Paranormal Activity

Name: Paranormal Activity
Genre: Thriller, Horror
Released: September 25, 2009
Duration: 86 min
Rating: 68
Cast: Katie Featherston, Micah Sloat

2009

METASCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 24 Critic Reviews

See All

USER SCORE

Mixed or average reviews based on 702 Ratings

See All

5.9

VOTE NOW

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

5.9	Your Score
5.9	User Score Mixed or average reviews based on 702 Ratings

Would you like to write a review?

There is a 75 character minimum for reviews. If your review contains spoilers, please check the Spoiler box. Please do not use ALL CAPS. There is no linking or other HTML allowed. Your review may be edited for content. 0/5000

Check box if your review contains spoilers

Play Sound

Please enter your birth date to watch this video:

You are not allowed to view this material at this time.

Paranormal Activity

Now Playing: Paranormal Activity

Movie Details & Credits

Paramount Pictures | Release Date: September 25, 2009 | R

Starring: Katie Featherston, Micah Sloat

Summary: After a young, middle class couple moves into what seems like a typical suburban “starter” tract house, they become increasingly disturbed by a presence that may or may not be somehow demonic but is certainly most active in the middle of the night. [Paramount Pictures]

Director: Oren Peli

Genre(s): Thriller, Horror

Rating: R

Runtime: 86 min

See All Details and Credits

Watch Now

Stream On

Buy on

Stream On

Expand

Metascore

Positive:

Mixed:

Negative:

Critic Reviews

Owen Gleiberman

With its this-is-really-happening vibe, Paranormal Activity scrapes away 30 years of encrusted nightmare clichés. The fear is real, all right, because the fear is really in you. Read full review

Nathan Rabin

The film loses some of its grimy verisimilitude toward the end, but it’s nevertheless a surprisingly effective low-budget shocker with a sensibility as current as the latest viral videos, yet rooted in the suggestive, less-is-more atmospherics of Val Lewton. Read full review

Empire Simon Crook

An Amityville for the YouTube age: potent, primal and genuinely frightening. Read full review

Lou Lumenick

Like legendary producer Val Lewton in the '40s, director Oren Peli, who shot "Paranormal" in seven days in his own home, understands that what's most frightening is what you don't see but merely suggested. Read full review

David Edelstein

I’ve never seen a movie that so cunningly exploits our anticipation. Read full review

Kevin Lally

"Paranormal" ultimately does deliver in a way that "Blair Witch" never did, but its achingly slow buildup is a test not just of an audience's patience but the power of hype surrounding the latest alternative scary movie. Read full review

Marc Savlov

Don't believe the hype: Paranormal Activity may be a lot of things, but the words "scary" and "movie" are not among them. It is instead nothing more or less than an excruciatingly tedious YouTube gag cleverly marketed to go viral in the broadest and most box office-friendly way. Read full review

SEE ALL 24 REVIEWS

Write a Review

User Reviews

KyleH

Jan 4, 2010

If you think Saw is the greatest horror series of our decade, this movie isn't for you. If you think a horror movie has to have blood, gore, and in your face action then this movie isn't for you. If you think Inglorious Bastards was nothing but boring dialog, then this movie is If you think Saw is the greatest horror series of our decade, this movie isn't for you. If you think a horror movie has to have blood, gore, and in your face action then this movie isn't for you. If you think Inglorious Bastards was nothing but boring dialog, then this movie is not for you. If you enjoy movies that are based on building suspense then you will love this movie. If you're tired of all the crappy remakes that are plaguing the horror genre (Friday the 13th, The Stepfather, Halloween, etc.) then you will find this movie refreshing.… Expand

2 of 2 users found this helpful

TonyD

Oct 18, 2009

Loved it. It is very creepy more than it is scary and all leads with your imagination. The movie also dwells on personal opinion on what is "scary" or not. I have watched all the "scary" movies in the theaters ever since i was twelve and i was always disappointed. Blair Witch even made me Loved it. It is very creepy more than it is scary and all leads with your imagination. The movie also dwells on personal opinion on what is "scary" or not. I have watched all the "scary" movies in the theaters ever since i was twelve and i was always disappointed. Blair Witch even made me laugh i would have never thought of Blair Witch when i watched this. I guess i want to believe in ghosts/demons enough for me to be creeped out from this movie. the actors were great as a team. after the semi-slow start it starts to build up and make you on the edge of you seat. i loved it, but then again...that it my opinon.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful

guyt

Nov 27, 2009

Considering it's low budget and cliche focus, paranormal activity really does deliver. Even sceptics will find it difficult not to get caught up in a truely terrifying flick. Even I found myself coming home and checking the net to see if the videos were real or fake! Not a film to Considering it's low budget and cliche focus, paranormal activity really does deliver. Even sceptics will find it difficult not to get caught up in a truely terrifying flick. Even I found myself coming home and checking the net to see if the videos were real or fake! Not a film to watch at home, go to your local theatre bronto and get the atmosphere.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful

ypomoni

Jul 5, 2013

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. OK, so I knew nothing about the film before seeing it. I hadn't even seen the trailer. I liked the title, so I decided to go see it.
Maybe that's why I liked it. I was expecting a bit of paranormal activity, and I got a few scares as well!
The couple seemed completely believable to me although, I still can't get my head around the house they lived in! Wow, Micha must be making a lot of money!
Katie is a university student who has been stalked by an entity in the past. She begins as being annoyed by the resurfacing of the entity in the past all it did was stand by her bedside, nothing more (maybe it burned her house down, but she claims she isn't sure about this). She doesn't know whether to be scared or not after all, her boyfriend seems to think the whole situation is a bit of a joke. That changes as the film progresses.
Micha is intrigued by the whole thing. He wants to capture evidence on camera; I'm not exactly sure what he was trying to do, but ultimately his motives appeared to be that he wanted to prove to his girlfriend that he was the one who had everything under control, he was the alpha male.
The entity at first is mischievous, making loud thumping noises and playing with doors. But as the film progresses and most likely due to Micha's actions it becomes stronger, until it finally gets what it wants.
The film worked for me because I had no presumption of how scary it was suppose to be. It has no gore, virtually no script, it's extremely slow at some parts and you never get to see the entity. And yet all of this combined gives the film a feel of the home-made video, that this a real couple as it what they are experiencing. It also works to intensify those few scary moments which, when they do come, do actually make you jump.
If you are looking for some scares, then this will do nicely.… Expand

0 of 1 users found this helpful01

EricC.

Oct 18, 2009

How much is one seriously good scare worth? Paranormal activities proves that it may just be worth $10+ and 80 minutes of your time. As a film it deserves no higher than a 5, but as an experience, it's a ton of fun. The build-up is very, very slow and frankly not too intriguing, but How much is one seriously good scare worth? Paranormal activities proves that it may just be worth $10+ and 80 minutes of your time. As a film it deserves no higher than a 5, but as an experience, it's a ton of fun. The build-up is very, very slow and frankly not too intriguing, but when we get in to the final couple of bedroom scenes, it gets undeniably creepy and, at the climax, terrifying. I admit to yelling and grabbing my girlfriend like one of the cliche audience members from the preview. So yeah, I give these guys major credit for what they accomplished with such a laughably small budget (some effects were impressive by any standards), but it has a handful of crippling flaws. Go see it in a crowded movie theater with an enthusiastic audience that'll scream and yell and laugh at the screen. Far from great, but a worthwhile experiment.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful

criticsRmad

Oct 30, 2009

I'm easily scared by scary movies. The Ring left me traumatized for several months. This movie. Nothing. Not scary. Boring. It's great they were able to make this movie on such a small budget, but this isn't even close to the scariest things I've ever seen. Boring.

0 of 2 users found this helpful

Eric

Oct 10, 2009

This movie is slow moving, low budget version of the Blair Witch Project. Let down on all levels... Save your money. This movie is a rental at best.

0 of 5 users found this helpful

SEE ALL 328 REVIEWS

10	#10 Most Discussed Movie of 2009
40	#40 Most Shared Movie of 2009