I've seen better acting in pornos. This film fallowed every horror cliche in the book. The getting super quiet before a loud bang, the build up suspence then it turns out it's ok then somthing happens. The first 80 minutes is just something falling or loud bangs. Then you jsut hear screaming and he flys at the camera then she dose and it's over. Truly one of hte lamest filsm I have ever seen.

This also made no sence. Think about it if you're a demon you can transcend tiem and space visit alternate dimensi0ons and fidn hte answers to all lifes questions, but you are going to spend you're time knockign soem chicks keys on the floor? that dose not make sence. Plus possesing a chick and making her stand in one spot for a few hours, and have nobody notice that was waste of time. That's liek driving to china standing inone spot then drivign back home. This film was nothing but hype, pure crap. 0/5

If you've heard the hype surrounding Paranormal Activity you've heard that it might just be the scariest film ever made, that it will give you nightmares for weeks, and you've also probably heard that sometimes filmgoers get so caught up in its micro-budgeted wall of terror that they crap their pants out of fear.

Sadly, most of this isn't true.

While I did witness several people jump out of their seats and scream uncontrollably in a recent screening (the film was made in '07 but is currently doing a tour of college campuses after being picked up for limited distribution by Paramount), I slept soundly after seeing the film. That's not to say the movie isn't scary. It is. But you kind of have to believe in what the film's peddling to really, honestly get the movie's full effect. I'll explain in a minute.

The setup is simple: A couple, Micah and his live-in girlfriend Katie, have a problem. Something is haunting their new, Pottery Barn-styled San Diego home. While Micah doesn't really believe in spirits, Katie is convinced that whatever is in their house has been following her since she was eight years old. And this something, well, it's not very nice. To try and figure out what's going on, Micah buys a video camera (the entire film is from this one vantage point) and cobbles together a mini-ghost hunter set up. He's got the microphone to record "hidden" voices (EVP), he's got the video camera trained on their bed at night (the paranormal activities are nocturnal), and, most importantly, he's got a healthy dose of skepticism. It only takes a few nights of filming, however, before Micah is a believer.

What really works in Paranormal Activity is that the film relies heavily (most likely due to budget constraints, reportedly the film cost less than $20,000 to make) on a mounting sense of dread. You never really see what is haunting Katie. Every night something new happens -- the door to the bedroom swings open, loud noises are heard on the stairs, strange footprints appear, lights flicker on and off -- and the film is plotted in such a way that the ratcheting up of tension is almost unbearable. It is amazing how something so seemingly benign as the appearance of an old photograph can become so incredibly nerve wracking. By the second to last night, when director Oren Peli pulls out all the stops in a beautifully executed stunt involving Katie being pulled from the bed, I was almost in tears.

Almost.

And there's the rub. I don't think it gives much away to say that the entity haunting Micah, and more importantly, Katie, isn't a ghost. It's a demon. For me, if it had been a ghost, the film would have been that much more frightening. In my mind, a ghost could haunt anyone. Could be anywhere. But a demon? You kind of have to believe in those to be scared by them. By the end of the film, when the motivation of the demon is revealed in all its conniving glory, I was a bit disappointed. So much of the film's running time is so unnerving that if less was explained it would have made the film that much more powerful. It certainly doesn't help that the movie ends with a cheap scare that's not only overplayed but, frankly, makes very little sense.

Paranormal Activity is old school, haunted house horror. It's primal. Raw. If you're like the people I saw the film with, you'll plug your ears, close your eyes, and wish you were home with mommy. But when you do get home, if you're anything like me, you'll lie awake staring at the closet almost wishing you were still scared.

Ah, if only it were a ghost.

This is an over hyped piece of crap. The acting is okay but the story is not. It is boring as hell. Trust me when I say that nothing really happens. A door opens, the female lead character gets up in the middle of the night and just stands in one spot for hours. Then the end of the movie comes and THEN some stuff finally happens. Wow, that's great. Avoid. Go watch Paranormal Entity instead, at least you won't be bored to tears.

It starts out rather slow, then gose nowere fast, It's beyond predictable. The acting is some of the worst I have ever seen. Parts were mildly amusing, it was a lot better than The Blair Witch, of course that's not hard to top. This is an example of extreme over hype. Their are numerous independant films exactly like this one, say I can't say it was original. This film was also extremley repetitive. It was not very good. 0/5

Ill have to agree with the others on this movie it was very slow moving movie, But i also think its what made it scary. Movie had very few scary moments in it but it was set up very well that when it happened it really scared you. Overall i gave this movie 4/5 Stars

This is my favorite movie. Its so sick and scary. I jumped a few times first time i watched it. I have seen it about ten times and i never get bored of it. It has a very good end for a horror movie. Great work. Perfect movie. 5/5 for me.

A couple is living in a house where paranormal activity is going on. Kate thinks the "Demon" is after her. Her boyfriend Micah puts camera's all over the house to see what happens once they sleep. They find unexplained footage. But the demon begins to harm them both. Soon the demon will take over...

I really love this movie and if your anything like me and love horror flicks you will like this one. Although the movie begins rated boring when the fun begins it continues throughout the remainder of the movie. This movie kept me on edge even after it was over.

Watch Paranormal Activity and you will like it.

PARANORMAL ACTIVITY is THE most popular movie of the year and will ultimately be regarded as one of the best horror movies of all time. Therefore, PA has warranted a HUGE debate on whether it sucks or not.

Under this pretense, I have divided this review into 3 sections: 1 for the things in the movie that work, 1 for the things that don't, and 1 for the summation.

******THE GOOD******************************

1. Originality - not a cheap knockoff or a member of Hollywood's non-stop horror remake/reboot wave. That is a game winner right there! Comparable to the Blair Witch Project, PA has received a lot of flack as being a rip off of BWP. Taken into consideration, the film's only real similarity to BWP is the use of home camera/1st person footage, and non-professionals inducing reactions from the supernatural world. That said, you have to answer yourself a question: Would you rather see another Texas Chainsaw Massacre remake, or a completely original off-BWP type film?

2. Suspense and Tension - the film does not rely on cheap scares and loud noises deafening you to induce the desire reaction of fear. Nor does it have the smallest fraction of gore/sex/exploitation compared to most of today's horror movies. If you prefer horror movies that usually don't stick with you and follow you out of the theater, then skip it by all means. The film gives you a few inches, and leaves your imagination to finish the mile.

A suggestion on viewing the film: If you want to get the most out of Paranormal Activity, then DO NOT see it in the local theater on a Friday night. We all know what happens when you are in a theater with middle and high school kids during a horror movie. To fully immerse yourself in the movie, see it with your significant other, by yourself, or with just a couple of friends at a time when the theater is the least crowded. Try to see it at night, or at home in the dark. This film invades the sanctity of one's bedroom, and the old tactic of pulling the covers over your head doesn't work.

3. Special Effects - even on a small budget, the film provides some very impacting scenery. Some effects are blatantly obvious, and some of the best effects are actually the most subtle.

4. Acting - the movie is well acted considering it is full of unknowns. The characters are not obnoxious like most horror movie protagonists. They appear genuine and very convincing in most of the film. But in some scenes, not so much. More below.

5. Plot - there is a pleasant (oxymoron) surprise with the direction the film went regarding the source of the phenomena. It's not your typical ghost or haunted house story. I will not embellish on this as it will spoil the movie for those who haven't or are deciding to see the movie.

******THE NOT SO GOOD***********************

1. Writing - this is actually a 50/50 split. The 'supernatural' scenes are very convincing considering the subject matter, whether scripted or improvised. However, the dialog and character motivation/action during the 'down time' is unrealistic at times. This is a large complaint by those who didn't like the movie. Although the film is a large departure from teen filled slasher movies, the characters at times seem to be just as brainless as the teens getting whacked by Jason. There is a lot of "WHY DIDN'T THEY JUST....?" scenes in the movie.

2. Acting - like the writing, the acting seems to suffer in the 'down time'. Fortunately, during the important (scary) scenes, the acting is spot-on, and very convincing. However, you might be taken out of the movie when the protagonists are interacting with each other during the in-between scenes, and the authenticity of their relationship is questionable in some parts.

3. Scenery - granted that the whole movie is filmed in or on the characters' house, the static viewpoint of the camera gets a little boring. With all the phenomena going on, it would have been refreshing to see things from a different angle, especially in the bedroom. Fortunately, this doesn't hinder the movie, just a minor complaint.

******AS A HORROR FAN***********************

Follow the suggestions above regarding with who, where and how to watch the movie. Seen under the right circumstances, and with the right state of mind, the film can be very effective, and having you looking over your shoulder when you turn out all the lights in the house, and crawl into bed. For this reason, I fully endorse this movie as a new member of the horror family. Fresh and original, the movie deserves all of the attention it is getting.

Let this be a glaring message to Hollywood that originality is still the craved for in the movie industry. Horror fans have grown tired of having their favorite classics butchered and pointlessly remade. Directors and producers do not deserve revenue for just upping the violence and sexual gratification of old horror movies.

The film's success is also a great indication that as a population, movie goers respond better to thought provocative subjects than mindless in-your-face cannon fodder. It relieves me to some degree to see that tension-fear based horror movies still have the chance to take the cake. Especially on such a small budget.

Well Done, producers, directors, and actors. 8/10

This film freaked me out more than what any other film has... I could barely sit and watch all of it... That night I was so convinced I was hearing things in my house, got freaked out so much I thought I was going to have to go in and sleep with my sister... If you get freaked out easily then I wouldn't watch it, but if your into that sort of thing then go ahead... It as still a good enough film but there's no way I'd be able to watch it again... xx

This movie looked like it was going to be good, but I was Blair Witched. I like the "shaky cam" feel used for it and a few others around the same time, but the movie seemed to drag on. The previews seemed to show everything good about the movie. Big Letdown.

This movie is much better than the other two, but still didn't get thrilled. The story is slow and gets a little repetitive. The actors don't hel as well. For those who don't like to be scared easily, it's worth a watch. I would say it's just a one time watch. 2/5

One of the worst movies ive ever seen hardly any plot, no drama and very uninspiring action, i would not recommend this movie to anyone, i wouldnt force the agony of watching this movie on my worst enemy, in conclution you would have more fun watching paint dry. COMPLETE MILLARKY

This was one hell of a movie completely worth watching although some parts not going to lie you might lose interest cause it seems like its going nowhere and the ending doesn't really cut it for me but all the footage was from what they recorded none added just edited together into one film I dont question any part of it was tampered with and you will really enjoy this movie.

A haunted house makes no secret of the fact it is not pleased with its new tenants in this independent tale of supernatural horror. Katie (Katie Featherson) and Micah (Micah Sloat) are a twentysomething couple who've just moved into a new home in San Diego, California. Katie has an interest in the paranormal and believes that malevolent spirits have been following her since childhood, though Micah is not so easily convinced. However, after several nights of loud noises and strange happenings, Micah starts to agree with Katie that some sort of ghost may have followed them to the new home. After a paranormal researcher tells the couple he can't help them, Micah decides to take control of the situation and sets up a battery of video cameras so that if a spirit manifests itself, he can capture its behavior on tape. Once the surveillance cameras are in place, Katie and Micah bring in a Ouija board in an effort to talk to the spirits, a move that deeply offends the ghosts. PARANORMAL ACTIVITY was the first feature film from writer-director Oren Peli.

The movie was not all that bad it had some parts in there that made me say oh my god but then there were some scenes that were kind of boring. What i want to know is what happened to the guy. Anyway I would say that it's worth a watch.

Worst movie I ever seen in my life peroid! I hope you people don't waste your time on this crap! May I add that its had to much propaganda saying that it was real well if you wait till the end it says fiction, fake, not real. It was a very big disappointment and waste of time.

I thought I was watching another Blair Witch project. I was told this is to a real, HA! How can that be when there is a cast? I am going to buy a camera and make my own movie. Now I need to figure out is where to do a movie and I would make it alot more exciting.

"Paranormal Activity," like the 1999 blockbuster "The Blair Witch Project," is a horror-mystery flick that attempts to approximate reality by piecing together video footage taken by the characters themselves and narrate a story documentary-style.

It is also hailed as the most profitable movie of all time by grossing over US$ 100 million with a reported production budget of US$ 15,000. "The Blair Witch Project," which was made between US$ 500,000 and US$ 750,000, earned more than US$ 200 million worldwide.

This only shows that people are inclined to watch something supposedly raw and spontaneous, which, by the same token, explains the reality TV phenomenon.

Filming in real time with as little cinematic elements as possible has its downside. The action in "Paranormal Activity," for instance, is slow to pick up.

When couple Katie and Micah move into a spacious San Diego digs, the latter immediately gets down to work capturing in video the haunting that has been following the former since she was eight.

On their second night in their new place, the entity - which can be ghostly or demonic - already makes its presence felt through weird noises that are eerily audible. But it takes considerable time before these disturbances turn into a fright fest.

The paranormal activities happen after midnight so during daytime, the focus is on the pair's everyday lives both as individuals (he's a day trader and she's a college student) and as a couple in a committed relationship (they're engaged).

Once in a while, other characters like the psychic whom the duo consults for paranormal enlightenment (Mark Fredrichs) and Katie's friend Amber make appearances. Of course, there's also the entity that would rather be heard than seen.

After a while, though, the scenes get monotonous and repetitive, leaving the viewer to see more action, which only comes near the ending.

To his credit, first-time director Oren Peli, who's also the movie's writer, editor, and co-producer succeeded in making "Paranormal Activity" like a home video viewing.

You'll really wonder if Katie and Micah's horror story is real especially since the prologue states the production's gratitude to the couple's families who supported the project and the epilogue reads like a crime story.

Watching "Paranormal Activity" is like listening to a friend's retelling of a ghost story that he or she has heard from another friend but with less scary impact because it doesn't let the imagination work as hard.

was a great movie kept me on the edge of my seat.
one of the best home made films yet.
I would recomend this movie to nyone who wants to be scared.
It started like a cheesy movie done a hundred times.
But soon took a twist that took me by suprise and kept me ingrosed in the film to see what happens next and the end was fantastic I totaly didn't see it comming wow