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Reviews7
craigy101's rating
I'll start this by saying that Paranormal Activity is one movie that will stay with you after you leave the cinema. It is not often that this is true, but this film taps into such a core human fear that most of you will struggle to shake it.
The movie starts with a couple purchasing a (oddly large) video camera in an attempt to catch some strange going ons that have apparently been occurring in the house.
The films starts slowly, with not much occurring in the first 30 or 40 minutes, other than some occasionally humorous banter between the two leads. However the slow start is more than made up when paranormal occurrences start to intensify.
The film escapes the common "why don't you get the hell outta there" criticism of the haunted house genre by creating a rather convenient and weak back story of the ghost following the female lead, as opposed to haunting a specific house - however this just about works and on hindsight the film is better for it.
The last 40 minutes of the film achieves something that many supernatural thrillers fail to do - it creates a genuine sense of dread. It works on many levels and looking at two people sleep or staring at an empty room has never been so terrifying. I watched it at a packed theater, and every time the sleeping scenes begin, you could feel the impending sense of fear in the air.
Special effects are used sparingly, and most importantly never over the top. One such special effect moment will surely go down into horror movie history, though I won't spoil it for you here.
Throughout the movie, the suspense builds up continually and in the last 20 minutes or so, never lets up. The ending is fantastic and I don't ever remember being amongst such an animated theater audience. The film hits on so many areas, but the most refreshing aspect is the lack of cheap Hollywood scares. There is no Amityville Horror here, this is different, and it works brilliantly. For those Hollywood horror fans that thrive on the gore and shock moments, you won't like it. This isn't the same. This is far more intelligent, and so much better for it. May be there is life in the supernatural genre after all.
A well deserved 8 out of 10. You won't forget this movie in a while.
The movie starts with a couple purchasing a (oddly large) video camera in an attempt to catch some strange going ons that have apparently been occurring in the house.
The films starts slowly, with not much occurring in the first 30 or 40 minutes, other than some occasionally humorous banter between the two leads. However the slow start is more than made up when paranormal occurrences start to intensify.
The film escapes the common "why don't you get the hell outta there" criticism of the haunted house genre by creating a rather convenient and weak back story of the ghost following the female lead, as opposed to haunting a specific house - however this just about works and on hindsight the film is better for it.
The last 40 minutes of the film achieves something that many supernatural thrillers fail to do - it creates a genuine sense of dread. It works on many levels and looking at two people sleep or staring at an empty room has never been so terrifying. I watched it at a packed theater, and every time the sleeping scenes begin, you could feel the impending sense of fear in the air.
Special effects are used sparingly, and most importantly never over the top. One such special effect moment will surely go down into horror movie history, though I won't spoil it for you here.
Throughout the movie, the suspense builds up continually and in the last 20 minutes or so, never lets up. The ending is fantastic and I don't ever remember being amongst such an animated theater audience. The film hits on so many areas, but the most refreshing aspect is the lack of cheap Hollywood scares. There is no Amityville Horror here, this is different, and it works brilliantly. For those Hollywood horror fans that thrive on the gore and shock moments, you won't like it. This isn't the same. This is far more intelligent, and so much better for it. May be there is life in the supernatural genre after all.
A well deserved 8 out of 10. You won't forget this movie in a while.
This is not an ordinary teen comedy - there's no gross out jokes or situations here - with is refreshing considering all the typical teen comedies being rushed out of the door recently.
The acting is great on all accounts, and I enjoyed seeing some of the Judd Apatow irregulars popping up in various small roles throughout the movie.
The movie reminded me loosely of a modern Dazed and Confused, where we're taken for a fun filled ride with the likable main characters during a night no one will forget.
Definitely a good, sit back and relax movie. Extremely enjoyable.
Craig
The acting is great on all accounts, and I enjoyed seeing some of the Judd Apatow irregulars popping up in various small roles throughout the movie.
The movie reminded me loosely of a modern Dazed and Confused, where we're taken for a fun filled ride with the likable main characters during a night no one will forget.
Definitely a good, sit back and relax movie. Extremely enjoyable.
Craig
I am writing this with 10 minutes left before the film finishes. I feel comfortable writing it now, because unfortunately I know exactly how this film is going to end.
The premise is simple enough, rabid dog on the loose in a small town, kills people. Great - simple plot for a good fun camp 80s horror.
Uhh ..no.
The main problem is this is based on a book (Stephen King) and you can tell that is should not have really been adapted to film, at least not with the same plot. Why? Cuz its boring! The first 45 minutes tries to build depth to its main characters and create suspense. It however lasts too long (half the film!) - the characters are unlikeable and we never care for them anyway, and it just about creates zero suspense. The easiest film (according to plot and time) to compare this to it the classic Jaws. Everything that Jaws does right, Cujo does wrong. Jaws created good characters and a genuine feeling of dread. Cujo does neither. Jaws effectively creates a scary, creepy villain in its shark. Cujo has a dirty St Bernard running about growling and jumping, and not a lot else. Jaws is exciting and unpredictable. Cujo is a tireless bore that remains predictable right to the end.
Also confusing is the plethora of subplots that just act as boring red herrings to the films main plot.
If this film was rewritten for the big screen and had a better director this could have been good. But it wasn't. It was a waste of 90 minutes of my life.
People on here are saying this is one of the best King adaptations - Im sorry you could not be more wrong. The Mist is a hundred times better, Thinner is 10 times better and even the one with the cats is twice as good! This in my opinion is one of the worst! The only good thing was the action scenes with the dog looked real, even though they were dull.
Films ended now, and it didn't get any better. Avoid.
The premise is simple enough, rabid dog on the loose in a small town, kills people. Great - simple plot for a good fun camp 80s horror.
Uhh ..no.
The main problem is this is based on a book (Stephen King) and you can tell that is should not have really been adapted to film, at least not with the same plot. Why? Cuz its boring! The first 45 minutes tries to build depth to its main characters and create suspense. It however lasts too long (half the film!) - the characters are unlikeable and we never care for them anyway, and it just about creates zero suspense. The easiest film (according to plot and time) to compare this to it the classic Jaws. Everything that Jaws does right, Cujo does wrong. Jaws created good characters and a genuine feeling of dread. Cujo does neither. Jaws effectively creates a scary, creepy villain in its shark. Cujo has a dirty St Bernard running about growling and jumping, and not a lot else. Jaws is exciting and unpredictable. Cujo is a tireless bore that remains predictable right to the end.
Also confusing is the plethora of subplots that just act as boring red herrings to the films main plot.
If this film was rewritten for the big screen and had a better director this could have been good. But it wasn't. It was a waste of 90 minutes of my life.
People on here are saying this is one of the best King adaptations - Im sorry you could not be more wrong. The Mist is a hundred times better, Thinner is 10 times better and even the one with the cats is twice as good! This in my opinion is one of the worst! The only good thing was the action scenes with the dog looked real, even though they were dull.
Films ended now, and it didn't get any better. Avoid.