Film Reviews

Paranormal Activity 2

• Rating:
• Director: Tod Williams
• Starring:
• Details: US/91mins 15A

Smartly taking place almost within the same narrative as the first film, this sequel has the upped the scale slightly and is probably, overall, a better film than its no-budget predecessor. That doesn't mean it's as effective; invariably you lose something when not catching the audience off guard, but Paranormal Activity 2 achieves probably the best possible outcome it could have. Meaning, you'll have a couple of sleepless nights after seeing it.
The film centres on a new family, with a strong link to the last haunted couple, Katie and Micah. They have a new born child, a teen daughter and a bigger house, rigged with cameras after an apparent break in. But when things start to go bump in the night, the terrified family try ignoring it, until the presence makes doing that impossible.
You'd be forgiven for walking into this hastily assembled sequel with your expectations scraping the floor. After The Blair Witch Project 2, most people will have a similar inkling; but the filmmakers here have been very smart about how they've assembled their follow-up, with slight touches making for an ultimately more satisfying experience than the first outing for the pissed off demon. Like most sequels, the ante is upped; there is a baby involved, the house is bigger and has cameras everywhere, while there is a family, not just a couple. The demon too this time does a bit more than just bang stuff loudly, and open doors.
That's not to say that a CGI monster turns up and starts wreaking havoc, this is still very much a slowburner that takes its time building to its climax. More happens, sure, but don't expect a different experience to the first film in terms of set-up or execution - it's very much as you were. The performances again are natural and feel organic to the plot. Feeling real is paramount to a film of this sort working, all of the main leads have nice, natural rapport between each other.
The father goes missing a little too much at pivotal moments, and the ending will prove as divisive as the first fist film, but it still works extremely well. A huge and welcome surprise.

Review by Mike Sheridan