"SHHHHERRRRIOUSLY you guys, this isn't as scary as people keep saying." is all I seem to be hearing about this movie. To me, it had some extremely jumpy parts (in particular, the ending) but overall, it was nothing scream worthy. To tell the truth, I've seen many a horror film in my 14 years and well, this was one of the better ones.
Most of the modern horror movies nowadays are remakes and add-ons of old greats (Friday The 13th anyone?) which always turn out the same; god awful. They all end up as slasher flicks that become painfully easy to predict so when something different comes along, we might as well lap it up. Paranormal Activity, for anyone that doesn't know (if you don't, WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN?) is basically about a 'young' couple who somehow own a very big house and are being haunted by some sort of Paranormal Activity. This then leads them to go out and buy a very large camera and document all the so called happenings on tape as evidence. Cue annoying boyfriend and constant black and white shots of their bedroom.
The film itself is well made, and with an incredibly lean budget ($15,000) they make the best of it. The actors use their own names, there is limit special effects (the odd split screen) and the house where its all filmed just so happens to be the Director/Writer/Producer's humble abode. Also, the added message at the beginning (Paramount Classics thanks the families of Micah *whatever* and Katie Featherton for allowing us to use the following footage) and the lack of any sort of credits leads to the 'Blair Witch' feel, leaving gullable idiots in the audience (and believe me, there were plenty!) thinking this was real. The handheld approach is wearing thin, although this time, it worked well, almost too well.
It begins with a bit of clever character development giving the audience an instant insight into the life of the couple, with Micah annoying his sweetheart of 3 years by constantly shoving the camera in her face. This is then followed by more character development, a few short thuds and nightvision shots, then *you guessed it* more character development. By the 60 minute mark, it almost feels like you've been watching a soap opera with a few added thuds and creeks. But after about an hour, the horror escalates into a more 'jumpy' state and the thuds become louder, the creeks become creepier and the bed sheets start moving all over the place. This all fizzes down to the final 2 or 3 minutes with an incredibly shocking ending that is impossible to predict. The *what feels like* hours of character development pays off as it allows the final, massive shock to send the audience 10 feet in the air and covering their face with the palm of their hand. You generally don't expect it, but to be honest it is the high point of the whole charade.
Statistically, this movie has made the largest profit ever, starting with a budget of $15,000 and making a whopping £101 million at the box office, which is still going. Complete with DVD sales, Director/Writer/Producer Oren Peli will be sitting on a small fortune by this time next year. But what is most clever about this movie is the fact that it started as nothing. It was screened to a test audience in the US of A sometime earlier this year at Screamfest and since then, word of mouth set this films plans in motion. From there, the fanbase grew and grew and the American public demanded it to be shown in cinemas. It was then released across the US of A on the 16th October and here in the UK on the 25th November with further worldwide dates being added constantly. The word spread that this movie was 'amongst the scariest of all time' (which it isn't) and horror fans of all ages flocked to their local picture house to watch what could only disappoint them.
Because that's what it does. It disappoints you. Although you don't want to, you believe the hype, then when you leave the cinema 86 minutes later, it becomes quickly apparent that the movie is not scary at all. To me, it all depends upon the way you look at it. If you are ready to be scared, you won't be, if you think it's bullshit, you won't be scared at all. To get the full experience from this movie, you need to be in a dark room, and expect/know nothing.
This leads me to conclude that although this may be only 86 minutes long, it remains one of the slowest films I've ever sat through (and I've seen Che!)It is also grossly misunderstood by many cinemagoers and does take a special sort of person to understand it's true beauty. As a movie, it can't compete, as an independent movie, it ticks all the boxes.
8/10 - Saved by the marvellous ending.
So that's the first of my extremely detailed depictions of the movies I watch. I won't be reviewing every film I see, just the decent ones. 'Til then, thanks.
B.
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