Paranormal Activity

I've just watched Paranormal Activity under perfect circumstances (alone, at night, darkened room) for which I allow myself some congratulations, and I'm rather disappointed. Readers of this blog will know that I like to be scared; I revel in a film's ability to escort me some way towards terror. I scary film is a successful film. This, however, did not engage me in the way I hoped it would, but I think I can pinpoint why.

First, the makings of a a good horror film rest in the audience's emotional resonance with the characters. This the film attempts by allowing us plenty of time at the beginning to get to know the two protagonists. No harm there. However, as the film progresses, the male character is much more likeable, both in his sense of humour and his overall approach to the phenomena. Take, for example, the following line of comfort and reassurance:

I'm taking care of it. This is my house, you're my girlfriend, I'm gonna
fucking solve the problem.

C'mon, when's the last time you didn't say something like that? Unfortunately, all da bad shit goes down with da ho, and, therefore, I didn't care as much for her as I perhaps should have done. For this reason, I think female viewers would enjoy the movie a lot more. Nothing patronising in that at all, just misogyny.

Second, the handheld thing has been done before, and the effect is wearing thin. A while ago I tipped my hat to the brilliant [rec.], which managed to tick all the right boxes for the handheld horror genre whilst maintaining the sense that this was fresh, what you were seeing was happening for real. Paranormal Activity, on the other hand, doffs its cap to the Blair Witch Project and Open Water in its conveyance of a psychological drama, with the intention that it's not so much the events, but rather the surrounding emotional furore. The friendship breaks down, the communal resilience is lost, trust fades, and hope is lost. In this regard, although by no means a failure, it comes up a long way short of Blair Witch.

Finally, the main problem is the believability factor. If you're like me, a sceptical, cynical, grumpy old man, you know full well that spirits, ghosts, demons, angels, whatever you want to call them, do not exist. No matter what websites you pull up, the air of explainability never goes out the door. For this reason alone, a film like this is totally lost on me. Point towards any successful horror film and you'll see that plausibility lies at its heart. What scares us most is the possibility that what we're seeing might actually be real.

What annoyed me most, however, was the obvious parallel with The Exorcist. Before you all write in, I know that this was intended. It is a nod of recognition of the highest order, and I don't blame them for it. What nagged me though was the feeling...hmm, you know what? I'll just go watch The Exorcist instead, and have the proverbial S scared out of me, thanks.