Oren Peli's Paranormal Activity (2009)

Paranormal Activity has become something of a phenomenon. Filmed for a mere $11,000, it has already earned over $60 million at the box office. Utilizing the “found footage” device that is employed in more and more movies these days, Oren Peli's low-budget horror film manages to deliver a legitimately frightening experience that proves blood, gore, and outrageous special effects aren’t needed if you can do two things right. First, come up with an exciting and (somewhat original) idea. And second, and far more important in this case, execute the hell out it.

This is a tricky movie to review, as so much depends on the film’s slowly unfolding plot that I don’t wish to spoil anything. Suffice to say, Paranormal Activity follows the self-recorded exploits of a young couple in a new home. Katie, played by Katie Featherston, is a graduate student of English. Micah, played by Micah Sloat, is a day trader. When we first meet the still-happy couple, Micah is recording everything with his new toy, a very expensive looking video camera. Like any stereotypical guy with an expensive new toy, Micah is recording constantly; even going so far as to set the camera up on a tripod to record them while they sleep. Why? Because Katie is convinced that she is being haunted, and the possible presence of paranormal activity is matter-of-factly stated right from the opening scene of the film. Micah treats this possible this possibility as a challenge, and as we are introduced to him he is already planning to capture evidence of whatever it is that seems to have found its way into their house. What follows is a series of recording made during a roughly three week period. It’s refreshing that there is no grand explanation, no hoax or trickery. This is a movie about two people being terrorized by something unseen and unknown and it taps into a very basic element of fear that everyone in the audience can identify with. Many of the film’s most frightening scenes occur while Micah and Katie are sleeping, the camera capturing their exposed and prone bodies as things happen around them. This is Paranormal Activity's masterstroke, as after watching it and laying in bed, one can’t help but put themselves in the shoes of Micah or Katie. Everyone goes to bed each night, and thus everyone can relate on some level to the terror that the characters go through.

Now that’s not to say that Paranormal Activity is a non-stop thrill ride of scares and jumps. Sure, there are plenty of genuinely creepy moments early on, but it's really more of a slow burn, with events growing more and more serious as we move towards the climax. More Blair Witch Project than Cloverfield, Paranormal Activity is a refreshing change of pace from the Saw VIs of the world and for that it should be commended. The recent spate of movies parading themselves as “found footage” can hardly be called a surprise, given this country’s increasing obsession with reality television and even social networking tools such as Twitter and Facebook. It seems as though people are more interested in each other than ever before, but only as a pursuit of entertainment. Watching supposed home footage of a haunted young attractive couple certainly qualifies and it will be interesting to see if the trend continues.

Comparison will be drawn to The Blair Witch Project and why shouldn’t they be? Both films utilize the “found footage” gimmick and both were exceedingly small and cheap productions. Peli, who had no previous directing experience, spent the better part of a year remodeling his own house in preparation for filming, which took all of seven days. Only four actors appear on camera, but the focus is entirely on Katie and Micah. As Micah is tasked with operating the camera, Katie spends nearly ever minute of Paranormal Activity’s hour and a half run time on screen. The film would crash and burn if these actors weren’t up for the job, and I’m sure many will doubt these two no-name amateur actors, but I am pleased to report that both Sloat and Featherston do a great job of not only acting terrified, but providing believable, naturalistic performances which greatly add to the pseudo-nonfiction nature of the film. Micah provides more than a few laughs as the headstrong and tech-savvy boyfriend who loves to joke around but also accepts the challenge of protecting his girlfriend, and Katie does good work as the tense and stressed out grad student who tries in vain for some degree of normalcy. Watching Paranormal Activity, it’s easy to forget that these people are in fact actors, and really that’s the greatest compliment one can give a film like this.

Paranormal Activity doesn’t reinvent the genre, nor does it really show us anything we haven’t seen before. However, Oren Peli, with the help of Sloat and Featherston, has crafted a relatively believable and quite frightening film that deserves to be seen. Paramount’s marketing campaign trumpeted this is the “scariest movie in years," and while that’s hardly true, it will assuredly keep you entertained and in suspense right up to the chilling finale. And really, isn’t that the whole point? 4 out of 5 stars.