While I saw a load of scathing reviews on my way into this, I made a point of not reading them. My expectations were suitably low, making a nice surprise possible (but let's be honest, unlikely).
I actually quite enjoyed it.
Sorry to those throwing rotten vegetables at this film, but for what it is, I felt it did the job reasonably well.
It's by no means perfect (or even 'really good') and I'm not going to ladle on the criticism because that'd be like shooting fish in a barrel, also, it's just mean.
What this film does possess, when compared to Blair Witch and the other found-footage franchises is the actual quantity of the paranormal activity (note the lower case letters). The supernatural entity in this is more active, vocal and just plain loud than those I've seen before.
While this would make being there even more terrifying without a doubt, to the viewer I always feel that less is more.
With so much crashing and banging etc, with Becky scared out of her wits and the sleepwalking/nightmares that accompany it, that would be all the more reason to just jack it in and get the hell out of Dodge. "If you really loved me Markus, you'd save me from this hell..." (unfortunately not a direct quote from this)
The one piece of 'constructive criticism' I'd offer is that duringthe PA-esque nighttime infrared sleeping scenes, they build up tension reasonably well with noises and camera interference. Why then ruin it with sudden loud music and camera zoomery for a cheap jump? Less is more, young German padowan.
Food rotting from one moment to the next, while their back was turned was a nice little effect. Ditto with the ball disappearing then reappearing.
Rebecca really, really should have told Markus that she didn't like it and she was leaving. Now. With or without him.
But no. She moans and is terrified but goes through with it, even though she claims to have felt that the entity wanted to do them harm.
Sounds like my ex wife: passive/aggressive.
If you can't stand up when you need to and lay down the law, then I'm afraid that you're kinda asking for it.
Enough of my marriage councelling/pop psychiatry...
Insults/recriminations/threats etc inspired by my review of this please place below:
