Is there anybody there? - Paranormal Activity (2007)

Sometimes during a lull of scary films, you are no longer watching them to be frightened, but more watching them in a pseudo-horror-sophisticated way of appreciating the technicalities of the plot and commenting on the amount of blood used in litres or the amount of virginal breasts seen in, well, pairs. I must say at times I have fallen in to this category, and as it's been a while since I have been scared by a film, imagine my horrified joy at watching Paranormal Activity for the first time.

Katie and Micah are a young couple who have been experiencing some disturbing poltergeist activity. In fact, it's Katie who, since she was a small child, seems to have been stalked by a dark presence wherever she goes. At the beginning of the film Micah has his new camcorder and greets Katie with it on the porch and sets the scene for his armature ghost investigation, with humour in his voice. He plans to record any activity through the night and fixes the camera in the bedroom facing their bed and the open bedroom door. Personally I can't sleep with the door open. Not that it would stop an axe murderer getting in, I just feel safer so here it really adds to the unease. The first few nights we hear knocking that doesn't always wake the couple. On another night we hear an almost inhuman sound followed by a very loud bang. They run down stairs to find the light fitting swinging from the ceiling.

As part of the investigation they invite a psychic, Dr Fredrichs to see if he senses anything. He does but warns them it is not a ghost they have, but a demon and this is not in his line of expertise. He discourages Micah from trying to communicate with the demon as this would be seen as inviting it in. Micah suggests trying to find out what it wants but Dr Fredrichs says what it wants is probably Katie. He suggests contacting a demonologist he knows. The demon is feeding off the increased negative energy as Micah constantly taunts it and refuses to let Katie contact the demon expert, sure that he can solve the problem himself. Micah is frustrated while trying to stay in control of the situation. But in control he is not, and that's what is really frightening about this film. The demon is not scared of them and anything they capture on camera is exactly what it wants them to see.

The incidents build in severity, violence and become more sinister, no longer just contained to the night time. Not wanting to give away key scenes but some I just did not see coming like when Katie is sleepwalking and stands looking at Micah for several hours before walking out of the room. I came to dread the night scenes (in a good way), not knowing what I would see through the dark doorway or in a corner of the bedroom and not wanting to look directly at the screen. Obvious comparisons were made to Blair Witch, what with the shaky camera work, the photo placed in the attic as a token/threat and the based on a true story with a Found Footage element. Paranormal Activity relies on the aspect of being at your most venerable while you sleep. With a script that was largely improvised, it takes a film like this to come along to remind you why you fell in love with horror in the first place.

And FYI; breasts, none and blood, I'd say about 250ml.