Paranormal Activity

Oren Peli's Paranormal Activity is a rare gem of a horror movie. It works because it ignores the conventional formula of Hollywood thrillers that call for piercingly loud noises, jerky cut-scenes and overblown special effects that generate cheap shocks to compensate for the lack of an intelligent concept.

The entire film is shot on video by the protagonist's camera; no different than The Blair Witch Project but (thankfully) with more generous use of a tripod. The man behind the camera and doing most of the narrating is Micah (Micah Sloat), a young twenty-something day trader who just moved into a new California home with his girlfriend Katie (Katie Featherston), an aspiring schoolteacher with a troubling past.

She informs Micah about a ghostly presence she experiences on a nightly basis. It is strongest in the master bedroom and it inspires him to invest in the video camera and other cool ghost-hunting gadgetry to hopefully capture the specter while they sleep. She is not amused by the new toys or Micah's interest in making a scary movie that bests his concern for her wellbeing, but if he can be convinced that their home is haunted they can figure out how to rid it of their unwanted guest.

Each night before retiring to bed Micah sets his camera to record the entire bedroom and the hallway leading to it. The first night is somewhat uneventful. Something happens - I won't say what - but it's only the beginning. Micah and Katie review the tapes every morning and what they observe grows more severe with each passing day to a point there is little doubt that something malevolent is in the home.

A ghost hunter is summoned and after a short interview he determines that the events taking place are above his expertise and require the services of a demonologist - because what haunts this house "isn't or wasn't human."

I will say no more regarding the plot. I encourage you to avoid the trailers and see this movie with as little knowledge about it as possible. Shot entirely in Peli's home on an $11,000 budget, the film proves you don't need a big purse to be effective. Peli provides us with the canvass but allows our imaginations to paint the picture.

For the majority of the film very little happens, but it never lets go of our attention. There is no graphic violence, almost no blood and very few special effects. In one of the most gripping scenes I can recall from a movie a character simply disappears into a dark hallway and we're left to imagine what is taking place. Never have I felt so much dread from a static shot that shows a character just standing there in one place.

That's how horror should be done. Films like the recent I Am Legend start off promising but then begin to show us too much. The camera becomes obsessed with the creature and puts our imaginations to sleep. Not here. This movie scares you because you see so little.

The first-time actors do an amazing job with the material, especially Featherston whose character is on screen almost the entire time. Even during her most vulnerable moments Micah is unrelenting with his camera. Both exhibit a variety of emotions as the tension escalates to a memorable climax - most of which occurs off screen staying true to its formula.

While the film could have trimmed away some of the excess dialogue in the earlier scenes, and viewers will disagree about whether the last shot was the right one, there's no denying the imprint on your nerves will stay with you long after the movie ends. Paranormal Activity is an experience too few films elicit.

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