Paranormal Activity 2

Director - Tod Williams (Cell, The Adventures of Sebastian Cole)

Starring - Katie Featherston (The Lonely Host, Big Little Lies), Micah Sloat (Paranormal Activity, Paranormal Activity: The Marked Ones), and Molly Ephraim (A League of Their Own, Modern Family)

Release Date  - 2010

Genre - Horror

Format - Bluray (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     Paranormal Activity is one of the most popular horror properties of our generation with no signs of slowing down. To date the franchise has seven films, a feature length documentary, another film scheduled for release next years and talks of a television series. It’s a wildly popular series that I’ve never had an interest in. When I received the Ultimate Chills Collection set I was excited to check them out. However, after finally watching the first film I have to say that I don’t have high hopes for the rest of the set. Either way, I went into Paranormal Activity 2 with an open mind and found myself once again struggling to finish. 

      The film takes place several months before the first film with Katie’s sister and brother-in-law welcoming in their newborn into their home. Things immediately start happening but they chalk it up to just strange occurrences and natural phenomenon. However, as their teenage daughter starts to investigate the happenings around the home she learns that a deal with a demon for the first born son’s soul could lay dormant for decades and her brother just happens to be the first male born in almost 100 years on her mother’s side. 

      Paranormal Activity 2 is not a better film that the first one but it does start to deliver on something that could be confused as a story. Honestly, I liked where the story wanted to go but the delivery and found footage style once again made this another movie experience that was unbearable. I hate writing negative reviews but I would be lying if I did in this case. The acting in this one is more of the same as the first film. The cast tries to have casual conversations but it’s extremely awkward to me and the dialogue is horrible. There was several instances where these drawn out scenes with small talk and unnatural dialogue almost had me tap out. I stuck through it for the review but who finds this enjoyable? The story that takes place during most of the film is exactly what we were given during the first film. Shit moving and falling while people joke about being haunted is not enough to hold the viewer for an hour. I did like the demon and first born son angle but that was not fully explored or really explained in detail enough to hold the viewer’s attention. Finally, the film has a little blood stains on clothes but that is the extent of it. If you are looking for some blood and gore then you will be very disappointed. Overall, Paranormal Activity 2 introduces a little bit of story but it doesn’t save it from the boring scenes and horrible dialogue. This is another one I would recommend skipping.