A Clever Let-Down: Paranormal Activity
Paranormal Activity was extremely unusual, both in its marketing and the length of time it took to go from production to screen—something which at one time looked to threaten the film even being seen by a global audience. And what can you say about an Indy film made by a first-time director that grossed substantially more money at the box-office than almost every other film in recent years? Well, actually you can say a lot. Mainly because the film doesn’t live up to the impressive marketing campaign that got people in seats. It’s an OK horror film, yes, but that’s the point: the marketing campaign in question targeted every-day cinema-goers, rather than hardcore fans (I have a feeling that the best part of it for hardcore fans will be the Bespoke Packaging Boxes it comes in). And it was this tactic that pulled off the success. Simply, the general public wasn’t used to seeing a film so unique in its scares, and they were profoundly shocked by it.
That is not to say that it isn’t a good horror film, because there are enough creepy moments to keep all but the most hard-core fans entertained. And nobody can argue that the format doesn’t work. But that’s not the problem I have with it: the problem I have is that it was billed as “the scariest movie ever made” and it just didn’t live up to the hype.
If you didn’t know, Paranormal Activity is about a young couple who believe they are being terrorized by a malevolent poltergeist. Well, Micah should believe it, but he doesn’t. Subsequently the cat and mouse game ensues, with events turning all the more sinister and strange happenings keeping the couple from sleep–
See P.A. if you like a good horror-film every once in a while and you’ll be surprised, maybe even shocked. Don’t see it if you’re a horror-buff. Or at least go in knowing that you’ll most likely not be too afraid to turn out the lights that night.