Paranormal activity

[Beate]

[Sydney_Bristow]

probably won't be wearing trousers....knickers around ankles alright? oh wait...thats not the look I wanna put out there

Spankies - I'm a bad girl, bro but I'll try to behave...dude!

[superhero]

Anyone going to the screening later on today? Do write us a nice review!

[EthanRunt]

Rather looking forward to it now, decided to open the day with Mr. Fox, dependent on the film's quality I'll either be in a real good mood, a sour mood or just a bit annoyed.

Probably the latter, hoping for the formerest.

[EthanRunt]

Ok, here's a nice review especially for you fmukers.

Having found it a bugger to find, asking shop keepers locally turned out it was a court house, as signed, that was now a hotel, without any signs to deem so, until a doorman finally popped on the scene, thank goodness.

Got into the small screening room, back rows were reserved, think it might have been for critics or publicists since they all knew each other, and after a bit of a wait the film began.

Going the same low budget camera is part of the film style as Blair Witch, Rec (And thus Quarantine) and Cloverfield, Paranormal Activity begins like you'd expect, man tests camera out, starting conversations explaining the use of the camera and what is affecting the people in the film, this time a couple, one of whom, the woman, has been followed all her life with some sort of creature thing, who burnt down her house as a child.

Unfortunately the two leads are not only poor actors, thus making what is supposed to feel like real events, tired and painfully staged, but the characters are rather po-faced and dull, there's not much to them, for humans they are surprisingly one dimensional.

But we must proceed with them for 86 minutes, as doors move slightly, loud noises occur for cheap shock and at one point the woman gets dragged out of bed through the corridor. Before that the film is trying to build tension through subtlety, however it really only works if you have an inkling of belief in the paranormal, ghosts, demons and the likes, and uses jump scare techniques to try to shock and disturb the viewer.
The trailer, however, clever hid away from any jump scares and gave me such hope that it'd be a film that was smart enough to build tension through visuals that you can't hide away from, but alas not.

For the most part it didn't seem like they had cause to worry about the demon thing, loud noises at 3am? Outside my windows at 3am I can hear neighbours honking car horns all the time, and cats fighting and screeching, what I don't do is get a psychic involved to tell me my 'chi' is strong, and more red crystal aura is flailing and I need rabbit's breath. Or something.

And then by the end it descends from poor but trying horror thriller to full on over the top silly 'shocker' moments, which don't work for the film in any way.

It's a real shame that this film didn't work on any level, the buzz it's had since Sundance '08 has only been growing steadily, but it deserves none of it, it's neither a well made horror nor a solid attempt at being a game changer, it's purely cliche ridden and sloppy.

But hey, it's only my opinion, and lots of people seem to like it on imdb, so what do I know.
But to me it's a real 1/10 purely because it fails at everything it sets out to do.

[Sydney_Bristow]

I have to agree with most of Ethan's review and also warn people that you might experience motion sickness/nausea (as some did with Blair Witch/Cloverfield). We nearly left because Jess almost puked twice. They mentioned screenings on Friday 13th but we were too busy fighting over our haribo sweets that we didnt get most of what the chap who introduced the film said. Oh, apparently this is numero uno in the US at the moment. (Can't see why personally )

[phunkygal]

for the vue comp winners tickets for the screening

Drinks are at 8.30pm and the screening takes place at 9:00pm on 31st October at Vue West End.

so if your going its prob worth turning up early as im sure sff tix wil be the same (SFF gave out a wrong code that prob wasnt even supposed to go out yet if it all)

[superhero]

Yeah it's just beaten Saw 6 in the states in the box office! and it's in its 3rd week of release compared to Saw6's 1st week of release

[superhero]

Did they offer a free bar at the screening of Paranormal activity tonight? Probably makes you more sick when watching the film!

[TheyCallMeMrGlass]

Guys, if anyone is going to write reviews here, try to give spoiler warnings!

NON spoiler comment:
I personally found it effective enough for a good scary night out with your partner or friends. But I think maybe its because the crowd I was with at Vue West End was a very lively crowd, with lots screaming at the scare moments! I like being an audience thats so receptive! I suggest if you are going to see the film, then try not read any lengthy reviews so you can enjoy more what it has to offer. This is far from being any classic as its marketing hype is trying to make it out to be but its good fun and has several funny moments which is what I actually enjoyed most about it. The scare moments may not be that effective simply because throughout the whole movie, we're waiting for it, we're on the alert and thats where this movie falters too often. I found nothing wrong with the acting, they seemed quite natural to me and was enjoying the banter.

The Blair witch/Cloverfield style is obviously old hat now but if you like Cloverfield and Blair Witch (I enjoyed them) an d lower your expectations then you will enjoy this.