Film Review

‘Paranormal Activity’

Continuing the recent/past trend of films designed to invoke intrigue and fear with shockumentaries seemingly being based on fact, ‘Paranormal Activity’ stamps on visual scares of less imaginative torture porn with something altogether more offensive to your inner most fears, allowing the audiences imagination to become their own worst enemy.

The film see’s engaged to be engaged couple Katie and Micah (Katie Fetherston & Micah Sloat) terrorized by a ‘presence’ after moving into their new home. Katie has been plagued since childhood by something unexplainable and Micah who is reluctant to believe decides to fuel his love of gadgetry by buying himself a camcorder, taking up a mission to capture evidence of his girlfriends escalating fears.

Filmed much like ‘The Blair Witch Project’ but far less elaborate, we follow our protagonists through a series of time-lapsed ‘real’ footage that slowly builds from interesting to absolutely terrifying. Everything is done with such simplicity that it’s actually quite genius in it’s delivery of what we see and especially what we hear. The sound design is outstanding with tiny, almost inaudible queue’s that sit deep in your subconscious, adding to what your brain is forcing you think or want to see.

Similarly the compositions are brilliantly executed. Static wide shots with the camcorder timer ticking away in one corner watching out over the sleeping couple and down into a darkened corridor in the other. Strategically placed mirrors and minimal special effects, the work is almost all left to the viewer, forced to look into every open space and back again, waiting, hoping and fearing for the worst.

Filmed in his own house and shot for just $15,000 over one week, it’s testament to debut director Oren Peli masterful skills that he’s managed to invoke such visceral participation. This is a modern take on what we first saw in films like ‘Poltergeist’ and is far more frightening than anything which tries to hit you with a more graphic or obvious scare.

Easily one of the most original and atmospheric films of the year, this plays to every basic human fear and even if you aren’t distraught by the end you will be nothing short of fascinated. And hat’s off to Steven Spielberg who apparently suggested the distressing ending which is party expected, but still manages to scar deeply, mainly down to our easy identification and love of the two excellent leads.

*****