathetic
not going to lie i hated this movie, i think there was one scary part in the whole movie; it builds up so much suspense but falls short.
so creepy. loved it. too bad about all they hype, and i kind of preferred the original ending, a little more mysterious i guess. or maybe just because i saw that one first! watch it!
EPIC. It's... I wouldn't say it is 'slow'. But the film builds up to an absolutely terrifying ending. It prepared me, little by little. I can truly say that I was uncomfortable to turn the lights off and sleep. The only other movie that made me feel this way was REC. So, I give this film props. If you're a fan of the paranormal, you must MUST MUST watch this film.
This movie scared the bejesus out of me. After it started and the first night scene began with the flick of the light switch, I was already crawling out of my skin waiting for something to happen. Movies like this bring you back to what horror really is. When there are countless films out there that aim to gross you out, terrify you with painful violence and really nothing else except for the cookie cutter gore we are all growing numb to, a film like this stands out. The scares leave you with your jaw agape, your eyes teary, and the hairs on yours arms standing on end. Something I have grown to hate about new horror is the needless and sometimes lazy use of CGI. This film used nothing of the sort which kept it clean and so real that you could have sworn it was genuine. And to add to the "real feel" was the acting. These people actually seemed terrified. Katie's screams were.... amazing. She was scared out of her mind, helpless, and there were times that the surprise and uncertainty in her voice was painful to listen to. You have to see this movie. The only thing that left me with a bad taste in mouth, as slight was it is, was the very last scene with "the face". I didn't like it and in my humble opinion, they could have left it out. The movie would have still been awesome. Altogether, I give this movie my wee little badge of approval. I loved it, although I couldn't sleep if my life depended on it the night I saw it. Haha. I will buy this when it comes out. =)
I thought that the film needed to take it up at least one more notch before the end. The story kept building but never quite hit a crescendo. That would be the film's major flaw in my account. The second flaw is the fact that the girlfriend doesn't leave the guy. Screw leaving the house, dump that self-involved twit. I think the boyfriend character should have been toned down a little.
I had heard everything from this is so scary to a Blair Witch rip off. I must say Paranormal Activity is 1200 times scarier than Blair Witch or any film in the "shaky camera" genre!
This movie is hot and miss. Much of it is fairly average, but it is let down by its ending and the designed scare-set which has the criitcal viewer annoyed at what is clearly designed for the activity. They never shut the door: nevermind that it can open afterwards: the people were scared, yet every night they slept with a door to darkness right there. They hardly ever turn on the lights. After all 'darkness is scary' and its a movie. The ending was extremely abrupt and left the viewer sat there hanging full of questions. Above all, its not really that creepy. I give it 50% as there really are some good parts in the movie. The dragging-scene was excellent. All in all, an ok movie to watch with your friends on Halloween with the lights off, but you better have a better movie to finish the night with, this will disappoint.
great movie! the reason I find it scary is because it's realistic, if you believe in ghosts like a lot or poeple do then this should scare you.
The movie was great. period. I hate people complaining about the marketing or the budget, WHO CARES the movie was made to scare you, it did it. ANYONE who has seen this movie was scared during it, it was well directed, very very well acted, and scared you without showing you anything really, great movie, but i do hope that we are not bombarded with low budget "handycam" movies now. leave well enough alone GREAT MOVIE 8/10
I took my girlfriend to go see this movie, and she almost ripped my arm off. I must admit that I have seen plenty of scary movies, and this one would be the freakest one that I have seen. I thought it was a little slow in the begining but it makes sense since the viewers need to see the charcaters and become attached to them. After the first night that is when the movie became really interesting and freaky. I thought this was a really well done movie, and the theatre ending is a much better ending then the original movie ending witht he police. I am not going to ruin the ending just incase there are some readers here that have not seen the movie. I would recommend this movie to anyone that is looking for a good scare and would see this movie again.
SCAIRED ME ...I made home made horror films since I was 5 ...and of coarse after I saw blair witch I made a film inspired by that called MIDNIGHT THEATER (search for it on youtube lol) anyways this movie is scary!! and remind me of that homemade feel...except you do feel like its HOME MOVIES... if you belive in ghosts and such ...like have you ever been home alone and thought you heard sumthing and it totaly just freaks you out its like that!!...I fyou open yurself up tot he film and take it like its real ...it should scare you.
News flash...this is not some new “movie” phenomena just introduced into film making…low budget movies are quite common and most of them are pretty good…unlike PARANORMAL ACTIVITY-a marketers wet dream. The only thing scary is that people are spending money on this film…the lightweight film goers who thought this movie was scary probably think Raimi’s Drag Me To Hell is a serious horror film too. Can anyone say Blair Witch Project meets Most Haunted? What a waste of celluloid. Six months from now the same people who called this movie “fantastic” will be spending time on blogs and horror movie websites being derisive and condescending of all of the people who thought this film is so “Ground Breaking”. People said the same thing about The Blair Witch Project back in 1999…come on…there are better films you could be spending your time and money on. Just wait until the Wayan Brothers start parodying Paranormal Activity…then see who is cheering for this $15,000 faux ghost story home movie; you would get a better value by watching Ghost Adventures or Ghost Hunters on TV…at least they entertain you.
this movie was decent and at its best was nerve racking and frightening.. the daytime parts were extremely boring but the nighttime was scary as hell...the last 45 minutes of this fil are some of the most intense scenes i have witnessed and the last 5 mminutes shook me to the core and frightened me.... go see it in a theatre or skip it...
This is by far the scariest movie I've seen to date. It left me uneasy, scared, shaking and nervous -- yet I was laughing at how insanely scared I was. This proves that Hollywoods needs to get a grip, drop the remakes and let independent filmmakers handle this genre. They seem to know best how to make real horror and suspense.
This movie seriously disappointed. It was so widely hyped thanks to the internet. I really find it funny how Steven Spielberg enjoys this movie. I really don't care for his opinion ever since he entrusted Transformers to Micheal Bay. Next, the film was not scary at all. The acting was mediocre at best, and the story line was terribly weak and not original. I feel that the overhype of this movie is the only reason why it was number 1 over Saw VI. The only part I enjoyed was when the cops came in at the end. Otherwise the film was not interesting. I know I sound like a broken record. I am sorry, but I just don't know what is wrong with the population of people who see horror movies. I guess I can give this film one positive for not being a remake, yet. Notice how when you search this film there is already a remake link, probably to do with Spielberg's rewrite of the ending. Anyway, the films "scares" are really obvious, like a door slamming off screen, the bass pulse to signal spirits. I guess for the budget they were on it was decent. But nothing a few strings here and there couldn't take care of. I feel that this movie was a big let down.
Saw Paranormal last night at home... And I think that's part of the problem. I truly think that for the sound and experience it probably should be seen in the theatre. With that said, hats off to the creators on making a really well done little movie. No, it's not the scariest movie ever made, but there was some genuine creepiness to it. Loved the subtler moments such as when the shadow first crossed the door. Great effect. On the other end of things, the exorcism scene should have been cut out completely. Waste of time and really did show the low budget nature of the film. With that said, it is tremendous that a true indie film is getting this much pub. Wish people would give indie films more of a chance and stop running to the theaters to see major motion drivel like "Drag Me To Hell." Not a great movie by any stretch of the imagination, but a solidly done film.
I walked out of the theater after seeing this thinking that it was an utter shit-fest. But after watching the original ending, and thinking over the movie, I've decided that it would have been much better watching it at home alone in the dark than in a theater with dozens of other people. I can't justify giving it a better rating though because there really isn't much original material in this, it's mostly the execution of the film that makes it great. A twist on the old cliches of haunted house films, but it would have been nice to see a film made like this without the cliches. Something truly original, not just something that looks original. Still good though, the actors were fine, the pacing, the story overall, and either ending, all great. Can't wait to watch this again on DVD so I can truly enjoy it.
Great movie , wish i could see the old ending to know what the hell everyone is talking about
Good movie. The reason why people think it's so scary because way the film is. Looks like a documentary
This movie must be seen in theater to appreciate. Key to the experience is fellow audience members - IMO it's the group experience that makes the movie. Key to it is the utter silence that came over the audience each time the night camera come on and the subsequent group response when something did happen. I think this movie is an audience make or break. Bad audience, bad movie experience; good audience - great movie experience. Last two money shots were two of the best I'd experienced. Half hour in I almost gave up on the movie though, but then it picked up.
I have to say this is not a scary movie. Good but not scary. Through most of the movie me and others in the theater were laughing. Not at the few lines that were supposed to be funny but at those scenes that were supposed to give us the creeps. At the end when it says blah blah blah on the screen and it goes black the whole theater was silent waiting for something (credits, big scare, something). Only seconds after it went black the clean up crew walked in. We waited and waited. Finally one of the cleaning guys says "If you're wondering nothing happens. That's it. The movie is over." The whole theater started busting up laughing. So it was not scary but it still was a great movie and a GREAT movie going experience. Catch it in theaters if you get a chance.
I didn't really go into this film with any expectations, but let me tell you, it scared the living hell out of me, and that's saying a lot. If you've ever watched one of those ghost videos on Youtube and felt that buildup of tension as you wait to see what's going to happen, imagine that for an hour and a half. The whole movie got creepier and creepier until I nearly shat myself at the ending. I guess the dialogue scenes slowed it down a little, but they seemed really realistic and candid. Overall, the pacing was great, the scares were great, the acting was surprisingly good, and it blew the living shit out of 'Blair Witch.' See it. You'll shit yourself.
Creepy movie. Not the scariest movie ever, as I've heard it called; but spooky. The best parts are when you hear the footsteps and keep waiting for something to come up the stairs but never does. Excellent movie for what it is: a low budget movie doing well. I got tired of the shaky camera - doesn't the high def camera have image stabilization? Anyone else notice all we ever see of the woman are crotch and boob shots for the entire movie? I'm not complaining, I didn't mind looking; but it was a little obvious.
Great film. Kind of scared me tbh.
Quite good, but not even remotely frightening. I actually found it way more humorous than any comedy of '09. Scary or not the movie is very entertaining and certainly worthy of viewing.
I honestly don't understand why people don't find this movie truly terrifying. Is it because of the watered down "horror" movies Hollywood has been force-feeding us these many years? I guess maybe you have to be a firm believer in the paranormal to truly "get" this film. Having been through similar circumstances, this is what it's basically like. This movie doesn't just scare, it gets inside you and grabs hold.
Reading some of these reviews, I've begun to wonder if I saw the same movie so many others did. What a waste of time. A few creepy scenes don't make a movie. MAJOR let down.
paranormal was the little movie that would one day become one of the scariest movies of all time. by the time u walk into the theatre u can feel something, something u dont want too feel, like something is almost missing from u........that would be your bravery leaving as soon as you enter the theatre doors. paranormal turns the grown mann/woman inside of you back into the little kid you used too be and making you afraid of the dark once morree. so basically paranormal was one of the finest made horror/shaky cam movies i have ever seeen and i hope you all enjoy this masterpiece. what happens when you sleep? dare you see the phenomenon? dont see it alone ;)
i was bummed, i hyped it up in my mind for 3 years and was totally let down. the scary parts were awesome but as a whole i was expecting the next modern day poltergeist.it was cool but nowhere near as cool as i thought it would be. it was worth my 5 bucks i guess.
The hype surrounding this movie has been immense, still I had low expectations going to the movies. I hated all of the shaky cam movies like [REC] and Cloverfield, and though this might be yet another of these. But I was wrong. The camera was relatively steady throughout most of the movie. I think that there were like three times in the entire movie where the cam was shaky, so that wasnt an issue. The movie felt a bit like a modern POV take on poltergeist. I think that the characters in the movie played really well, and the movie had a nice build up of tension. There was no boring moments of the movie. So was the movie really that scary? Kinda, tons of people were freaking out and screaming at the movie theater :-P I get spooked a few times with the shocks, and with the ending. The effects are well done, and the couple is acting relatively rationally. So check it out.
I went into this film with the hype in mind. I was expecting something less than talked about but at least frightening. I got the giggles about half way through and couldn't stop until I was in my car driving home. I really loved the bird feet. This wasn't a bad film, but certainly not scary.
The scariest thing about this movie is easily the hype, other than that, it's a very sufficient, "What's that noise?" thriller. Spooky at best, certainly not "one of the frightening films of all time", but still worth checking out anyways, just don't expect too much.
After an almost three year wait, I finally saw this in theaters. I agree with the critic that reviewed this film, save the ending. I saw the point, whereas he did not. It was pretty jarring and definitely bizarre and, to me, terrifying. It guaranteed plenty of jumps and chills down my spine, goosebumps, etc, but the most terrifying part of the movie was when I went to sleep the night right after I saw it. This film is very hyped, and depending on your views of the paranormal - it may or may not freak you out. I am a firm believer, with experiences to prove, which is why this film got underneath my skin. Don't expect a hollywood blockbuster jam packed with cgi special effects (ie The Haunting with Catherine Zeta Jones). The reason most people are disappointed with this film is because of that reason, as well as what I mentioned above: If you don't believe, you don't be shaken. I loved it and personally feel that the only way to see this IS in theaters. I have the original film festival copy on DVD, and it is quite different from the theatrical release. Lots of scenes are prolonged, several scenes happen that do not happen in this version, but the night scenes aren't nearly as terrifying. I am glad several things were reshot for the new release. So, it's one of those "you love it or you hate it" films - but to my surprise, it was well worth the almost three year wait.
Believe the hype. Mostly. When i first saw the trailer for this movie i was indeed a skeptic. Anytime a film claims to be the scariest movie of all time, there will be doubts. While this movie has legitimate moments of true, old school gripping terror, Paranormal Activity is not the scariest film of all time. The film reminds me of a Hitchcock piece in that it leaves much to the imagination. This is true horror. See it in theatres, because Blu Ray will not have the same effect.
i usually never get scared after i watch a movie but this one was just fucking creepy i think its because i believe in ghosts but this is the first movie in a long time thats left me with shivers i just wish it ended differently because it didnt show what happened to them.
This movie was pretty good for what it was and am glad to see the horror community come out and request this to go nationwide. I liked the basic way they go about with this movie, from the hand held camera to the subtle acting. It was like Blair Witch meets A Haunting. However I firmly believe this movie is way over-hyped not to mention the fact that it was barely an hour long and with all the screaming teenagers who'd rather laugh at themselves than the movie, it was a total buzz kill. If you want to see this movie see it when its less packed with teens but really it's still not as good as SAW VI.
I enjoyed it entirely.
I got to say it wasn't even scary! I only jumped once in the whole film. Also the ending didn't make any sense and it was just flat out a big disappointment!
One of the scariest movies i have ever seen in my life. If you dont believe in paranormal stuff, you most likely wont get affected by it, whereas since i believe in paranormal activity, This movie was extremely unrelenting and definetely leaves you scared out of your mind when its over. I have had some nightmares after this movie and rarely, and i mean rarely have nightmares. Some parts i think about send chills down my back. SEE THIS MOVIE IN THEATERS!!!! This movie would make any horror buff cringe and get the shit scared out of them. I recommend it if you are looking for one of the most scariest experiences you will ever have at the movies.
I don't understand the hype, beyond the marketing that Paramount has put into this movie ($10+ million, so far). Some jolts, and while fairly suspenseful, PA was generally not entertaining and brought nothing new to the ghost subgenre. Why do they bother with the "found footage" angle? Is it an attempt to build suspense, because we know that our protagonists aren't going to make it out alive? To me, it is fatalistic and detracts from the story. As for the film itself, I found the bad acting distracting, and the constant analysis of the previous night's footage to relieve the tension too much. While they are busy trying to explain the door slamming, they are ignoring the other big questions about what the demon is. Maybe if I had seen it in the theater, I would have been more scared by loud footsteps and ominous swells of music.
I don't know if this would have scared me more at home, or with an audience of non-fucktards. I'm kind of angry about the whole situation, considering these obnoxious girls kept insisting on being immature and inconsiderate throughout, thus MAYBE affecting why I am giving this a lower score than I thought I would. I love "The Blair Witch Project", and wanted to enjoy this like I did with BW, but I can honestly say it wasn't as effective as I thought it would be. Sure, it had its creepy moments, but scariest film ever? Not really... The ending was creepy, but overall I wasn't feeling the whole "original" vibe... I so badly wanted to love this movie like a lot of people do.
It was ok It wasn't that scary..The ending kinda sucked
I enjoyed Paranormal Activity, but it did not live up to the hype it got. Needless to say, I was disappointed. Don't get me wrong, though, I appreciate the film in all its entirety, but it was not the scariest movie I've ever seen (as most claim). However, it was good movie and I suggest it to anyone who enjoys a good horror flick.
To keep it short, the movie was not a total waste. The first three quarters were creepy and had my eyes glued to the screen. The concept was pretty much a blatant rip off of The Entity (though not nearly as disturbing)with a Blair Witch twist, but it was still good and brought back memories of a childhood full of night terrors over things that creak and bump in the night. The biggest disappointment was the ending which has to be the biggest cop out of all time. I wont spoil it for you (not that you wont see it coming from a mile away), but it's almost like the filmmakers looked at their watches and thought WELL TIME TO CALL IT A NIGHT. The sad part is how strong the movie was up until the very end. With a little tweaking, it could have been one of the scariest POV movies of all time...regardless of its unoriginality.
I Finally Got To See This Movie The Other Night With My Best Friend. And Going Into It,Him & I Were Both Anxious To See If It Was Really As Scary As People Made It Out To Be(and the fact that a cop was standing outside the door,added to the creepiness.) Well My Friend Had Never Seen Any Movie That Really Scared Him And I LOVE Horror Movies & the Only One To Really Scare Me Was "Boogeyman". So i Was REALLY Anxious To See This One. And Through The Whole Movie I Was Jumping And Biting My Nails And Even Curled In A Ball In My Seat,All The While My Friend's Yelling At me To Shut Up And Stop Freaking Out. Haha. But Some Parts Just REALLY Creeped Me Out. But It Also Had Some Comedy in It That Helped Me To Not Be So Scared. And Once We Saw The End Of The Movie Even My Friend Was Screaming Like Crazy. And Afterword While We're Outside The Building Waiting For Our Ride, Both Of Us Were Biting Our Nails,Pacing,and Jumping At Every Little Noise We Heard.(and because of how dumb we are,we went to a haunted house right after. so by the end of the night my throat was killing me from screaming so much) But All In All. I Give This Movie 10/10. I Found It SO Scary/Creepy And Also Amazing. I LOVED The Way Its Filmed Almost Completely By Hand-held Camera.
I loved it, my wife hated it. There were a couple moments when I almost reverted to childhood and closed my eyes. I feel you have to lose yourself in the story to get creeped out by it. It definitely creeped me out. I haven't been scared/creeped out by a movie in a LONG time. This one got me.
its really a great movie, scariest i've ever seen. I think if you experienced it in real life, it'll afect you much more... But the hype is annoying. The director deserve this, he did what inumerous big directors couldnt do: a real scary movie, simple and scary as hell.
By far the worst excuse for a horror movie. The audio let you know whenever anything was going to happen,very predictable.90% of the stuff in that movie wwas already used in Amityville Horror and the exorcist,it's like those two movies mated and had a retarded love chld....half the theater was sleeping and those who werent sleeping were lauging their asses off. Best comedy of the year,I cant give it a 0 so i had to give it a 2
Hype is a weapon. If used sparingly and moderately, it can get an upcoming film attention and acclaim, and thus box office receipts. It can also create unrealistic expectations, and ultimately, disappointment. Thankfully, Paranormal Activity doesn't disappoint. In spite of all the hype, the midnight screenings, and the critical acclaim, Paranormal Activity lives up to the hype and more. The film takes the modern horror genre and turns it on its ear, stripping away CGI and jump scares and leaving us with only the bare minimum, reminding us why we love being scared in the first place. The film's premise, much like every other aspect of the film, is simple: a young couple, Micah and Katie, are suspicious of freaky little incidents going on in their house at night. Why are Katie's keys on the floor, after she vivdly remembers leaving them on the counter? Why are the faucets turning on and off? What are those peculiar banging noises on the walls at night? Fed up with a lack of answers, Micah purchases a high-end video camera to leave on at night while the couple sleep in their bedroom. Needless to say, Micah gets his questions answered, and a lot more when he views the tapes each morning. The film goes back and forth between day and night. The day sections provide adequate comic relief after the night sequences but never cross the fine line between horror and comedy (a line blurred far too much with modern films). Micah delivers some lines that you could picture yourself saying in a situation like that, as crazy as it may be. He cracks jokes, many of which had the whole theater laughing, and is the kind of guy you just want to have a beer with. Micah's girlfriend Katie does a fine job in her role, growing tired with her boyfriend's keen ability to make light of such a serious situation, which leads to bickering and arguments by the end of the film. Some might consider the day sequences to be mere filler to prepare the audience for the chilling night scenes of the film, but they’re so much more than that. Through these scenes we get to know these people and their struggles. There’s a rule of thumb I like to follow when I watch a horror movie: if you can remember the protagonists’ names, you’ve got a good film on your hands. Micah and Katie aren’t lambs being led to slaughter, they’re people like you and I. The candid dialogue and humor make them relatable; they’re the all-American couple with a demon walking their halls at night. The night sequences are obviously the most chilling points of the film. Director Oren Peli baits us giving us more and more "activity" each night. The first night with the camera is largely uneventful, the open bedroom door moves a little bit, and we're hooked. After four or five of these scenes I didn’t necessarily want more, because I knew they were just going to get scarier as we go in. So goes the addictive nature of horror films, you know you shouldn’t watch more, but you always do in the end. Peli knows how to use suspense to scare an audience. When the night sequences initiate, we’re greeted to a few seconds of the couple just sleeping in complete silence. The wait is agonizing, I found myself looking around every corner of the room, waiting for something to pop out, and it was never quite what I expected it to be. In fact, there are only about two actually “jump scares” in the entire film. The rest of the film’s scares conjure the viewer’s inner child to give you Goosebumps in the theater. A door slams shut in the dead of night. Thumping footsteps are heard coming up the stairs, and stop at the head. Whoever was walking up there has stopped at the top step, and they’re peering into your bedroom. You can’t see them, but you can feel them. You know they can see you. That is truly terrifying. Some of these scenes are bound to go down into horror history (particularly the one involving powder), and rightfully so. We never actually see whatever is haunting Micah and Katie, but as it becomes more and more violent, we imagine what it might look like ourselves, which is scarier than anything some cheap CGI could create. In the final acts of the film there are some touches Peli adds that help personify this unseen home wrecker and helps us realize that the furniture and walls aren’t the only things in danger as long as it’s in the house. There’s one scene taking place during the day where Katie exclaims “I can feel it breathing on me!” and her hair moves slightly. It’s a movement just slight enough to make us realize it’s happened, and it’s scary. To tell any more about the film would give too much of the plot away. Unless you have a super-expensive surround sound set, the film won’t leave as much of an impact if you watch it on DVD or Blu-Ray. If you’re new to horror movies, this is a great entry point. If you’re a skeptic who thinks quality and horror film doesn’t belong in the same sentence together, see it. (Character limit)
while in the theater i thought it was stupid mainly due to every one screaming around me, and i am terrified of ghosts, but once i got home and was sitting around i realized how terrifying it was this is a movie to watch with 3 or 4 friends alone in the dark,there is a little bit of bullsh!t that starts to get old in between the scares, i kinda started to think the original tittle was 'pissing off my girlfriend with a camera' but no it was good
Absolutely gorgeous film.
I loved it. At first I was kind of confused how the same movie could have such incredibly mixed reviews. One person says it's terrifying and then the next says it can only scare a 3 year old. But I think I've decided that the difference is the expectations. I live in Columbus so I saw the movie the first weekend it went limited. I literally heard about it Friday and went to it that night without even seeing a preview. While I was waiting I saw bits and pieces of the preview after I was at the theater and saw that it was supposed to be really scary but thats about it. So I didn't have high expectations. If you go into it thinking "hey it's another scary movie maybe it'll be good" then you'll be pleasantly surprised. But if you go in thinking "man this is the scariest movie of all time" then there's pretty much no direction to go but down. And these people are the ones I'm noticing are dissappointed in it. Also, if you don't freaked out by ghosts then don't go see it expecting to be terrified (why would THIS ghost story be any different?) and then get on here and bring down the review. The atmosphere is also extremely important. I saw it at a very small theater that isn't very well known and since it was the first showing it didn't have all the hype yet. So I don't think I saw one person with a cell phone and no one talked the entire time. We were all actual horror fans interested in the movie. So my advice: wait for the hype to die down and then go at a time there won't be a lot of people. I guess if you have a huge screen at home with surround sound then see it there but if not the theater atmosphere is important. But then I think since it's made by a small filmmaker with small budget then you should supposrt him and spend the money. The actors were great and so were the special effects. There were a few points in the movie where I literally thought "are we sure this isn't real?" I just didn't get the acting vibe from it which I guess is because they improved the majority of it. I think since it was a smal budget and I knew that then it made them seem great. I know you can do that stuff with green screens and lots of money but I still don't know how he did some of the stuff with the budget he had. I think the scaries part of the story is mystery of it and the basis that it happens while you sleep. You can't see a ghost and you don't know what goes on while you're sleeping so you could have the same things happening for years. Things like the footprints make you wonder what the deomn looks like (we concluded that the flour part was him crawling since they were shaped weird). The ending was great because it has mystery to it (what happened downstairs?) plus the classic jump when he flies in. It also helped that I had just moved into a new apartment about a week before I saw it so then it had the feel of what if something like that is in my apartment. I also loved that it didn't rely on the big budget and the gore and actually had a scary storyline without all of that. So, go see it without unrealistic expectations, immerse yourself in the story, and go when the theater won't be packed.
I haven't even seen this movie but I'm just going to give it a low rating so I can help bring down the average user rating...thats right DogCarcass I just shat all over your efforts. :)
NOTE: I actually wanted to rate this an 8/10... but I want the average user rating to go up. Thought this movie was great... it was a traditional haunted house story approached with sort of hyper-realism which intensified the scares greatly. Perfect october scary movie... glad it's getting the attention it deserves. GO INDIE HORROR! 8/10
A complete waste of time. For once, I strongly disagree with Mr.Disgusting, even tough I'm happy that a(sort of)horror movie is dominating the box office. I wasn't frightened at all by this derivative and ultimaletly boring "shaky cam" movie. In my opinion could be scary to toddlers or by someone who has never seen a horror movie in their entire life. The acting wasn't that bad and the characters were pretty convincing, but it takes a bit more than a "booo" or a slamming door to upset me...That's too bad that Mr.Peli is now the "next big thing".
I'M 2-0 against over hyped lost and found genre films from Hollycrap. I didn't get suckered by Blair Witch nor again of this steaming pile ... I'm $21.00 to the good which i will spend for a worth while film on DVD. MOVIE REVIEW ... BIG HOT STEAMING PILE OF CRAP!!!
And people say this is the scariest movie they ever seen??? WASTE OF TIME AND MONEY. Stop listening to the HYPE machine on this website.
Great movie. I was pleasantly surprised at how good it was. I do not scare easily, but it did creep me out just a little. People were screaming and some actually ran out of the theater! This is a must see.
If you want to be afraid of your house this is the movie for you.This is a great film that uses Solid Acting,Smart Cinematography,Awesome sound and subtle Special effects.This a movie that shows mainstream horror that you don't need 3D or Remake after Remake to make money.This was a better Blair Witch Project.I had Chills throughout the second half of the film.I love the ending it was realistic.Bravo!
I finally got to see this!It was the kind of movie you watch and say okay its not that scary until you actually think about what you just watched and the more it simmers the more you think what did I just see? The only thing that could have made this movie better was seeing it in a theater where the audience wasnt full of complete jackasses.Your reaction to the psychological aspect of the movi e really depends on the atmosphere you see it in... Our audience thought everything was funny until the end of course. Overall it really is the little horror movie that could. lol
I watched the movie yesterday, and it really didn't wow me the way I thought it would. I had very high expectations for this being a very scary movie, and waited the whole time for that to happen. I just couldn't get into the psychological part enough to actually get scared at all. But two people I went with ended up shaking after the movie, they were terrified. I would have said this movie was overrated if it wasn't for seeing their reaction. It really didn't scare me, but I can see that it had that potential to do that. I wish I could have gotten into it more, and maybe not have followed the hype so much. I can totally see what all the great reviews were all about, but it just didn't effect me like that.
So i bit the bullet and paid my $10 to watch this. I thought it was good considering the extremely low budget. but are people realy saying "Scariest movie in 10 years?" get the fuck out with that shit. I don't think it should be considered a 'horror' movie.
loved it. could have been more blood,but definitely a must see. makes you think what really goes on while we sleep.
I watched the home version of this movie, but still as long as you let yourself get into the movie and look past the minor problems. This is a great movie, I hated the the blair witch project and because of that I thought this would be the same letdown so I didnt see it in theaters (I wish I had though), but this was one of the best horror movies ive seen in years. I wonder what the final version of this movie is like.
My favorite movie is Blair Witch Project, so when I went in to see Paranormal Activity I was expecting that PA would kick BWP's butt and become my favorite movie but unfortunately it did not! It's still a good movie, but because of all the hype and good critics I read, I was expecting too much. For me, the movie takes way too much time to start, it only because stressfull if I may say, when the events starts happening even during daytime. Concerning the actors Katie did a great job buut it's not so much the case for Micah. Even though he's playing stupid in the movie, is acting did not convince me as much. Still a good movie that MUST be seen in theaters. Cheers!
enjoyed it the film. did not expect much because i was told it was lame. whenever i watch movies, i go in with an open mind. you have to get into it and realize the premise, this a low budget "homemade" film. get past that and enjoy.
sweet indie flick. def worth checking out.
As wife says this movie really, really sucked. I couldn't agree more with her. Both endings also really suck and highly predictable. Extremely overrated!
They tried to make it seem like it was based on true events when it wasn't it i only watched 15 mins and i left i watch ghost hunters every wednesday and in this movie they didn't even have that factor in the movie it sucked
highly overrated. Not worrth seeing this in theatres. Might be a good flick to rent if you got a date, thats about it, its not scary at all.
HOLY SHIT!!!!!I went tonight finally to see it because it came to my city and I didn't want to drive 30 minutes to another city if it didn't live up to the hype! Well let me tell u people if u haven't seen this yet....GO!!!It's nearly a once in a lifetime experience and I'm 26 years old.Blair Witch didn't have shit on this! Now I do not think this movie will work on dvd the way it works in the theatre because of the loud bangs in the film being many parts scary and leading up to some truly terrifying shit! YOU WILL NEVER FORGET THIS! My WIFE & DAUGHTER R IN THE LIVING ROOM STILL ALMOST IN TEARS AND WE'VE BEEN OUT FOR AN HOUR!I don't scare easily after all the years of watching horror movies but this was very affective!
This movie is definitely worth watching. It is very creepy and it has a couple of moments that will have you thinking after the movie ends. That is if you believe in ghosts and the idea of hauntings. IF you don't then this movie will probably make you mad. I for one am a believer of the paranormal and this movie scared me. My only gripe is some of the story development and character development. Nothing that will break the movie but it will slow it down. If you are into the paranormal, then this movie is a good time. This low budget movie proves that alot of blood and gore is not needed to scare the audience.
EPIC!
Very good low budget film, it's become cool hate on this flick because the mainstream got to it, don't listen, critics agree, it's a good film.
Rec is a million times better than this. The ending was absolute crap. Gotta love the trailers showing a theater full of pussies jumping and pissing themselves. One of the scariest movies of all time? Are you kidding me? The one thing it has going for it is it's ultra low budget.
Well this was a waste of time watching the trailer on you tube made it look so amazing I was really looking forward to watching it and boy was I dissapointed not one single scene scared me or even made me jump nothing thrilled me about this movie and I have to agree with diamonddavestafford ohhhhhhhh a door moved the sheets moved she got dragged out of the bed but yet still no scare. All that hype for a load of celluloid crap.
Holy Mackarel.. crapolina!! I love all scary movies. This just made me sweat from the camera shaking. Save yourselves some time, and just watch the trailer, it is pretty cool. You don't need to watch the entire "beading" scenes. And why did the girl always wear a bra to sleep? Anyway, don't waste your time. Watch [REC] instead.. MUCH, MUCH better movie.
Another example of how hype can sell a movie; especially a horror flick. This movie can only be considered scary if you are A) a child or B) a big gigantic vagina. Like 45 minutes go by and oooooooh, we see a door move. another 30 minutes and we've seen some Ouija board tricks and some sheets move. One or two mildly creepy moments, but overall, a complete waste of time...so much like The Blair Witch project in hype, production and scare level, which is pretty much nonexistent, at least to me and the people I saw it with. Boring for the duration. Only in the last 7 minutes or so did I see any glimpse of promise (i have to admit, I did kind of like the ending, although I saw it coming). Don't waste your money on this. Download it, get really really REALLY stoned so that you can be fooled a little by the weed paranoia and creep-out enhancement...then maybe watch the second half. Otherwise you will probably feel as I did; like you wasted part of your life on a piece of cinematical garbage. "The scariest movie of all time?" Not even close. As far as ghost/demon movies go, this one is not even as creepy as "The Exorcist", "The Amityville Horror", "Changeling" (with George C.Scott), "Poltergeist" or even "The Exorcism of Emily Rose". I wish all the stupid hype that comes packaged with EVERY movie these days could be toned down some. Every new trailer, it's like "...the scariest...the greatest...the most BONE CHILLING movie ever..." and none remotely live up to it. The same holds true here. 3 out of 10 at best. The new Halloween movie was total shit balls and IT was even more entertaining than this. Note to all readers: if you are in a relationship and she's claiming to have ghosts or demons that follow her around, just save yourself the trouble and leave the crazy bitch for someone with less baggage. If it had been done here, it would have saved some of this the agony of watching this worthless piece of boring shit.
After Seeing this movie last night, I have to say it was worth the wait. I can understand about some horror fans hating it due to the lack of gore, over the top murders, yada yada. I view most of those movies as comedies, VERY rarely do i get scared or even creeeped because of a movie. I did after paranormal activity. I think some of the fright also coems if you believe in ghosts, demons, etc, and after some past experiences i've had in college, i most definitely believe. And this is where the movie succeeds. Nearly Everything in it seems to be real, where even as you know you're watching a fictitious movie you get caught in it, and believe that these phenomena happens and is real, and if you've experienced some sort of paranormal thing before you really are get lost into the movie on the screen. As a movie it's amazing how just bumps, footprints and other little things can freak out an audience and scare them more than your standard nearly NC-17 movie with buckets of gore and disgusting murders, which usually gross people out but don't usually scare them. After seeing this movie I had to "wind down" with a gore flick before i went to bed, and the events that happened in P.A. i'm still thinking about, it' not the scariest film of all time, but it's somewhere close. If the movie can make us believe that these things happen and are real, then the movie's done its job.
This is frustrating cause I wanted to love this movie so bad. Don't get me wrong, it's far from shitty and is definitely worth seeing but, my god is it overhyped. Far from "the scariest movie ever made"; I'm sorry. When I saw the original Juno in theaters 6 years ago I was waaaaay more terrified. The film has many things going for it: unique vibe, likable characters, unconventional plot formula, amazing effects (especially considering it was made for $11,000 and didn't utilize CGI at all), great atmosphere and, at times, utterly intense. The bad? Awkward pacing and editing. The movie is clearly at it's best during "the night" scenes; the rest almost feels like filler. As for the editing: you get bits of story and character development and then the camera just suddenly fades to black and goes on to the next scene; it just doesn't feel natural. Why would we watch a video that someone made with a camcorder this way? The ending too is flawed. While it is clearly the climax and undoubtedly the most "shocking/edge of your seat" moment, the final 5 seconds is pure cop out, cliche drivel. I would love to delve deeper into this, but I don't want to ruin the ending. Overall, it's great fun and I recommend any horror aficionado check it out. Just don't expect it to reach the impossibly overhyped status it has attained.
Ugh... Okay, so I saw this film over a week ago, but I haven't been wanting to write a BD review for it b/c I didn't want to invoke feelings of an angry rant. But seriously. I don't want to attack this film BECAUSE it "was" an underdog super INDIE debut feature, I am attacking this film because it was OVERRATED. OVERRATED as FUCK!!! A film CANNOT advertise as "The scariest movie ever" unless it is THE EXORCIST. Down to the bottom line, I can't even fully understand how true horror fans can find this film "SCARY" at ALL. The "scares" consist nothing more of Lights turning on and off, spontaneous bumps, intricate "time lapse" sequences and self-shutting doors. And the worst part about this film is that every single one of the "Scares" is practically diluted to nothing with scenes of absoutely BORING and EYE-ROLLING Improvised "dialouge" sequences. The characters themselves are fucking annoying and the only thing I can say I liked about this whole film was the ending, not because it was scary, but because Katie finally got possessed by her demonic stalker and finally KILLED her annoying ass pussy boyfriend. Thank the Lordy Lord! I feel happy for the filmmaker's sucesss and I would be VERY surprised if there was not some sort of sequel/spin-off/remake cash-in soon to follow.
I thought this was absolute garbage. The pacing was terrible. Not enough happened and when it did it wasn't for long. I don't see how anyone could be scared of this. It should have just shown what happened at night since that's the only time anything actually happened in this film. Kind of reminded me of Hostel in that nothing happened until the last 20 mins but in this case the payoff was a waste of time. By my calculation, Paramount owes me $20.
Right up front let me say that I scare easily. And I love that. I absolutely love a good scare. So I love a good, scary movie. I love leaving the theater with that feeling of terror fresh in my memory, a dreadful heaviness on my chest. I love rehashing the horror I just witnessed, over and over, in my mind until I work myself into such a frenzy that I honestly cannot sleep. God, I love that feeling. I expected to have that feeling after seeing this film. (After all, ‘The Blair Witch Project’ gave me fits and ‘Paranormal Activity’ has a good bit in common with that movie, right?) I went into the theater fully wanting, hoping to be scared. And this movie delivered in a delightfully minimalist way. For over an hour I enjoyed some genuinely unnerving moments from little more than things going bump in the night. Footsteps never sounded so ominous. A slamming door never seemed so threatening. Anyone who has ever been awakened in the middle of the night by an unexplained noise (I tell myself it was just the cat) knows that awful mixture of sleepy disorientation and panicky realization. The actors’ responses seemed genuine and very, very human. With every successive encounter with the malevolent entity stalking young Katie, I hunkered down just a little lower in my seat and grasped my husband’s hand just a little tighter. So far, so good. But then, something happened. Something changed in the overall tone of the film. It went from creepy and menacing to campy and artificial in the blink of an eye. Or rather, in the flash of a smile. Yes, sadly, I can pinpoint the exact moment when this movie ceased to scare: Katie’s ridiculous grin. With that one wild-eyed affectation the final moments of the film were completely undermined. At that point I had no real doubt as to the climax of this little drama and could only wait and watch my suspicions play out. A couple more surprise-scares and it was all over. What should have been truly shriek-inducing was reduced to merely eyebrow-raising. My husband and I drove home and, while he went next door to pick up the kids from the babysitter, I walked into a dark, empty house by myself. Not so much as a raised hair on the back of my neck. Darn it.
any film that can make me jump more than once always deserves cookie in my book :)and its really nice to see a low budget genius of a film succeed, so often do they get overlooked...
Oh boy, this is a tough movie for me to review. First, I will say it did not live up to ALL the hype for me. Second, there are some very good things about this film and some very bad things. Lets delve into the good things first. I might be in the minority here, but I thought the first hour or so was actually this film at its strongest. I was completely creeped out the entire time for that first hour. The slow build-up was masterful and the director should be commended. I was never bored once. Another good thing was the "entity" never really appears with a distinct image. He's either invisible or a shadow amongst shadows and I enjoyed that. If some horrible CGI demon or rubber costumed monster eventually popped up, I would have been furious. The only hint you get at its form is SPOILER the footprints it leaves in the powder on the floor. END SPOILER Now on to the bad. The more the film progressed after that initial first hour and the more the "entity" starting spooking it up, the creepiness plummeted for me. I stopped being all that creeped out and started being AMUSED. I watched the rest of the movie with this sort of bemused attitude, curious to what the demon plans next. What transpires in the last 30 minutes or so was really not all that creepy or scary to me (even though I can see how it could be for others). It might be because that first hour was just so damn good for me, nothing could possibly live up to the horror it promised. I'd also like to point out that I apparently saw the original ending for this film and not the actual ending in the theaters. Since I can't comment on the theater ending, which I'm assuming is the ending the creators wanted, I'll simply say the ending I saw was fucking horrible. It was such a massive letdown I actually laughed out loud after the movie was over. Hopefully the ending people are seeing in theaters is a lot better than the one I saw. The insane amount of hype, thankfully, did not destroy this movie for me. But it definitely did not live up to the hype. Maybe I just can't get scared anymore? Which really fucking sucks if true. Overall, I did enjoy watching most of this movie.
I just got back from seeing Paranormal Activity, which I was glad to see hit theaters because it wasn't playing anywhere within an hour of my house. I was expecting a lot out of this movie when it was limited to select theaters, but I thought less when some of my friends said it was not as good as everyone said it was. I got a well-made movie when I sat in my seat. Unlike most horror films that most people below the age of 18 do not understand because all they want in a horror film are cheap scares that make you "jump," this movie was frightening in a psychological way. However, when I sat down I had expected it to be a movie with a bunch of cheap scares based on the preview having everyone in the theater watching the screening jump. I do not know how much of this movie is based off of real events nor do I know how much the events taken from the movie were "stretched," I enjoyed watching it and my friend said that he might have trouble sleeping tonight. This is one of the most well-scripted horror films that I've seen in theaters in a while. This was great, especially for an indie film. In my opinion, Paranormal Activity deserves an 8/10.
I have to admit the last 15 minutes freaked me out, but other than that this movie was pretty boring. I think I was expecting so much because of all the hype, but that just ruined it for me.
scary. i didnt like the ending. the acting is shody at times. overall, its scary, watch it. but i think the blair witch project is better.
good movie,but the trailer showed the whole movie. so it was predectible.
This movie did deliver some actual chills, which is rare for me. It was genuinely creepy at parts. The acting was excellent, so good it didn't even seem like acting. The only problem I had with the movie was (POSSIBLE SPOILER) that it did the same thing in the trailer as Quarantine did in theirs, they essentially gave away the ending. But overall, this movie was still great.
Extremely well done film. I loved every second of it; it kept me in the whole way. With a low low budget of I think around $15,000, these guys are wiping their asses with money. Well worth seeing it in theaters.
It was alright. Not as good as the hype made it out to be. The movie is slightly creepy, but it def isn't "scary". It gets points for originality, but other than that, it wasn't that great. I had much more fun with Law Abiding Citizen which I saw the night before.
I'm not saying everybody should like this movie. But I don't understand how hype can make a movie any less better than it is. If a movie is good in your opinion, than it is good, no matter who said what about it. If you let hype kill the experience for you, than it's really your own fault. If you hated it on your own, that is much more acceptable.
I absolutely loved this movie. It was extemely realisted and didn't try to go overboard with the chills. I had nightmares after seeing it and can't stop thinking about it.
very obviously a love it or hate it kind of movie depending on what you're into. i loved it. see, i find there's a difference between a jump and a scare. with a jump, you're startled, usually with a loud noise or something (which is fun), and with a scare it's not something sudden or startling, it's something that slowly moves through your whole body like a wave. it makes your shiver and makes your hair stand on end....and it stays with you. i found paranormal activity delivered the scares. it reminded me very much of my theatre experience with blair witch in that i caught it in the breaking wave of the hype, on the night of it's wide release. this means the theatre was chock full of assholes all too happy to voice their displeasure about the shaky camera style, lack of CGI ghosts/demons, etc. during the fucking movie. it's a testament to this movie's effectiveness that i still managed to be scared among such shitty company.
To much hype. It wasn't a bad movie, i enjoyed the small bit of originality but honestly; It was slow and anyone that thinks its scary is a fuckin pansy.
I have to be honest i went in thinking this was going to be great and i came out of the movie thinking wtf. Great idea but it was slow and when something cool did happen it wasnt for long. Only part that freaked me out was when she would get out of bed and stare her b-friend down. Other than that i really dont see what the hype is about. And when it was over i felt like everyone in there w/ us felt the same way.
While I'm not gonna say I hated the movie, I can't say it was the greatest. It was okay for what it tried to do. I can only blame Paramount for all the hype they pumped into our veins. BUT, I will say that the ending is what I hoped for. There was just no way I was going to be happy with sitting through that movie and not seeing something totally twisted. Although, not the scariest ending it left me somewhat fulfilled. I'm tired of movies, especially ghost movies, leaving me with images of creepy shadows and barely visible background creeps. Sometimes I just want something to jump at me and at least give me a little push.
Some people don't understand the term SCARY. This movie towards the end is SCARY. The thought you might have AFTER the movie is still with you then that means it did its job. Thinking about it all night, that means it worked. It doesnt need scary people slaughtering others with scary faces, it can mess with your mind!! This story does happen in REAL LIFE so that adds to the SCARY factor. Whatever, Im all for this flick.
Fun, enetertaining, intense. Scary? No. You ppl are pussies, oh my.
You definitely have to go see this movie with an open mind. Put yourself in these characters situations and whether you believe in paranormal incidents or not, it leaves a mark on you. As vulnerable human being we may be sometimes,it's movies like these that put us in situations and chellenge our mental into doing whatever it takes to discover the unexplained..I'm one of those who don't believe in ghosts,but after viewing this film I must say that it's a huge possibility that things definitely go "BUMP" in the night.
Ok for those who didn't like the film you have to be looking at it in a certain context. Like if you don't believe that this shit could happen then you won't be affected by it at all. It scared the fuck out of me however becuase I do. If the movie wasn't shot like a documentary then it probably wouldn't have been as scary. Also the begining sort of put the audience in a false sense of security that deffinetly won't hold in the last like 30 mins or so. So if you go to critize this just think how scared shitless you would be if it was happening to you.
It's 3:25 AM. I have school at 8 AM. I'm too scared to sleep. I saw the film yesterday. It's pretty fucking scary, and no film has ever kept me thinking about it a day after.
Ok so i just got back home from seeing this movie and i was confused what to think right away. I loved the blair witch project but i saw it for the first with only one or two other people.. in a dark walkout basement... with woods right outside that you could see. So my surroundings which matched the movie added to the feel and intensity.. Sooo after seeing Paranormal in theaters with a bunch of fucking idiots, who were drunk / high or whatever, it almost ruined it for me. I think people should def have fun at the movies but this movie you needed it to be a little more quiet cause some things in the beginning need your FULL attention, and i was not able to give it that. But as i got home i replayed alot of it and i for Once in a Long time feel almost unnerved afterwards as i sit in my room alone. Theater usually helps the movie become more intense and shit but this time it killed it for me. GOOD movie(slow at times but good) But Horribly annoying Audience. Go see It Still!
I feel like I watched a totally different movie then the people who "loved it"! I wanted my money back at the end!! This blew, it was like Groundhogs Day w/o Bill Murray. It was very funny tho- which "one of the scariest movies of all time" shouldn't be! WTF were the people smokin' when they were scared at this movie?? 'Cuz I'd like some so I can see it again and be scared or even creeped out! There were 2 decent scenes out of 60- Go see The Tournament instead and take a great fun thrill ride of death and gore! I just saw it at ScreamfestLA and it made this movie look like the dog crap it is... It should be called "Hype ParaHype ActiviHype"! Lame...
loved it
i thought it was good it was a fun movie to c
The movie is definately over-hyped, but was very good. It is done very well. The acting is a little poor at times but is overall decent. i liked the tense sequences. wasn't really scared, but was involved. I liked it
I enjoyed this movie more than most this year, but it was over-hyped.
Paranormal activity lives up to the hype. It's an awesome and scary event movie that'll have you hiding your eyes and wanting to melt into your seat. All the screaming and jumping in the audience makes it that much more scarier and funner. That a movie made for $15,000 could be so scary & have likeable actors and a great story blows my mind and shows the power of artistic vision.
this is infact the least unscariest movie i have ever seen. im pretty sure "its the great pumpkin charlie brown" would give me nightmares before this monstrosity would. if this movie scared you, i hope you still sleep with a buzz light year nightlight. dont waste your money.
I never get scared of horror movies. I will get creeped out but never will i physically shake and cover my face. This movie was honest to god one of the scariest movies I have ever seen. It is subtle horror with a kick ass way of being absolutely terrifying. It was always the little things too. A light turns on and then off, or a loud noise. These very real aspects of the film stayed with me long after the film ended. I was extremely impressed with some of the effects within the film as well. There were times I honestly just sat there stunned because something insane would happen and I would think, at this budget how was that just possible. ONLY gripe I have with this movie is the last second of the film. It almost made it too Hollywood which in comparison to the rest of the very indie film seemed very out of place. I heard this change was due in part from Steven Spielberg. I feel like I would have brought my film to a horror director and not a mainstream hollywood one. But that is literally my only complaint so who cares. Plus...This last scene is absolutely terrifying minus the one gripe. Every time that still shot of the bedroom came up with the title card saying what day it was, I knew I needed to brace myself for another extremely creepy scene. GO SEE THIS MOVIE. This movie rose from nothing. It is the new generations Blair Witch project and it will effect you.
Not nearly as good as i heard it was. DVD it.
shit on rye, we made fun of it the whole time, and fell asleep twice! i liked the end even tho most of the theater hated it and were wtf about it
Hrm. Not scary. But somehow, still very entertaining. They gave away practically all the scares on the trailer (ala Quarantine), and the very ending felt a little tacked on. If Paramount had quietly slipped this into theaters and made like it was real footage (leaving out that one last frame...), I think this movie could've been onto something.
This movie did not scare me at all. I have been scared more watching "the haunting" series on cable tv. I went to see this movie on a Sat night, full theatre, with my boyfriend. 15 minutes into it, he said I hope this picks up soon. We both love horror and scary movies, this was neither. Most of the theatre goers were laughing alot throughout the movie and making silly comments. One review stated that someone left the theatre to vomit from fright. Well I almost had to leave the theatre to vomit as well, but not from fear, from the shaky camera movements. Honestly I almost let go right in front of my seat. I did think the actors did a decent job, and I could believe them as a couple. Some reviewers asked why the guy didn't leave the girl. Hello, she was normal until the very end. He loved her. Anyway, I was very dissapointed with this movie. The ending was okay to me, just happened too fast after a long slow buildup. Several people said that movie sucked as they got up to leave. I agree, but to each his own.
shit is tense. creepy and freaky.
LMAO.... so folks the moral of this story is don't fuck with the demons because they are mean mofos and they will deft fuck with you. The first 1hr of this movie was pure shit.... it was boring, minor creeps... something like a teen kid and his friends will put together... Then out of nowhere we get into the last 20 mins of the film. where they pull off some fucked up tricks and some fucked up mind shit. How they did these things I won't know until I see the making of. But man those last 20 mins make sure you have some water you'll need it. And the ending... I must of said holy fuck and screamed like a little bitch at least 10 times. Is it scary, no... maybe to some, is it creepy yeah it is. Good movie can't watch it again though. Still haven't found a movie that chills me to my bone yet... but this came pretty close. I prob would of been more scared if I watched this in my den by myself with no lights on... Then fuck yeah I would of shitted in my pants and never go to sleep again.
Love it! its like blair witch but with demons and a better ending. Im definately glad i saw it in a paacked theatre on a saturday. I really dont know what to say without spoiling something. Anyways im gonna try to go to bed now, shit im home alone!
it was bad it suck and its not worth the time
Rarely does a movie actually have an effect on me, but this is a genuinely SCARY horror movie. Hats off to them!
Am I the only one who did not like this movie? I honestly don't know what the appeal was. Now I know it is a great accomplishment taking a movie from a low budget indie to a blockbuster but this is just overhyped and not even the first of its kind. I can appreciate a movie that does not always have to rely on blood constantly but the sublte approach does not save the movie. Very disappointed and surprised this is becoming a phenomenon.
now a days movies like saw and halloween come out and your not use to jumping and your heart racing. your used to all this blood and guts and those cheap scares, but luckily were saved by a little movie called paranormal activity. paranormal activity i will tell you this is a instant cult phenomenon. From the start the movie builds up hype that at times feel unbareble because you know that when night falls shits gonna go down.the first couple nights are pretty basic, but then you start seeing and hearing things that just downright creep you out. the creepiest thing about this movie is that we all expirenced one of the scares. when you see this movie you will say hey this happened to me. halfway through the movie the character micah summons an ouiyi board the shit really hits the fan. this is the first time i ever had my heart race and be as jumpy as i was during this movie. also its gonna really give you the scares when you get home from seeing it. when you see the movie you will know how it feels. and as for the ending that everyones saying is the scariest scene in horror well lets say it will certainly have you wanting to cover your eyes. go see this movie noww!!!!!! its more of a group movie. when you see it in a packed theatre it will make the movie more fun and a group activity since everyone in the theatre will be gasping and beggingg for more.
went and seen this movie last night, it started off a little slow but once it got going boy oh boy did it take off like a rocket. during the last 15 or 20 minutes my entire body was in a constent chill from the atmosphere surrounding the final scenes. GO SEE THIS MOVIE,you will not be disipointed.
I'm rarely ever scared by movies, but this movie got me jumping and screaming. For the last couple of years i have been trying to find a movie that can actually scare me. I found many disturbing and graphic movies but no scary. That is until I saw paranormal activity. Paranormal activity uses ghosts, a hand held camera, and people that can act to make one hell of a movie. From beginning to end i was on the edge of my seat. What made this movie scary was the unknown. Ghosts are scary because people don't know much about them. Each night the ghost(demon)got more violent. As you watch the movie you get to see how the couples relationship is being affected by everything that is happening. This movie did not need gore, violence, sex, and nudity to be good. It just needed a good story and good actors. This movie is worth seeing in theaters. Don't wait till it comes out on DVD. It's scarier at the movies. 10/10
It has been over a week since I saw this film and I still have to struggle to keep the images from disturbing my sleep! I cannot imagine anyone with a good imagination not being scared by this original film. Unfortunately I did not get the pleasure of seeing this with a good crowd. I ended up with a bunch of sh*theads who laughed whenever they got scared and one person who yelled "oh H*LL no!" at one particular tense moment. But even with all the distractions I was still breaking my husband's arm during most of the scenes. I am a HUGE horror fan, and 99% of the movies I have seen were not scary. They may have been gross, or violent, or intense. But scary? D*mned near never. This movie and Blair Witch are tied in my book for the 2 scariest movies I have ever experienced. Those movies drew me in, made me use my imagination, and didn't spoon feed me a monster. They infused themselves deep into my psyche and will always be there!
I just saw this and it was intense in that edge of your seat what is going to happen way. I don't recall really jumping out of my seat or screaming like some of the audience reaction videos. But there were moments where I was like "Holy shit holy fuckin shit". I think the true scare factor is that this stuff actually happens, I probably won't be able to sleep tonight but I'd definitely see it a second time
Ok! I saw this tonight and i have to say.. it did have my heart racing a few times.... I agree the ending is worth the price to see it..and It is scary.. I am kind of pissed about one scene in the movie... I wont give it away but.. WHY BURN THE ONE THING THAT COULD OF HELPED THEM.. MAYBE SET THEM FREE... ALL I GOTTA SAY.. WOW! WRONG CHOICE!
The comparisons to Blair Witch are dead-on. What makes this film work is the actors' performances and the fact that it doesn't rely on blood/gore, cheesy make-up, or cheesy CGI special effects. Just like in Blair Witch, the majority of the audience didn't get it and thought it was stupid...which is probably why Hollywood film directors feel the need to show us every last stupid detail in current big budget horror films. One word of warning, the audience completely ruined my experience with talking/screaming/cell phones/etc.
This movie was really good. It seriously had me captivated..I feel it WAS hyped a little too much by some people I knew but it didnt spoil it for me. If anyone has had any sort of supernatural experience in their life this movie is sure to make your hairs stand on end. Acting was GREAT, shaky cam wasnt bad at all, and the movie was realistic and plausible. The last 20 mintes were definately frightening. Definately go support this film..
First off the majority of people hating on this movie must have not known what they were going to see and only like either slasher films or just bloody horror films which are never scary nor realistic. Now with that said this movie is for REAL I mean it's been stated on here before but I'll say it again I've NEVER been in a horror film and been able to hear a pin drop and what makes this movie so different and much better than movies like say Saw or name a remake nowadays is that it seems so realistic and like it could happen to someone, it brings back that old school feel to horror which is what the genre needs today more than it ever has. I mean this $15k film was better than at least every big budget horror film made this past year and to think that WE the people made this film possible to go nationwide says enough on its on right as well. There's also been the comparison to the Blair Witch Project which I can recall when it first came out was pretty big BUT so many people were telling each other don't go see it after the first weekend, but this film made $7 million last week alone NOT nationwide so I'm pretty sure if this movie sucked as I've read on here then I don't think it would have survived this long. All in all a masterpiece of film making and such great exacution by the actors to make you feel like this could have happened, this movie could have easily used the slogan "It's only a movie", and if I had to some the whole movie up in a few words it would be, "A film that deserved to have its case opened, to let the audience remember what true fear is like"
No gore great build up great suspense. Hands down on of the best final 20 minutes in horror history imo. If you haven't seen it please go out and support this film one that deserves it considering the budget made for the film and the quality it churned out. Like please don't watch it alone make sure you atleast have a a g/f or b/f or a couple of friends along with you for this one. I was at a sold out midnight showing and just from the crowd reactions alone it was more than my money's worth. The only question did have was "WHY DID MICAH STAY WITH HER" a question I'm sure other males asked themselves but hey I guess love makes you do some crazy things and stay through paranormal situations. Make sure the theater you view this has a great surround sound and a really big screen ..keep your eyes open and your ears also and I promise you'll have just as much fun as I did with this one.
First off, the film was good as a film. As for the scariest film ever? I don't think so. I was let down, it does not live to the hype. The "scary" scenes were just creepy and the ending was horrible...
The actors were great, everything was very realistic, of course you can nitpick at every little detail and say "I wouldnt have done that if I was in the same situation!" but the characters did what they did. At the start it might of taken alittle too long to start it up ..did seem like you were hanging out with them which was cool. She also has a nice rack. The scary thing is the idea of it being true for people in the world.
Although not as scary of a movie, as the hype suggests it is. It sure is extremely enjoyable to watch!!!
Although not as scary of a movie, as the hype suggests it is. It sure is extremely enjoyable to watch!!!
In todays world, you can get a lot with $15,000. You can get an economy car, options stripped, of course. You can get a pretty damn nice motorcycle. In my case, you can get two pretty damn nice scooters. You can get an extremely nice home theater system. A week long vacation overseas could be done in style for that amount of money as well. Last night, I learned you can also scare the holy hell out of an audience for $15,000. That was the budget for writer/director Oren Peli's terrifying feature debut.. I went to a 7:40 pm showing of Paranormal Activity in Georgetown, Maryland. Mind you, I live just outside Richmond Virginia. It's a two hour drive, under the best of conditions. Why would anyone in their right mind drive two hours to see a movie? Well, that particular question doesn't take into account a few particular details. I make no claim to be of right mind, especially when it comes to a good movie, much less a good horror movie. I also have a friend attending law school in Washington DC, and any reason to go visit is a good one. Under normal circumstances, that would basically explain it. But, the circumstances surrounding this little fright flick, have been anything but normal. If you click on the poster for Paranormal Activity and enlarge it to a size which makes the print big enough to read, you'll see the second line on the right hand side says, "Most frightening ghost story of 2007". No, it's not a misprint. Paranormal Activity was originally screened at film festivals in 2007, to an uproarious reaction from festival goers. The film community, especially the horror film community, were screaming, not only in the theaters, but the films praises at every opportunity. Dream Works, the production company Steven Spielberg is a partner in, bought the rights to the film back in 2007, with the intent of funding a bigger budget remake. Well, things with Dream Works and their distribution company, Paramount Studios, got rocky for a while, and a remake Paranormal Activity ended up getting shelved indefinitely. After all was said and done, and the dust had cleared, someone came to their senses and realized there was no rational reason to remake this little piece of low budget genius. Those of us who don't get to film festivals every year, and who are out here in the world pouring through articles and reviews on the internet, looking for a film which might just be a nugget of gold among the mountains of dung that are released to theaters, have been waiting two years for an opportunity to see Paranormal Activity. Driving two hours after a two year wait for any opportunity to see the film, is not much at all. It was worth the two hour drive, and the two year wait. Now to the actual experience of seeing the movie. I have to tell you, there was some kind of street festival earlier in the day in Georgetown. I think it was the Georgetown Food Festival. And, if you've never been to Georgetown before (I'd never been until yesterday), it's streets have no shortage of bars, restaurants and high end shops of every variety. Given those facts, when the theater started filling up with people from their mid-thirties on down, I was a little worried. I really didn't drive two hours to see a film in a theater full of drunk or slightly toasted folks who were going to be texting, talking on their cell phones or making some kind of stupid exclamations through the whole thing. There are some movies which are absolutely meant for audience participation, this summers My Bloody Valentine remake is a good example. Paranormal Activity isn't that kind of movie. Maybe I was somewhat wrong about the crowd pouring in, but I don't think so, and you'll find out why a bit further on. Either way, it doesn't matter much, because throughout the entire film, especially in those moments of absolute silence in the film, you could have heard a pin drop in the theater. Dead silent. The entire audience, including myself, were completely engaged in the movie. It was slowly, steadily, patiently turning up the pressure on an audience which was absolutely riveted by each scene, and it was doing so with basically nothing. The only time anyone in that audience made any sound was when they were screaming and jumping out of their skin or making some breathless exclamation in direct, almost involuntary response to what they were seeing on the screen. If your not familiar with the plot, Paranormal Activity is about a young couple who move in together, at which time, they suspect something strange to be going on in their home. They get a video camera to attempt to catch some evidence of whatever it is that's happening at night when they go to sleep. It shares the same "found footage" idea as The Blair Witch, a film it's already being compared to. I think it's a poor comparison in more ways than not, if for no other reason than that I honestly believe Paranormal Activity is a vastly more effective film. With nothing at all, it produces so much more tension and suspense than not only The Blair Witch, but also the majority of other films out there, that the comparison just doesn't do the film justice. The Blair Witch was a good movie, don't get me wrong, I enjoyed it. But it's almost as if Oren Peli, the writer and director of Paranormal Activity had seen The Blair Witch and saiid, "Really? That's the best you can do with that concept? I'll show you something REALLY SCARY." And then goes on to do just that. Peli did a few things with this film which were just great to see. First and foremost, he finds a way to explain away one of the most common problems people have with what are essentially haunted house films, "Why don't you people just get the hell out of that house and never, ever, ever, come back?" It's a common thing heard from people who may not dislike horror films, but find some of those kinds of details hard to get by in order to let the film take them on the ride it has in store for them. I'm not going to tell you how he does that, but I will tell you that if you're on board with the film and the story (which it is terribly hard not to be once it starts), it's a plausible explanation in the situation, and actually becomes central to the plot as the film moves forward. One of the other absolutely incredible things about this film is how little Peli uses to send the audience over the edge into squirming, gasping, whispering, tension. There is not one CGI effect in this film. There is not one money shot of the horrible creature designed in a work shop, made out of latex, and covered in stage blood or some other kind of liquid meant to scare the audience. The most terrifying aspect of this film, bar none, is exactly all the things you can't see. All the film does from the first moment to the last frame, is feed your imagination more information about why you should be afraid, and gives ever increasing, almost completely unseen, evidence as to how scared you really should be. Paranormal Activity puts exactly what you are afraid is going on in the dark, in the dead of night, up on the screen and says, "You're right. It's there. And you not only should be scared, you should probably be more scared than you've ever thought to be." If you were ever a kid who was absolutely terrified of what was in your closet or under your bed, to the point that you wouldn't move in hopes that whatever it was wouldn't know you were awake and come to get you, you know the feelings Paranormal Activity induces. Adrenaline is produced when you watch this movie and let it take you where it's wants to. I walked out of the theater laughing like a loon because of the amount of adrenaline pumping through my veins. That is, for me, the sign of a truly successful fright flick. It was just bluntly effective. Take notice of the fact that I keep calling it either a "fright flick" or "scary movie". I do that because most people have an association of guts and gore with horror films, and that's one of the most common complaints I hear about them. This film has none of it. No gore, no guts, no blood. It's essentially bloodless, and it will scare the living crap out of you. Another of the things impressive to me about this movie is it's economical use of not only it's monetary resources, but also it's intangible resources. There's no fat on it. It never provides too much information, it never goes over board with the interactions between the couple or anything else. It's always just enough to ratchet up the tension a little bit more than the last scene. It's always just enough information about the characters to keep you interested in them, empathizing with them, and caring about what's happening to them. It never steps over the line to where you all of a sudden find yourself sitting there, thinking about the fact that you're watching a movie, because something you were just shown or just heard seems like something which only ever happens in the movies. The degree of economy and the success of that aspect of the film is something you rarely see from first time film makers. If Oren Peli can produce, with any regularity, films even close to the degree of success Paranormal Activity achieves toward it's goal, he is going to be everything so many people in the film industry and the community of people who love film hoped M. Night Shymalan would be. The last piece of the what makes Paranormal Activity a truly above average, possibly even great film, is the performances. This is the kind of script which shares the qualities of films which have been adapted from small plays. There are a total of four characters who appear on screen through the entire film. Two of them, the couple who are being terrorized by the unseen force in their home, are on screen for the entire film. If we don't buy their performances, the film sinks, frankly it crashes and it's inexorably boring. But you do buy their performances, and more than that, you genuinely like them, feel for them and identify with them in many, many ways. You've had conversations like those. There's a good chance you know people very much like them. And even as the events in the house get more bizarre and terrifying, you're with them every step. There's never a moment during the film in which you feel like they are doing or saying anything disingenuous. Some of that is the script, certainly, but most of it is the strength of the performances. Like the rest of the film, their performances are perfectly pitched. When they're terrified, they're not too terrified, and I never had that thought, as I do often in horror films, "You are just not understanding the depth of shit you are in." Even as that's an early part of the story, and you understand why one of them isn't completely serious about what's going on, you can completely understand why, even if you would be taking it more seriously, you know a lot of people who wouldn't. I can't really give enough credit to Katie Featherston and Micah Sloat for how uncinematic their acting really is in this film, and I mean that as one of the highest compliments I could possibly give. There are moments in the film which many actors would recognize as extremely meaty, the kinds of things which can really help give an actor a reputation for possessing gravitas. Not once do you get that feeling while you're watching these two at work together. I'd shake their hands if I could, because if that weren't the case, the entire film would be absolutely silly non-sense, and it's not, for even once second. When the film ended, and the screen went black following the last shot. For a minute there was dead, stunned silence in the theater, and with a black screen looming over all of us, the lights yet to go up, a girl somewhere down toward the front said, "Oh... We gotta go!" It was in no way something said in an attempt to be rowdy and funny, but an honest expression that if that's not the end, and something else pops up on the screen, I don't think I can take it. A second or so later, someone put their hand in front of the projector, and the theater erupted in screams........... from the shadow of a hand on a black screen. That's the kind of effect Paranormal Activity has on the audience. A friend of mine once commented that when it comes to horror films, you don't go looking for nuggets of gold, you go looking for flecks of color. More often than not, that's what you get, flecks of color. Sometimes though, you grab for that fleck of color and realize it's a nugget of gold. Paranormal Activity is one of those nuggets of gold, which spent two years buried in the mountain of muck, mud and crap that is the Hollywood studio machine, and I'm damned glad we finally got chance to find out it isn't just another polished fleck of color being hawked by a snake oil salesman. It's the real deal. As of next weekend, Paranormal Activity is going to be released nationwide due to the demand it's gotten from movie goers nationwide. I don't care about Paramount's marketing plan, people did well to demand it, and will be well served by seeing it. Don't let the marketing or the hype get in the way, this film is better than all of that. There have been two films since the beginning of the summer which absolutely benefit from being seen in a theater. The first was Drag Me To Hell, because of it's purely cinematic quality. The second is this one, because it should be seen with an audience. If you have even a passing interest in scary movies, if you enjoy them at all, you owe it to yourself to see this film in theaters, with a big audience. And SOON!
I am lucky and live in new jersey so this movie is already playing here. I saw it last night and wow what a disappointment. This is not a scary movie if anything i would almost say its date movie so when your girlfriend gets scared or pretends to get scared she has a reason to scream and be held tight. the scares while they are sleeping are lame and morning scenes just drag out the movie. what is worse is dreamworks trys to make you think this is based on real events which is not. the ending was terrible. i would go into details but hate people who ruin movies with there reviews. go see it if you have some time to waste if not do fall for all the hype like me and my friends did.
Great movie! I went with no preconceptions except those generated by the trailers online. I was really looking forward to seeing the movie and I was NOT disappointed. I love scary movies and this did not let me down. It started with no titles or credits so it appeared to be "real" and continued to get more and more intense as it went on. I was not let down at all. I am a seasoned watcher of horror movies and I must admit, I made more than my share of squeaks and screeches during the movie. I am VERY glad that I went on facebook and badgered all of my friends to log on to the website and DEMAND that the movie be released nationwide. If you are looking for a good scare, this is it!! I give it 9 out of ten skulls!
Judging by what people are saying about this movie, it's definately a love/hate movie. I've seen this twice already and both times it had me on edge, scared the shit out of me, and gave the entire theatre a good time. I never teared up during a movie like I did this one, both me and my friend Spencer. I was loving it! But as to my love/hate theory, I went and saw this with eight other people and 5 out of 8 liked it. But it had me going insane! I loved it, I've never had that much fun at a theatre before. This movie was literally the scariest thing I've ever seen and the comedy in it was awesome. The crowd I was sitting with (which was a sold out crowd) were all jumping, laughing and freaking out together. It was amazing, this movie is amazing. Genuine terror. A must see in theatres.
This was such a creepy movie. It was really good but not as good people are hyping it to be. You have to see this in theaters though to get the full effect. Overall one of the best ghost movies ive seen in a long long time.
What can be said about Paranormal Activity that hasn’t already been mentioned? This film is just genius. To take such a simple concept and turn it into a frightening visual is no easy task, but Paranormal handles this with ease. The two leads are very believable especially our leading lady Katie, who carries the film on her own. Make no mistake; this is Blair Witch, only set in a house. If you enjoyed Blair, you should enjoy Paranormal. It is so refreshing to go to a horror movie and actually be frightened! If you are a person who believes in Demon’s and Ghost’s; a strong believer, then this film should really get at you either in mind, body or soul. Obviously everybody is different, not everyone will feel the same about the film as someone else, but for me personally, it really got to me. I had a good four jump scares throughout the film, and the final scene stayed in my head all day and night after seeing it. One scene involving Katie had my girlfriend shedding a tear for her, even from an emotional aspect the film delivers on that level as well. Paranormal Activity was one hell of a picture and deserves all the hype it has received. This is one of the scariest films ever made. I’m so grateful that I got the opportunity to witness something special. A big thank you is warranted to everyone who “Demanded it!” Continue to support our genre!
Good movie. Well made, had a creepy atmosphere. I wasn't jumping out of my seat like they show in the trailers, but there was a lot of people doing that at the theater. Solid.
I wasn't affected at all. I was bored from frame one. It has nothing to do with gore or the slow burn, because I usually love that stuff. This movie wore down my patience 15 mins in and by the time the door started moving on its own I was rolling my eyes. People hate Blair Witch, and for justifiable reason, but I will go on record as saying I was more scared watching that then I was watching this shit. Think about it: the internet was practically brand new, no one had ever seen anything like it, and everyone believed those teens were really missing. I read someone left the theater, so terrified they had to vomit. How?! What fucking movie are you people watching?! Blowing a fucking curtain and turning on some light switches while your sound engineer rapes the soundsystem just doesn't do it for me. It works with an audience because it works with the people around you. It's collective fear and I just wasn't feeling it. Captrips said something about lacking what we've been trained to expect from horror and that the film is almost ultra-realistic. I expect atmosphere; "fast-forwarding" a tape does nothing for me. [REC} does the exact same thing to much better effect. Rid yourself of the gore and you'll realize it's a film about claustrophobia and losing control. It's a story about zombies and it feels entirely real. No useless exposition where someone says HEY, THIS IS WHAT'S CHASING YOU. All of it comes out of story and necessity. So, sorry man. Definitely not affected here. Unless you consider how pissed I am for wasting cash on a well-done Youtube clip.
This is my first movie review and felt like this movie should be my first, it was that good. Paranormal Activity is a fantastic scary freighting experience. This is a perfect example of filming that’s similar to the classic Blair Witch Project. Like in that movie, it uses the same handheld video throughout. The surroundings were obviously different, in Blair Witch, it was out in the middle of the woods, in this one, it happens in a house. Just like in both films, as mentioned by “captrips“, it made it feel real. No effects or soundtrack…none of that shit. Pure terror was injected in that house with two people and the demon haunting Katie. One thing I really enjoyed was that they focused on the main story which was all about the demon. They didn’t waste time walking and doing shit around the house, only when they were about to go to bed on those night scenes. Another thing I liked was the suspense building up when your sitting and waiting for something to fall or make a movement or sound, especially the night scenes, was terrifyingly good. Last thing, the characters and the story really fit well together. I had goose bumps run down me every time the unexplainable happened. Either the lights turning on by themselves, footsteps, etc. I jumped back in my seat at the very end, very shocking and scary. By the way, getting back to the beginning of this review. Paranormal Activity can be viewed as another Blair Witch, maybe even better. Great movie!
The movie was to slow paced , wasn't really scary, if your into jump scares you will like this, in the end it was blair witch in a house but much much slower
The perfect example of less is more. While some people may complain because it lacks what they've been conditioned to expect from a horror movie, I think it truely succeeds because of what's not there. This film is terrifying because you can almost believe that what you are seeing is real. The terror is realistic because it never goes too far. No effects, no soundtrack, just like real life. Bizarre effects and gore would only accomplish to remove the viewer from the events. No one can relate to 'seeing' demons. But everyone can relate to the childhood fear of the dark and the fear that something you can't see may be watching you. This is a ghost story that truely haunts.
This movie is a perfect example of collective hysteria/behavior. It only works in an audience setting because it becomes a sort of party where one person screams and the rest follow...movie version of a yawn. And a yawn is exactly what this movie is. its nothing any of us havent seen DTV or on sci fi channel a million times already. It doesnt suck but there is also nothing special about it. The ending can be seen a mile away and other than a couple good scares it is B-O-R-I-N-G.
Very effective scary movie. There was real tension between the night and day shots. Everyone expected something to happen as soon as the lights went out. Only problem I had with this movie was it made me dizzy with the shaky camera (Cloverfield and Blair Witch Project did not). The ending was FANTASTIC. 9/10
Sadly, I bought into the hype similar to what was given Blair Witch and Frontier(s). I should have known better. It really was an excellent concept, the characters believable, and the screenplay probably read well on the napkin it was written on, but I found this to be quite boring. I nodded off twice and several people left the theater a little more than halfway through. I seriously doubt they were frightened into leaving. The scares, if that is what you want to call them were few and far apart. Overall, if watching someone going through a sleep study and then discussing it in an "Oprahesque" manner the next morning, then this film is for you. On the plus side, when the DVD is released, I do need a new beer coaster.
Just got home from seeing it and it was awesome. One of those flicks that you have to sink yourself into and watch it intensely. Liked the characters and the the end really hits with a bang. That being said its getting hyped up big time and thats not a fault of the movie or its makers. Just put aside the net buzz, go out and enjoy an original movie.
Just saw Paranormal Activity and it blindsided me with its effectiveness, jolts, sheer terror that I was literally shaking towards the end. To be honest the first couple of scenes didn't impress me and I was thinking great just another overrated The Blair Witch Project but as soon as they put the tripod in their bedroom to film these supposed hauntings while they try to sleep things change from ordinary to truly frightening that will have you grabbing your seat or someones arm in fear and it catapults from there on. I was impressed what they accomplished on such a small budget that puts high budget horror films to shame, hollywood take note! See it in a packed house on a cold fall night or better yet wait for the dvd and watch it with your girlfriend or boyfriend in your own home and turn off all the lights and get ready to be shakened! Folks forget about The Blair Witch Project this is true terror and it is less shaky! I give kudos to the director and the two leads for displaying believable performances and craft, great job! We all should pat ourselves on the back for demanding this gem of a film and putting our voices out there which lead to a wide release and hope that this opens doors for other deserving films waiting for a release and has yet to be seen, so maybe they will finally release In Memorium a film that seems similar to this one. Overall it lives up to most of the hype but go in with low expectations and appreciate for what it is and what it accomplishes. What it accomplishes is how to build suspense and fear and it did one hell of a job which I can't say about most horror films and horror remakes these days. I rate Paranormal Activity a 4 out of 5! Another thing you need to know is that the less you know about this flick the better so stay away from reviews and let you be the judge and see it already! Hope this one makes alot of money because I want a sequel! Chilling but not the scariest horror film ever made but close to it!
It's a fun movie but it's not "the scariest movie ever." It's not even close. It's well done with some simple, effective, in-camera effects. The cheap, studio-added CG ending completely blew it for me. I want to see the original endings. I loved the sense of dread, but wished they had tightened up the daytime sequences. It got a bit long in the tooth. I really wanted to be scared and there are some good sequences, but unfortunately, it didn't do it for me. Maybe if I didn't see any of the trailers, I would have been more freaked out. The trailers give away to many scares, including the ending. If you can, go see it cold. Don't see any trailer. It will be more effective.
I wish I didn't have the internet. If I would of thought that this movie was real like I did when Blair Witch came out, I would have been shitting myself. Knowing that it is a movie still doesn't take away from it. Awesome movie and a really creepy atmosphere. Everytime they showed them in the room sleeping, your heart automatically starts beating and your palms get sweaty anticipating what is going to happen next. Really good movie.
Ok My take on this film. It was terrible, I don't see why all the good reviews. the movie was boring, and personally I feel we the viewer got duped again (Ala Blair Witch). the movie was 80 mins with a few scares here and there but nothing to say oh my gosh that was so scary. The characters where believable, but how many times where they going to argue back and forth. honestly the whole time I watched the movie, Katie the star, I hoped her cleavage would just pop out. that would have raised my review from 2 to 3. Movie was just bad. Boring and just down right terrible. i feel I got ripped off but live and learn. The Exorcist still stands as the scariest movie in my book.
GO SEE THIS MOVIE!!!
This movie set out to scare the hell out of people,and it does a great job,the ending scared the hell out of me,and i don't say that very often,this movie is scary as they come,maybe.... just maybe the most scay movie every made,And i watch ALOT of horror films,rarely does one affect me like this,i am still thinking about it well after it has ended...warning this movie will effect you.
I was very excited to see this movie, but it did not live up to my expectations. While I loved how the haunting escalated, the thought was never abset from my mind, "none of this would be happening if Mika wasn't so fucking stupid." It was very frustrating and I'm glad he died at he end, he deserved it. Katie was too passive and put up with way too much of his shit; YOU HAVE A DEMON AFTER YOU! HELLO!!!!! Mika pried the crucifix from Katie's bleeding hand and then goes and burns it, probably the one thing that might offer protection and he destroys it and continues to spout macho bullshit and refused to believe he was not in control. He taunts the demon even when he should know it would be better to stay quite and not challenge it, he goes against every single rule. Some scenes were reminicient of The Ring, Katie standing for hours, the tv turned onto static. I loved the part where the ouija board was moving by itself and the burnt picture in the attic. While this movie is good, I will not lose any sleep over it. The scariest movie I have ever seen still remains, The Strangers.
Paranormal Activity - 11/10 - Horror is my favorite movie genre...... And i really don't get scared by a ton of movies. I do consider The Exorcist to be the cream of the crop. A movie i can never watch alone. Until last night...... I went to a Midnight show of Paranormal Activity. It was sold out and full of loud people. But as the movie progressed the laughs died down and even the most douchebag of guys were noticeably freaked out. I wont go into any detail but if you find supernatural movies to be scary then you really owe it to yourself to see this one.. Watch it in a crowd and see how the whole theater changes. I consider it to be the scariest movie i have ever seen. Of course were all different but this is my opinion and i stand by it. I never get scared in a crowd, no matter what movie that's why i opt out of seeing horror in the theater and wait for dvd. This movie bended the rules and made for a night ill never forget. Damn im tired.
Just got back from a screening in Toronto! What a great film, something fresh to watch for once. Lots of genuinely creepy scenes and a good finish. Recommended to all!
If you wanna hear an honest review, read mine. From a horror buff's standpoint. Here it is, my final verdict, but before I start, I just want to say; I've been waiting for this movie for about a year and a half now. I first heard about it makings it way around the festivals, and gaining a lot of steam one could say. Reviews were rave, critics loved it, audiences were terrified, even the big Steven Speilberg was scared of it. I thought I had found the perfect horror film, and I needed to see it. I spent weeks, posting the "Demand It" widget in forums, telling people "REQUEST THIS MOVIE! You won't regret it!". I had to wait though, as all the screenings I attempted to see were sold out. Finally, after a long wait, I got to sit down and really take in the film for the first time. The mood was set, and the opening shot planted itself on the screen. I felt tension. A tension that I would feel throughout the movie, as it was constantly built up with every genius fluctuation in "Paranormal Activity". The mood continued to just stay set, and it went on, and on, and on. FINALLY! The demon does something besides slam a door or stamp around!! THIS IS IT!!! Yeah. That was it. The ending came, and was the most disappointing thing I'd seen in years. Whoever thought this was scary must not have been raised watching horror films, because this is a total bust of a film. The real fear you feel, is the fear that something intense is going to happen. But it never really does. Loud noises, stuff moving, loud noises, stuff moving, bitemark, loud noises, screaming, end scene, jump scare with shitty CGI. I almost want to say this movie was as bad as Gone Baby Gone, which by basic comparison, the 2 are nothing alike, but when you look deeper, have many similar qualities. They both suck 90 minutes away from you, and then in the last 10 minutes, completely slash your hopes and dreams of it ever being a good movie. High school kids will be scared shitless, adults, should know better. I was sitting in a room full of college kids, listening to them "omg!" and squeal, and by the end, they were all screaming. I was just smiling and thinking "thank god I work at this theater and got this ticket for free". It was a fun waste of time, but as I stated before, this film built up a lot of buzz and steam, but in the end, thats all it was. A bunch of hot and humid air. I'm giving it 5/10 for having some good effects, and solid acting, but otherwise being a total waste of my time. Which saddens me to say, because I really wanted to like this movie. =/
WOW....what else can i say....Paranormal Activity is the scariest movie ive ever seen in my life, hands down. more often then not, less is more..as in the case of this movie. as i sit here and type this, im alone, cant help but look over my shoulder, down the hall, listening for anything...this movie leaves an imprint on you that stays with you for awhile. there were so many scenes that just made me get chills and made my heart pound out of my chest. the ending is just fantastic. it all has a very natural, organic feel.its so realistic(except the ending, the very last shot). the actors were really good in thier roles and there relationship was very believable. the house was creepy and the story was completely belieavable to me and thats what made it even more scary. i could go on and on about this movie but i dont wanna spoil anything. just go see it, you wont regret it.
This film was fantastic, it was also incredibly terrifying. The depiction of the paranormal physical happenings were horrifying. Both believers and non-believers alike seem to find common ground with this mind bender. It is time to stop worrying about what is lurking underneath your bed because it might just be standing in the corner, watching you sleep. Alfred Hitchcock and William Castle would be proud.
all 10 stars for the last 5 minutes... the whole movie was ok but tht last few minutes rocked my fuckin world...all i could say after the movie ended was "FUCK THAT!" lol....this film went beyond my expectations...it just goes to show u that an indie film can make it huge..and i mean HUGE...i now understand all the hype and long lines for this movie...
It creeps up on you and before you know it, it has seared its frightening images in your brain. Truly a gut-wrenching, nerve-racking movie that stays with you.
I have seen horror flicks before I was 18. I have seen the Exorcist when I was 13. This movie gave me a flashback to that time. Being that I am hardcore gore viewer, movies don't scare me like they used to. Paranormal gave me a good run for my money. I havent felt this good about being scared for a long time. I loved it. I know it is not the high tech thing that scares people but what you don't see is what scares you. Being like a documentary like Blair Witch, it was really good. The effects did not have to be high tech to be scary. This movie proves it. Go see it alone or with a friend. Fuck, it doesn't matter it will scare you.
thought it was pretty good and pretty original.
go see it now that you can at all hours!
I'm not quite understanding the rave reviews this film is receiving. I mean, there were a couple of good scenes, but I'm quite disappointed in that it felt like a complete rip-off of The Blair Witch Project (my favorite horror flick of all-time...even ahead of The Shining). This was easily, IMO, one of the most not-living-up-to-the-hype films I have ever seen. That said, I will say that if you are a person who is scared of living alone or even just in a house alone, then you will definitely be frightened. But if you are hardcore (or even not-so-hardcore), this movie won't set you back in your development. I give it 6 out of respect of all the other reviewers on here.
Just saw this in NYC. This is by far the best horror movie I've seen in a long time. I felt as though there wasn't enough. It left me wanting more in a good way. Which is how I think movies should be. I had plenty of chills, goosebumps, and jumps in general. The audience gasped and screamed throughout the whole movie. I loved it! Absolutely genius! P.S. The dialogue was incredibly funny which was a plus!
I may never sleep again. Blair Witch is one of my favorite movies of all time, and this movie beats it by a mile, in my opinion. I looked around myself in a sold out theater. Me and 510 other people were almost too scared to look at the screen. The best movie I've seen in forever.
The movie does have moments that can make your hairs stand up. It gets progressively scary as it goes. There were two parts in it where it lost the feel of reality. One, of course, was the very last shot. However, the movie is very entertaining and pretty scarier in some parts.
Saw it last night in Miami.This movie was so creepy that my hairs were standing on my arms.The movie felt real with its presentation.The last 30min.will just have you squirming in your chair.A great date movie.It will have your girl jumping all over you.
One of the best horror movies I've ever seen. I can't wait until the DVD.
I drove all the way to DC from Richmond, VA to see it and it was worth the drive and the 2 year long wait in every possible way! Extremely believable, great buildup, and totally satisfying climax. The scariest movie I have ever seen IN THEATERS, and a movie that was meant to be watched primarily in a theater to experience the collective terror. Cannot recommend it enough to fans of horror or fans of indie films in general. Demand It! And if that doesn't work drive two hours to the closest city that is playing it and you won't be disappointed I promise you that.
Just saw this last night. Absolutely amazing. Scared the hell out of me. Loved it. Wanna see it again.
one of the scariest horror films i have ever seen.. incredibly frightening.. so fact paced, good characters.. VERY realistic
I just saw this movie a couple of hours ago at the Sacramento premiere/midnight screening. I went with 3 of the most "witty" and "talkative" friends I have. ALL of us were speechless. I've been following the development of this movie since it was first mentioned on Bloody Disgusting so I've been exposed to the hype from day one. I figured that it wouldn't be as creepy to me because of all the exposure I had already had to the buzz but that I would at least be able to enjoy it. This movie is terrifying. I'm a HUGE horror fan and have scraped the bottom to the top of the barrel with everything from grindhouse (Flower of Flesh/Cannibal Holocaust, etc), to ghost stories (Hell House/The Exorcist/ insert obvious movie here) and I have to say this is one of the most frightening movies I've ever seen. Believe the hype, don't believe the hype...it doesn't matter. This movie will FUCK with you wether it's immediately after you're done watching it or days later. Even the greatest naysayers are not safe because there are some things that happen in this movie that touch such a universal and sometimes even subconscious nerve, it's almost impossible to deny. My recommendation? Change out all of the bulbs in your house/apartment. You're going to be leaving your lights on for a while. I'm fucking serious.
Just got back from a midnight show, unbelievable. Great pacing, camera work, and you never leave the movie. I agree also 100% with E.Rom.Jin, see it in a theater. Finally, a horror film that takes its subject matter seriously and uses believable, real characters. Please support a fresh horror film, go see it!
Refreshing, back-to-the-basics and genuinely creepy. I would agree that it will not be the same on home video - see it at the cinema if possible.
I saw Paranormal Activity in Durham, NC at the sold out Friday midnight showing. I have to admit I expected it to be scarier after reading the reviews here and the testimonials on the PA website. However, after sitting with it for a few days, I have to admit it had a few moments that were really well done. The acting was stiff in places but it wasn't too distracting. Since the theater was so packed and with a fairly young, overreactive crowd, I think the creepiness would be enhanced in a dark living room with a great sound system. I look forward to viewing it that way next time. Many thanks to Bloody Disgusting for turning me on to this and other flicks I may have otherwise missed.
I was lucky enough to see the Los Angeles screening of this movie. I have to say that at first I was hesitant about how great this movie can possibly be. It does have a slow start, but lets be real what documentary type film has a fast start? The movie is well made I believe, the whole purpose of it is to put you in this house with the real emotions being felt by the couple that is being tormented. Halfway through the movie I realized that I was in for a treat, the fear felt totally real, the few visual effects that were in the movie were great. But what sold me on the movie was the fear which was given off from not only the couple in the movie, but the actual film because if you are one of those movie watchers that truly places themselves in the movie, then there is absolutely no way you wouldn't get freaked out. I have always and will always be a scary movie buff, and I have to say without any hesitation this has been the best scary movie I have ever seen. I literally was speechless after the movie while my cousins and friends I went with were also left in a "holy crap" trance. I have never caught myself saying "WTF?!" so many times in a movie, let alone saying halfway through the movie that I think I want to leave. I cannot stress the greatness of this movie. My girl - friend even told me that there were a few points in the movie where she wanted to cry, and at the end of the night she gracefully thanked me for traumatizing her for life! haha.. I wish I could go more into detail but that would be a spoiler and I have never been one to spoil movies. I will say one more thing though. After the movie I went to the bathroom, where apparently there were 2 people that are involved with the movie. Maybe a producer or an editor and one of them said that "this ending was good, but he liked the first better" and let me tell you the ending of this movie was INSANE! Thanks to Bloody-Disgusting for putting that screening together or helping and once again, I hope that this movie does hit big screens everywhere! This movie is a must see for all scary movie buffs but I don't think any one under the age of 18 should see this movie. TRUE STORY.
Just got back from driving all the way up to Columbus, OH midnight screening from here in Cincinnati, OH. Of course we called earlier to put our names on the list. We arrived 2 hours before midnight and got perfect seats. A half hour later the theatre was sold out and the line was over a half mile long. I went back outside 30 minutes before it started to see how crazy it was... tons of angry crowds, traffic, and people turned away after not calling in earlier. It was chaos as well!! Was my two hour drive worth the movie? YES. The first hour isn't too scary, but the last thirty minutes will have you looking away from the screen... Awesome film!!
Saw this movie last night in New York, and it really did live up to the hype. That's not to say that the movie doesn't have it's flaws... there are some pacing issues and the acting for some of the characters was a little off(was the second coming of the psychic and how he got freaked out intentionally hilarious?) but altogether, this is one scary as hell spook-a-blast with some genuinely frightening moments. I really hope this is the future of horror movies, because I like where this is going.
best scary movie i ever seen . holy fuck
I have not seen this movie, but I have a quick question; hopefully someone can answer it. Is it anything like "Open Water?" I'm dying to see this movie, but if it's like "Open Water," I think I'll probably shoot myself!
Last night I saw Paranormal Activity thanks to Bloody-Disgusting.com and I was very excited to finally get to see this since watching the trailer and hyping myself up about it from the scenes in it. Pretty fun scares are throughout the movie but it needed more of them and the ending was a quick let down. I have been told that the ending was changed last minute but I have no idea if that's true. Great sound, acting, effects and I imagine they saved a lot of money filming this POV style and with a cast of 4. The movie played out like Open Water in a house. If you have watched a lot of the "Real Ghost Footage/Demon Caught on Tape" videos on YouTube than you have seen this movie in clip form.
THIS MOVIE SCARED THE SHIT OUT OF ME!. I LOVE HORROR AND THIS IS 4SURE THE SCARIEST MOVIE I HAVE SEEN SINCE THE EXORCIST. PLEASE PEOPLE! GO DEMAND THIS SHIT! IT MUST BE SEEN! I AGREE.. DONT SEE IT ALONE.. I ENDED UP LAYING ON THE FLOOR TO WATCH IT CUZ THE THEATRE WAS SOOO PACKED AND I WANTED TO BE WITH MY PEEPS. IT WAS SCARY DOWN THERE! LOL I REPEAT... SCARIEST MOVIE I HAVE EVER SEEN AND FIRST TIME I HAVE EVER GIVEN A MOVIE A 10 OUT OF 10
went to see this tonight. was lucky enough to be one of the 850 of at least 1600 outside in chicago. The film is enjoyable. I didn't find is scary but the girls in the 100person screening found themselves screaming at bits in the film. The suspenseful moments are mostly at night where u find yourself and others in the theater getting ready for the next scare once Micah mounts the camera on the tripod in the bedroom. The relationship between Micah and Katie feels very believable and often you find yourself laughing at the well written dialog. There is a point in the film where you feel Micah is a complete twat for thinking he is able to handle this problem on his own. The very last action in the film where 'it' jumps towards the camera before the closing credits is so cheesy and very lame...but im nitpicking. Those are the only two flaws I found in the film. I do believe it did a fantastic job building suspense and letting you relax between each "night" scene. I didn't find myself scared but i wore a smile through most of the film. 4/5
I'm very very happy that I got to see this flick in a theater. If you have a chance to go and see it somewhere near you it's completely worth the drive. For being a low budget movie the effects of each 'haunting' scene are totally believable and perfectly executed. I've seen movies with much higher budgets then this that were a complete trainwreck. Like BD says, the day -> night -> day -> night setup creates a lot of suspense and laughs (via the boyfriend's jokes and the girlfriends 'you SOB' moments) FYI, get there early!!! The line wrapped around two corners in Chicago. I got there 2 hours early and would not have gotten into the 750 seating theater (thankfully they opened a 2nd room for 100 people and we were numbers 71-80 in that one!!)
Just got back from the Fantastic Fest kickoff screening (if you saw a midnight screening- you probably saw a live intro from my screening from Harry Knowles). Beware reading reviews. You don't need to know which section of the film is the scariest or what part is the scariest. The trailer ruins enough, so quit reading and go see it! The film is effectively scary, if not a little hyped. Still it really can be called the scariest horror film in years time because it really will scare you. Just go in with an open mind. Ignore all comments and don't read too much into every last scene (a mistake I made a few times). Just get lost in it and it'll find you...Trust me. If you don't get the opportunity to see it in an audience, don't freak. Find a friend with a big TV with a GREAT sound system and watch it with minimal lighting and no talking ("witty" friends will damage your experience). Just...go see it.
Saw this last night in orlando. Holy shit this movie is fucking awesome!! The last 20 minutes of the movie is so intense that you are on the edge of your seat. Great ending that I did not see coming. Her smile is so evil!!!! This is top five of the scariest movie of all time!!! Go check it out if you live close to orlando because you will not be disappointed after watching this movie!! |
THE HORROR HYPE METER Excited to see this movie? Rate it here!
|
BLOODYDISGUSTING.COM/BLOODY-DISGUSTING.COM 2001-2010 BLOODY-DISGUSTING LLC - Privacy Policy - Terms Of Service |
