“Paranormal Activity” began as a low cost production Indie horror flick. It was made with a shoe-string budget of $15,000 and was shown in 13 theaters nationwide. It has since transformed into a critically acclaimed box office heavyweight shown in more than 600 theaters earning more than $60 million to date.
So what is it about this movie that has so many raving? Perhaps, it is the fact that the movie creates such a chilling atmosphere that sucks you in and brings you to a horrifying climax.
The movie, directed and edited by Oren Peli, features two main characters – Micah Sloat and Katie Featherston – who experience a terrifying haunting in their new home.
Similar to the “Blair Witch Project,” [movie] Peli utilizes a technique in which the story is shown directly through the camera of the protagonist. Micah is the boyfriend of Katie, and his goal is to capture footage of the demon that haunts her.
This not only creates a documentary/home video feeling, it also makes the movie that much more believable.
Unlike other horror flicks, the excellence of “Paranormal Activity” comes from the bare minimum of special effects that were used to create such a frightening story.
You will see no eye-popping explosions or ghoulish zombies; rather, what you will experience are shadows in just the right places to spook you out, or footprints that leave you scratching your head about their origins.
While the movie may start slow, that is no indication of the events that follow. Once Micah and Katie begin to experience the haunting, a gripping story is unraveled that draws to a conclusion that will leave all in shock.
Peli did an above average job with “Paranormal Activity”. And while it is not the next coming of “Halloween” or “Psycho,” it is without doubt a story that will keep its audience glued to their seat and satisfied.