Film Review: Paranormal Activity
The Film Denies Cheap Scares, Frightens with Anticipation
Nov 7, 2009
Paranormal Activity builds fear and tension through the use of agonizing anticipation with nothing more than a simple video camera. Focused in silent anticipation of what may happen and ultimately what will happen, the fear and tension is subconsciously so real that the anticipation, the waiting for something to happen, often exceeds the "jump" factor of it actually happening. The film, which invites comparisons to The Blair Witch Project given its small production value and similar plot, succeeds because it keeps in mind what makes a horror movie effective: fear and tension through anticipation.
Paranormal Activity Knows How to Scare
A young couple, Katie (Katie Featherston) and Micah (Micah Sloat), become increasingly disturbed by a presence that may or may not be demonic in there home, but is certainly most active in the middle of the night. With Micah not taking the situation seriously, he is determined to video tape the hauntings while they sleep to capture the demonic happenings on camera. This seems to only anger the demon so the couple seeks help from a psychic, who determines the demon has a connection with Katie and will never leave her. When the happenings become more intense and begin to occur during the day, the couple find themselves trapped in their own home with the situation too far escalated to survive.
Technical Details of Paranormal Activity
Since Blair Witch, many shows and films have tried to duplicate its success by creating terrifying visuals and “jump” gags, which come off as obviously staged and cheesy. Paranormal Activity knows that keeping things relatively simple is the most productive route. Keeping the visuals out of sight and with the use of anticipation, ala the shark in Jaws, is the ultimate fear factor.
Having been made to look like discovered footage, there are no musical cues or ominous tones: just an assortment of chilling groans, moans, thuds, crashes, screams, and complete silence. The audience is given distinctive looks at the unseen evil with the use of shadows, gusts of wind, and foot prints. The film utilizes the concept of time-lapse photography with a speeding clock in the lower right-hand corner. Once the clock slows, the eyes will search the room for movement given that something strange and creepy is eminent.
Paranormal Activity is at it's scariest when the characters are driven or controlled by the evil rather than fighting against it. While the film is effective at building tension, the use of the camera becomes an issue. Some scenes during the film may be important to the story, but would have never been filmed had this been a true collection of discovered footage. Micah seems content on filming everything even conversations during dinner, and when a haunting occurs off screen has no problem grabbing the camera quick before investigating. The two main characters have a problem with lights, never able or willing to flip the switch and expose the haunting to the light.
The film incorporates a steady buildup of doors slamming, loud thuds, chilling images, etc. but the end is what will surprise and send chills down the audience's spines, making an honest attempt to strike fear with an unforgettable “jump” from the darkness.
Final Thoughts
In avoiding most of the common horror mainstays, Paranormal Activity denies cheap scares and uses another method: to frighten the audience members by use of tension-cringing anticipation. Fear is induced through subtle, unnatural oddities rather than the more common “jump” moments in today’s thrillers. This film is one of the scariest in a while with its ability to frighten the audience in the theater and terrify them afterwards.
