Chances are if I’m heading to a theatre to see a movie, it is the newest horror release. Watching horror films in a packed house can always be a crapshoot depending on several scenarios. Will you have the one woman screaming at the screen? Will there be high school kids throwing popcorn at each other? Will there be that one guy that thinks it’s hilarious to try and scare the girl next to him for the entire length of the movie? Though the same can probably be said for any movie, I always find that horror films (more than any other genre) can live or die by the audience around you. For example, The Strangers, a wonderful character study turned horror film, worked much better when I watched it multiple times at home sans the annoying ladies behind me talking about every moment in the movie. Contrarily Paranormal Activity 2 seems to work better in a large movie theatre, with hundreds of screaming college kids, than it does in the confines of a family room. Nevertheless, whether watching Paranormal Activity 2 for the first time, or seeing it again after a few months absence, this is must-see material for all supernatural horror fans, including those that didn’t enjoy the original.
Even though Paranormal Activity 2 feeds off the unexpected, blockbuster success of 2009’s Paranormal Activity, it manages to do nigh on everything better as it adds in in more interesting camera angles and improved characters. To call it a sequel, however, is only half right. It is both sequel and prequel to Paranormal Activity.
The Rey family – Daniel (Brian Boland), Kristi (Sprague Grayden), Ali (Molly Ephraim), and Hunter (William Juan Prieto and Jackson Xenia Prieto), along with their German Sheppard dog, and maid Martine (Vivis) – decides to install a set of security cameras throughout their California house due to what appears to be a recent home invasion. The family quickly realizes that these “home invasions” are not at all what they seem and that supernatural forces may be at play.
Like any good follow-up movie in a horror series, PA 2 amps everything up significantly. Whereas the first film allowed only one camera angle (from a high-definition handheld camera), the “presequel” takes advantage of the security cams, delivering not only a high-definition handheld view but about five stationary views that cover almost the entire house. This works incredibly well because it allows the audience more access to the house, and opens up the scare possibilities. Each night, a static shot is shown from all of the cameras, which makes the audience frantically probe through the shot to try and find a pot moving when it shouldn’t like a rocking chair rocking for no reason or anything else that is out of place. The filmmaker takes basic shots that would look boring out of context and not only engages the audience but adds to his or her paranoia level.
Another wonderful addition is the use of a baby (Hunter) and a dog. Little kids are inherently creepy because they tend to stare off into space as if they see something our adult eyes cannot; the same can be said for animals. The dog and baby help keep the audience’s eyes focused where director Tod Williams wants us to be looking, and then finds something else to scare us with. I would love to have seen a special feature on how the director worked with the child and dog in the movie because Williams receives splendid performances out of both actors (the dog and the little boy), whether the actors knew it or not.
I make it clear to anyone who asks that I disliked the original Paranormal Activity, and the main reason for this is the terrible characters. Micah and Katie annoyed me from the beginning of the film until the final night, and watching everything on one camera got stale quickly (not to mention the fact that it takes quite a few nights for anything exciting to happen). Instead of counting on two actors to carry a slowly paced plot along, Paranormal Activity 2 relies on five people and a dog. Not only are there more personalities for the audience to connect with, but also the characters are realistic and funny, and as an audience member, I actually cared what happened to them, unlike the first film.
Because the characters are of a higher quality, the actors are able to shine through. The entire family does a nice job, but the standout performance (aside from the dog and baby Hunter) is the work done by Molly Ephraim. Ephraim is playing a character that is much younger than her actual age, and probably because of this, brings a sense of maturity to Ali that helps win the audience over. Vivis, who plays the Spanish maid Martine, is extremely likable, and uses her charm to create a memorable character. There is one moment where Martine and Ali are dancing together in Ali’s room that is not only adorable, but also realistic, and looks like a moment that could come out of any family’s home movie collection. These two do a remarkable job, and when on-screen together, the chemistry is practically tangible.
The scares are smarter, the shadows bigger, the cameras more interesting, and the story more complete, putting Paranormal Activity 2 on an utterly different level than the first movie in the series. Though this theme might not work through a long series, as a two-part film as it stands right now, the story is entertaining and scary. The third film will be out later this year (currently slated for October 11, 2011), and given the ending of this film, can go in virtually any direction. It will be interesting to see what director Tod Williams (who is also directing PA 3) comes up with next. In the meantime, Paranormal Activity 2 is a great way to spend a night that is begging for a few scares.
The high definition cameras used for filming Paranormal Activity 2 look great in 1080p. Given that this film uses only one moving camera with other static security cameras, there are not a lot of scenes that demand to be seen in HD, but I wouldn’t want to watch it any other way. After seeing the first Paranormal Activity in standard definition, this Blu-ray release is a welcome change. Amazon lists the aspect ratio at 1.85:1, but there is nothing on the Blu-ray Disc that confirms as much. The DVD of the film has a widescreen presentation enhanced for 16×9 TVs.
There are a ton of audio options available on this BD: English 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio, French 5.1 Dolby Digital, Spanish 5.1 Dolby Digital, Portuguese 5.1 Dolby Digital, and English Audio Description (which explains what is happening on-screen, presumably for blind audiences). The subtitle options are English, English SHD, French, Spanish, and Portuguese. The best audio option – 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio – sounds exactly as one would expect. There are times when bangs are made in a different room from where the camera is, and these noises are heard in distinct, separate speakers, which is quite effective for inducing scares.
DVD Copy of Paranormal Activity 2 (1:31:07): The standard DVD of the theatrical version of the film. The extended version is available on the Blu-ray disc only.
Digital Copy of Paranormal Activity 2 (1:31:07): Standard definition copy available through iTunes digital download.
Extended Version of Paranormal Activity 2 (1:38:03): This adds just under seven minutes to the total runtime of the movie, and the additional footage is spread out over three separate scenes. Two of the scenes deal more with the relationship between Ali and Brad, while the third scene exposes that Ali has been having some nightmares recently. This changes the dynamic of Ali’s character, but not in a bad way; these additional scenes make the viewer think twice about her “perfect daughter” image, deepening her character and making her more believable. The additional time adds very little to the story as a whole, though, and the movie seems “fitter/leaner” without these scenes.
Found Footage (3:49): This additional scene doesn’t really fit into the plot of the movie at all. It shows the family packing up to leave at the end of the clip, so there is no telling when this footage would be from. It’s an effective scene where Hunter goes missing, but it’s virtually impossible to fit into the rest of the story being told.
Teaser Trailer for Paranormal Activity 2 (1:07): It is interesting to make note of all the different things featured in this short trailer that never made it into the final cut of the film, including additional camera angles, and a potentially interesting character twist from (what appears to be) Ali.
There is no doubt that Paranormal Activity 2 is a fun horror movie, and a refreshing change from the horror remakes Hollywood has been stuffed with in recent years. That being said, this movie works best when surrounded by a large group of people who are ready to be scared. This Blu-ray Disc, though, will be the second best option for anyone who missed it in theatres, or just want to enjoy the scares again. With a DVD and digital copy included, as well as the unrated director’s cut with an additional seven minutes, and the three minutes of found footage, this BD release does its best to stick to the “this is real” mantra that the series is known for. This unfortunately means an absence of any actor/director interviews, or any behind-the-scenes footage. This will not matter to some, but those that enjoy these types of features will be disappointed. Aside from this small setback, the Blu-ray Disc looks and sounds excellently, and the movie itself is the scariest horror film that has been released in over a year. It should go without saying at this point, but I strongly recommend that supernatural horror fans add this Paranormal Activity 2 Blu-ray release to their collection.
Paramount Pictures presents Paranormal Activity 2. Directed by: Tod Williams. Starring: Brian Boland, Molly Ephraim, Katie Featherston, and Sprague Grayden. Written by: Michael R. Perry, Christopher Landon, and Tom Pabst. Running time: 91 minutes. Rating: R. Released on Blu-ray & DVD: February 8, 2011.
