So I received five free advanced screening tickets to see Paranormal Activity tonight and I was simply amazed. I decided to take along four friends and we all had no idea what to truly expect. I had read online several reviews of the movie and each said not to watch the trailers for the movie. So I followed their advice and pretty much went into the movie with barely any knowledge whatsoever about what the movie was about.

The movie is set in an American Suburb with a young couple as the main protagonists, the film has only one setting — the house — and only explores the setting into only a small amount of depth. Along with the vague amount of knowledge given to you about the couple’s background, throughout the movie you’re left with a sense of naivety which only heightens the film’s drama and suspense. We learn as much as the couple’s names (Katie, Micah), their professions, how long they’ve been together and only as much as Katie admitting that the hauntings have occurred periodically since the age of eight.

The movie beings with Micah meeting Katie in the driveway of their house (one of only two times the camera leaves the inside of the house), it continues on with a rather lengthy discussion of why the camera was purchased, how awkward the camera is and a brief description as to what they think may be causing the problems around the house. That night they record their sleep for the first time and really nothing all to interesting occurs. From here onwards it is basically spoilers, and with the fear of the movie (which i only saw two hours ago might i add) still lingering there is only so much I can really remember other than the fact that the movie scared the living crap out of me. And quite frankly, I’d rather not ruin the rest of the movie as it really does take a tad bit of naivety to get the most out of this movie.

Scene from Paranormal Activity

There has never been a time where I’ve witnessed an entire, full, cinema share their fear, screams and angst as an entire entity. This really was the sort of movie that nobody was safe in. There were the big macho AJ’s sitting behind us, an elderly couple to our bottom right, some teenage girls and a lover or two to our left, and a gay couple in front of us. Every single one of those people screamed, jumped or considered leaving during the movie. The movie really does set a pattern in how it operates, like many thrillers it would set the scene and let the viewer into a false sense of security only to then set the action full throttle to get the most out of the viewer (this method is tried and tired and quite frankly predictable), but unlike many current thrillers at a certain point in the movie (no mentions where) it just keeps you tense for the rest of the ninety-minute film.

The night scenes within the bedroom are where nearly all of the action is taken, this works well as the camera is placed at the footing of the couples bed, showing the entire room and outside of the open (who leaves it open?) bedroom door into their hallway. You soon begin to dread when the couple get ready for bed, as you’re not sure as to what the thing doing the haunting is going do. Scenes in the bedroom range from the spooky to the downright scariest shit you can imagine. (Two particular scenes come to mind with me checking my bed as I’m writing this)

The actors are brilliant, two unknown entities are shoved into the limelight and many question whether it was real footage or merely the brainchild of a psychotic screenwriter. Their onscreen chemistry would make you think the pair really were a couple, and their performance and reactions to both the dialogue and action within the movie really involve the viewer and make the movie seem all the more realistic. The choice of a handheld camera, as previously mentioned, also helps retain the movie’s realism and really wouldn’t be the same if it were filmed in a different sense. In fact, the movie is so realistic, the term ‘Micah Sloat dead’ has become the most Googled Query over the past couple of weeks.

This is the sort of movie that keeps you on edge once the action begins rolling, the sounding is crucial to the movie and without it you would just not have the same effect. The sound works so well, the usual covering of the eyes trick in hopes to nullify the shock just doesn’t seem to work. The atmosphere of a cinema with surround sound, freezing cold air conditioning and the dark surroundings are vital to add to the setting and the full effect of the audio and visuals would not be as effective on a downloaded or pirated copy. If you really to experience the movie in it’s fullest you really must see it in the cinemas, or at the least Blu-Ray with surround sound at midnight after either the consumption of alcohol, smoking weed or three cans of Red Bull.

There’s really not much more that can be said around this movie. In short, the above really just says it’s scary, freaking awesome and must be watched in the movies. But i wouldn’t have been able to clear my mind and make myself sound oh-so pretentious if i just posted a one sentence blog.

Not going to sleep tonight;