Paranormal Activity

Yesterday, my Main Squeeze and I decided that we'd go to the movies. He wanted to see Paranormal Activity, I reluctantly agreed. I may have said in the past, I'm not good with horror. I hide behind cushions, jumpers, doors and people. I jump and squeak. Even in dire horrors when the film-maker practically shouts 'This is a scary bit! Scary bit coming up!' I still cringe and quake.

When he first floated the idea, I did a bit of research on the interweb and thought it looks promising. It's a ridiculously small-budget film, that has grossed millions. Someone, somewhere is rubbing their hands together. It's done in the same style of the Blair Witch Project, everything filmed on hand-held camera, which given the subject matter, works very, very well.

Meet Katie and Micah, two normal love-birds with a spot of bother happening in their new house. Micah buys a camera to try and document the parnormal activity surrounding Katie. This has been happening on and off since she was 8 years old.

The film itself is exceptionally well paced. The escalation is gradual and more importantly, believable. Micah is the sceptic, who wants to play with technology and Ouija board, not so much scared as fascinated. Katie on the other hand, is uncomfortable with the camera, concerned that it is inviting trouble, which of course it does. A psychic visits early on in the proceedings and delivers the news that it isn't a ghost, but a demon. He suggest contacting a demonologist and states that they can't out run the phenomena. Micah doesn't want to bring the demonologist in, in a very sweet, but misguided opinion that he can sort things out. When he eventually realises that events are moving well beyond his control, the demonologist is out of the country. The psychic comes back, but is so uncomfortable by 'the presence', he is soon forced to leave. The couple now thoroughly frightened want to leave the house, however, 'the presence' has other ideas.

Because it is presented so normally, you are drawn in to the characters' experience. They are likeable, quirky and seem to have genuine chemistry between them. The film manages with little effort, to get you to suspend your belief. You leave with a creeping feeling of 'Oh My God, this could really happen'.

I didn't watch the movie from under my seat, a fact of which I'm quite proud. Though, that could be due in part to the pint of cider I had beforehand. There were bits that were uncomfortable and really made me jump. I would recommend it, definitely. That was time and money worth spending.