FILM REVIEW: 'PARANORMAL ACTIVITY' DVD

Some Spooky Activity is Happening in Your Home (On DVD)

As an avid moviegoer and reviewer, I admit that I have fallen prey to the so-called “Hollywood hype machine” many a time since I began seriously watching films many years ago. Being metaphorically slapped across the face with consistent advertising tends to kill most films for me (Cloverfield, I’m looking at you), and I feared the worst when Paranormal Activity was released in theaters simultaneously with a literal shit-storm of hype and promotional materials. As weeks went by, moviegoers began to draw comparisons to The Blair Witch Project (which I admittedly still have yet to see) and other similar micro-budget horror flicks, and when I finally got to the theaters myself, I was somewhat apprehensive. But let me tell you: believe the hype. While not the be-all, end-all of horror films, Paranormal Activity is a pretty damn good one, especially with its financial limitations.

On that note, I will say this: Paranormal Activity was not as fun to watch on DVD as it was in theaters. It’s the same movie, yes, but the experience is significantly changed. Part of the fun of seeing the film originally in theaters was watching the people around you howling and, in the case of the AMC Village 7, resorting to running out of the theater to avoid the hell that was slowly unfolding on screen. Unless you have extremely animated friends, unfortunately, this probably won’t happen in your living room. But fear not! The film is still as scary as ever, and chances are you will enjoy it a great deal nevertheless. Watch it with the lights off, and enjoy. The plot of the film, which surrounds a suburban couple’s battle with a spirit in their new home, is perfectly suited for a night in front of the TV with some popcorn and the lights off.

What sets Paranormal Activity apart from the likes of Rob Zombie’s Halloween reboots and the like is not as much its low budget nature but the fact that it doesn’t bombard its audience with graphic violence or pop-out scares. The suspense builds slowly throughout the film, juxtaposing frights with downtime, and relies on the audiences to be patient if they want the payoff of being scared shit-less. For the most part, it works, though most of the film’s big moments come toward the end, and less patient viewers will probably not be satisfied with the way it meanders along before the “big bang.” Admittedly, the film does meander a bit too much at times, though this can be attributed to occasional stilted dialogue and poor performances more than a lack of scares. With a bigger budget, these issues could have probably been resolved, but are they glaring enough to interfere with your enjoyment of Paranormal Activity? No, probably not. The film is still scary as hell and is a great alternative for those who are sick of the torture porn and overly stylized slasher flicks that make up most of today’s horror film genre.

On the DVD/Blu-ray front, the only major extra you’re going to get with this release is the alternate ending. The Blu-ray edition does, however, come with a digital copy for those who desire those kinds of things. In an attempt to not spoil the alternate ending, I will say that I have some reservations about it, but it is, in the long run, an interesting alternate version of the final scene of the film. Check it out after you’ve seen the original cut, but certainly not beforehand. To be frank, it’s not as effective.