I rarely go to the movies, maybe once or twice a year if at all (more on that in a bit). But today I went to Paranormal Activity 2.
This film is a sequel to last years hit film, and while it continues the traditions of the first film - i.e. using a hand-held camera - it also elaborates on that theme a bit by using several surveillance cameras.
Basically, after experiencing an odd break in, a well-to-do family in the California suburbs has a series of surveillance cameras installed in their home, for security. However, instead of burglars, the cameras film an increasingly disturbing series of paranormal events (pun intended), that increase in intensity.
Although the film at times relies on cliche scares such as sudden loud noises, it does succeed in creating an unsettling atmosphere. One element that I enjoyed was that it often only hinted around at what was going on, with some events taking place off camera. This was something I really liked with the old Unsolved Mysteries TV series. In both cases they were low-budget productions so they had a minimal of special effects, and for me, this added to the realism.
Another thing I liked was that the film started out slow and gradually built up from there.
So in conclusion, I liked this film. Especially as an alternative to the tedious slasher films which spend millions of dollars on gratuitous violence.
Now the reason why I don't normally go to theaters is because it seems I always end up sitting within range of someone who will not be quiet. During Star Wars Episode 1 the guy next to me kept calling people on his cell phone and bragging to them about what movie he was at. Again, at The Fourth Kind someone in the row in front of me kept texting someone and apparently forgot to turn the volume on his phone off, and I was interrupted from watching the movie by his doorbell themed ringtone. And once again at Paranormal Activity 2 this teenage girl sitting in the row behind me kept criticizing the movie. It seems it wasn't "scary" enough for her. I was about to ask her to please be quiet when her friends took care of that for me.
But it's still irritating in that I paid $9 bucks for that film and the stupid teenager wouldn't shut up. Doesn't anyone teach their kids manners anymore?
