BOTTOM LINE: “Paranormal Activity” is surprisingly effective, using its simple, no-budget techniques to create some genuine suspense out of a couple’s “video footage” showing them being terrorised by a demon. The film is only let down by stupid characterisation, and the inevitable question of why the characters keep filming when it becomes clear they are in mortal danger.

THE GOOD: Following in the footsteps of other no-budget ‘found footage’ films like “The Blair Witch Project”, Cloverfield and “Quarantine”, this film has a concept which manages to take full advantage of the genre. For the most part, the footage seems real, and director Oren Peli utilises such simple techniques to create genuine suspense that it puts a number of bigger budget horror films to shame. Taking the less-is-more approach, Peli slowly builds an atmosphere of dread and foreboding, as couple Katie and Micah try to capture on video strange paranormal activity that is occurring within their house. Much of the suspense occurs when they are asleep at night, and in a master-stroke of directorial composition, this one locked-off shot of the couple sleeping in bed on the right, and the bedroom door open on the left, manages to make your hairs stand up on end every time it appears, because you know that each new time this master shot appears, something even worse is going to occur than what happened before. One excellent example is when Micah lays white powder on the floor before they go to sleep, and then while they are asleep, you hear footsteps approaching, and then see the footsteps in the white powder appear in the bedroom, and then face directly towards the couple as they sleep. Or the moment when Katie wakes up in a catatonic state in the middle of the night and just stands in the middle of the room for hours before walking out of the room. When these moments occur throughout the film, “Paranormal Activity” fires on all cylinders and is gripping. The film fares well in its final payoff as well, in a chilling final sequence that uses soundtrack to its maximum effect, and employs a very subtle CG element that leaves you with a very disturbed feeling of knowing what happened to this poor couple. Although it lacks the polish of a normal budgeted film, “Paranormal Activity” does a great job of pushing your fear buttons and is definitely worth checking out on the big screen.

THE BAD: The problem with films like these is that believability gets strained significantly when it becomes clear that the characters are in mortal danger, yet they still have the sense to keep filming. It is a conundrum for the genre because if they do not keep filming, then there would not be a film. “Paranormal Activity” does suffer from this, particularly in the instances when Katie keeps insisting that Micah stop filming, yet he continues to do so, and she ends up just going along with it. In the moments where Micah himself is terrified, he still has the sense to remember to pick up the camera. Another problem is the characterisations; an attempt has been made to make these guys real, but from a film perspective, some of their actions are stupid and annoying. Micah borrows a ouija board from a friend, specifically contradicting the wishes of Katie who believes getting a board will anger the demon further. It leads to a very cool sequence, but the dramatic underpinning behind it is weakened because of his actions. Micah’s character in particular is not sympathetic because of this. In this respect, the film falls down whenever the suspense scenes are not active.