That’s One Scary Pony

My youngest daughter took me to see Paranormal Activity 2 last night. As is too often the case, a group of people a few rows back murmured a running conversation until I got an usher to counsel them in polite behavior. (Call me cranky, but if you yack through a film, I will do what I can to get you tossed out. If you want to talk, rent a movie and watch at home.)

That unpleasantness aside, we were ready for the unpleasantness of the film itself. And I mean that in a good way. If you’ve seen the original Paranormal Activity, you know just how creepy the thing is. (If you haven’t yet seen it, stop reading this, and go rent a copy.)

This sequel is intimately tied to the original in an interesting fashion. While you don’t necessarily have to be familiar with the first before viewing the second, the connection does make viewing the second that much better. It will also make you appreciate the rationale of cameras all over the house, and the odd angles at which they view things, which definitely adds to the creepiness. I found myself impressed at the intelligent thought and loving touches that went into the project.

The story itself is pretty straightforward: I won’t even bother covering it here, because as with the original film, Paranormal Activity 2 is more about mood and fright than about events. What’s impressive is that what might have been presumed a one-trick pony—the original—turns out to be well worth a second ride in the sequel.