DVD--Paranormal Activity 2

or: Notveryscary Activity 2

One word to sum it up: Ummmmmmm.

There are some movies out there which are very overrated. Back in late 2009, or whenever the first Paranormal Activity came out, people were clambering under seats and ordering higher paranormal security around their homes because the movie freaked them out that much. Yeah, I admit I was sorta scared by it, but then again I was watching it in the middle of the day with chronic tonsilitis so I wasn't really in the right frame to be scared out of my boots. When I got Paranormal Activity 2 out I decided I would watch it in complete darkness, just because I felt like a 'fearless bastard'. I thought I'd have nightmares for months. Unfortunately, it was lucky if I even jumped a centimetre while watching this.

There basically isn't a lot to explain about Paranormal Activity 2. If you have seen the first one, then you probably don't need much of an introduction to the second one. It's a prequel, and all that differs between this one is there is a whole family involved, there are flasher cameras and there is some creepy activity in the pool. Other than that, it's just a whole lot of doors slamming and a lot of boring research. And I'm sure it's 95% hype, too. But I do have to admit, I got very protective over that baby. When there's an infant involved things are always scarier.

One of the problems I had with this film actually had a lot to do with the first one. I've heard that there are like three different endings to the first, and I saw the one where *SPOILER ALERT* Katie is killed by the cops after she kills her boyfriend. She is alive in this film (obviously, but at the end after that event happened) *SPOILER ENDS* I guess it just depends what ending you get. Another problem I had with this movie which stemmed from it's predecessor was the fact that this just felt like a rehash of the first one. It was like someone went through with a checklist: "Ooooh, they jumped at those slamming doors! Put that in!" "Let's drag that person around without anything physically seen doing it! That scared the crumbs out of them before, let's do it again!" Yeah, that kinda stuff is scary if you are experiencing it, but it isn't very scary to watch, over and over again.

I've heard stories of people being beside themselves in fear of this movie. I guess it's either watching it in a cinema or being in a room full of shrieking girls which would do the trick. Unfortunately, watching this in my lounge with my mother who fell asleep in the first 20 minutes and my demonic cat darting in and out of visibility probably didn't ensure the scariest viewing experience on my part. Instead, I was quite bored. I mean, I am easily scared. Well, I am terrified of cracks on the street, if that counts for anything. But I wasn't scared at all. The whole coolness that the first one achieved was undone by the fact that this film used six different cameras which were all very high tech. It just ain't cool unless it is low budget. I suspect that this film is just riding on the success on the first, which leaves me to wonder what the third one will have in store for us. Hopefully, a lot less talking and a lot more doing, that's for sure.

THE VERDICT: Fan of the first one? This is worth a look. Haven't seen the first one? Don't bother. Just watching it to pass time? It ain't scary. Scared of doors slamming? This will be the scariest movie you will ever see.

What I hoped for:

What I got: