Paranormal Activity - Movie Review

Katie and Micah (Mee-kah...I always thought this was pronounced My-kah), are a young couple who live together in San Diego, CA. Katie has always had "something", a paranormal being follow her around, since she was a young girl. Micah becomes somewhat obsessed with trying to figure out what it is and sets up a camera while they sleep to record anything that goes bump in the night.

Much to his amazement many strange things end up being caught on camera, as well as sounds...crashing, thumping footsteps that wake them from their sleep.  Micah manages to catch some voices on a voice recorder (EVP's - Electronic Voice Phenomena), though they can't make out anything that is said. 

Things get worse the more Micah encourages this being to make itself known.  Things that would scare the ever-loving fuck out of anyone else keep happening and he keeps trying to dig deeper to find out where it came from, why it's there and why it won't leave Katie alone.

So, I had not seen any previews for this film before we went.  We decided on a whim to go and see it and I knew if I looked it up to watch a preview that I'd chicken out and not go.  Because I'm a big wimp.  A pansy.  A chicken shit.  And I believe in this stuff (stop laughing).  So when we actually were on our way I admit, I was a little nervous...nervous I wouldn't be able to sleep when I got home, etc.  Little did I know, that was the LEAST of my worries.

Yes, the movie is creepy.  But not scary by any means.

Do I think stuff that happened in the movie can happen to people?  Yeah, I think I do.  Maybe not to the extent of what went on the film.  And maybe it is that extreme for some.  I'm hoping I'll never know for myself.

Would I run right out and see it?  Nah.  Even though I did run right out and see it.  I've seen better scary movies.  And Megan (my BFF) commented that she'd seen better paranormal type crap on the internet.  Which I admit, I don't look that stuff up...cuz it freaks me out a little.

What did bother me:

The motion of the camera.  This movie is filmed "Blair Witch" style...or like Cloverfield if you've seen that.  Where one person is behind the camera, filming all the action.  Running all over, shaky, jerky camera movements.  It's enough to make you sick....and it does.

I get motion sickness fairly easily.

The Blair Witch Project - I got motion sickness, never physically got sick, but felt like shit through the whole movie.  Same thing happened with Cloverfield.  In fact I still think out of the three films Cloverfield had the most jerky camera movements.

But...I can't believe I'm admitting this.

I got sick.  I had to leave the theater to go throw up because this film physically made me sick.  About 20 minutes into it I noticed I was starting to feel shitty.  And I kept sitting there, kept closing my eyes and just generally listening to the movie.  I kept telling myself  "I'm ok, I'm ok"....and suddenly...I WAS NOT OK.  I told Megan I had to go, like now...and I got up and left to go to the restroom.  Ugh...I love puking in public.

I don't know if it was a combination of the jerky camera movements and then the camera suddenly being still (they kept it on a tripod while they slept, that was the only time the camera wasn't moving).  I just don't know.  All I know is I was pretty fucking miserable sitting there even after I'd thrown up.  Better...but still not great. 

And yes, I knew this movie was filmed this way prior to going, so I guess I'm a glutton for punishment.  Because Megan and I both said that we'd skip those types of movies after we seen Cloverfield.

I came home and couldn't stop thinking about the movie.  I didn't want to think about it while trying to sleep.  But I wasn't scared by any means.  I just wanted to sleep off the motion sickness.  I felt icky.

So there you go...no permanent damage done.  In fact, the more I think about this movie...the more I realize that some of it was incredibly silly.  My only regret is that I kind of wish I could have watched more of it.  As I had to keep closing my eyes.  I had to.

So, I'm not scarred for life or incredibly freaked out by this movie.  I don't need therapy or an exorcist....just some of these:

And to quote my BFF (from her Facebook status):

I've seen worse/more frightening things on the internet and tv than what was in that show... However, the last 2 minutes were the icing on the cake. They could have omitted those minutes and improved the movie 100%.

I have to agree. Completely.