Katie Featherston, Micah Sloat, Michael Bayouth

Katie and Micah are enjoying a happy and carefree existence. Their future looks promising until bizarre events begin to occur at night. In order to get to the bottom of things, Katie and Micah purchas...( read more  read more... )e a video camera to find out what happens at night while they sleep.

Flixster Users

63% liked it

146,068 ratings

Critics

83% liked it

134 critics

R, 1 hr. 39 min.

Directed by: Oren Peli

Release Date: September 25, 2009

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Stats: 16,971 reviews

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Flixster Reviews (16,971)


  • November 21, 2009
    pre fuckin scary akthough it's an extremely low budget movie the things that happened each night was creepy as fuck but like many movies could have been much better.gave me goosebumps on some parts though 7/10
  • November 16, 2009
    This will be the last movie of its kind that I will see. I don't think I need to hear someone screaming to have the person turn off the fucking camera. Plus the last 5 seconds pretty much take away what I did happen to like.
  • November 15, 2009
    Review coming soon.
  • November 8, 2009
    Progressively freakier stuff happened each night. I dreaded each nighttime bedroom episode. Scarier for us, but why did they leave their bedroom door wide open to that dark hallway and staircase? I had trouble going to sleep in the dark for the next few nights after seeing this ...( read more)movie. The characters were somewhat annoying and got what they deserved after messing with a Ouija board and taunting the paranormal; typical stupid movie haunted house owners didn't leave after such scary things happened. I found it hard to believe the demon would follow them if they left the house; it took years to find Katie after her childhood experiences. The daytime scenes were boring; I craved more night action. The ending was as effective as the Blair Witch had. A fun ride, but I won't be buying the DVD.
  • November 5, 2009
    Did the hype kill the movie? I watch a lot of horror movies and normally I would really have liked this one. In the endless stream of b-movies and even expensive crap, this movie really stands out. Paranormal Acivity is a scary and straightforward movie and it isn't boring. But o...( read more)f course there is the hype. After I heard this was the scariest movie ever, expectations evidently went up. Eventually resulting in a slight disappointment. This movie would have been much scarier, creepier if I hadn't had any expectations, if I hadn't read any reviews. I guess Public Enemy was right about the Hype.

    The movie is scary indeed. After watching Paranormal Activity I noticed that the nightly sounds of my 200 years old house were louder and creepier than ever. But I did not let my good night's sleep for it.

    The acting was good but sometimes slightly overdone, which made it difficult for me to connect with the characters. I understand that Micah, the bf, had to be annoying, the character was written that way. But their is something wrong if you start imagining in the middle of the movie gruesome ways he could die. The movie should have been scarier if I had had more empathy for the characters.

    Anayway I enjoyed watching this film, but the hype made me expect more.
  • November 22, 2009
    i was bored throughout the movie but the last 20 minutes were genius
  • November 22, 2009
    uy uy uy que miedo!!
  • November 22, 2009
    Did people really think this was scary.....? Okaaay.
  • November 22, 2009
    i want to see this soooooooooooooooo bad
  • November 22, 2009
    Freakin scary! My question is, is this real or are they actors?

Critic Reviews


November 9, 2009
Nick Schager, Lessons of Darkness

The same old thing dressed up in very slightly different clothes. full review

October 12, 2009
David Edelstein, New York Magazine

In the light of day, it's all very silly and conventional. But of course we're not talking about the light of day. full review

October 9, 2009
A.O. Scott, The New York Times

It works best when it comes out of nowhere, because that's, in the end, where it goes. full review

October 9, 2009
Kurt Loder, MTV

Even Roger Corman might have hesitated to pitch this deal to one of his hungry young proteges: "You get a little over $11,000, one camera and two unknown actors to make a really scary movie. No effect... full review

October 9, 2009
Claudia Puig, USA Today

This unsettling ultra-low-budget tale capitalizes on our innate fear of things that go bump in the night, and adds a supernatural element that will effectively terrorize even the toughest among us. full review

October 8, 2009
Colin Covert, The Minneapolis Star Tribune

Without financing, stars or more than a couple of special effects, first-time writer/director Olen Peli has made a diabolically effective essay in irrational horror. full review

October 1, 2009
Peter Travers, Rolling Stone

With a $15,000 budget too puny to empty a petty-cash drawer, the no-frills Paranormal Activity comes packed with thrills. full review

View more Paranormal Activity reviews at RottenTomatoes.com

Comments


  • Ghanjaspawn
    November 14, 2009
    Complete and utterly EPIC FAIL. It had some freaky scenes, but this movie was totally over-hyped. I've seen episodes of Ghost Hunters scarier than this.
  • Giwrg0sSs
    November 1, 2009
    Looks Really Scary......
  • sunshinegurlsrule95
    October 24, 2009
    but you people do know the ENTIRE movie is them and no crew or anything.
    i kinda liked it but not really cuz thier house looked like mine so thats how i got abit creeped out..

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