Paranormal Activity 2: Tokyo Night

... always take a camera with you, every where you go ... Well that's a version of a popular song, that could apply to this movie as well as to other found footage themed ones. It's more fitting in this case, because of the jump across the "pond" from America to Japan. But even there and with a different culture, evil never sleeps. It might be dragging its feet and its still slower than a turtle (until it puts in the high speed gear that is), but it seems to work its charm every time.

Having a camera while you run for your life or rather catching it and still be able to film coherent material is tricky. But manageable as it seems. All jokes aside, this is a slow burning affair, one that is considered to belong to the Pananormal Activity universe. For whatever reason, other than to make money of advertising and compel to the Asian market that is of course ...

Well... I saw that many people have different views of this movie. Just like the other American Paranormal Activity movies, this one has its pros and cons.

In some aspects it's a little better than the American Version, but in other aspects it's not as good.

When it comes to scary, it delivers pretty much the same amount of frights (and if not somewhat better). When it comes to the story, it drives off from the original story into a new one that doesn't seem so creative. There were some surprising new elements into this installment, some that were good and some that were not as much. The ending was a bit weird, but I thought that was better than the original American ending. I just wish that the script wasn't so rushed.

In short, some aspects are better and some aren't (I wouldn't say worst), yet it's a fine entry to the Paranormal Activity saga, I just think it was a bit unnecessary to do this semi-sequel/semi-remake. But some people differ from this opinion saying it's better than the American Version and some prefer the American one. But this is just my point of view, I think I'll stick to the American version, though I wouldn't mind seeing another Japanese installment.

Paranormal Activity: Tokyo Night was a film I didn't even know existed, until stumbling across a dvd copy at a flea market. It's virtually a Japanese version of the original Paranormal Activity... though the plot does have a connection with the 2007 film, which I had no idea was coming. A Japanese girl returns home from the US after a car accident which left with her two broken legs. She's living with her brother and father (who is not there most of the time due to business trips). After the first night odd things start happening in the house, and the brother decides to start filming these incidents. And story goes from there. The same predictable formula of frights and intrigue ... right down to the downbeat ending, yet it remains watchable.

When I first heard about a Japanese take on Paranormal Activity, I thought it was a joke. Then I saw the trailer for it and thought it looked horrible. Being a big fan of Paranormal Activity films, I really wanted to see it. Unfortunately, they didn't release it here in America, and I'm still waiting. However, I managed to get that chance to watch it but I couldn't understand a word they were saying since there was no subtitles on the transfer I saw.

To be honest, this film feels just like the first Paranormal Activity. It begins with the guy in front of the mirror adjusting his camera, a lot like Micah's opening scene on the first one. Then he goes out to his driveway to a car where some girl is..... hmmm... feels like the first Paranormal Activity again. But unlike the first Paranormal Activity, it begins with something happening early on in the film. He puts a mound of sugar on the door and finds out that it mysteriously gets wiped all over the floor.

I also like that they kept the whole Night #1 title card that the Paranormal Activity films have. The unfortunate thing is that the first half of the film just feels like a rehash of the first one. Doors opening and closing, the girl screams out of her sleep, sometimes just going nuts for some reason. As I'm watching, I'm waiting for something different to happen. It has to offer something new eventually.

It does.

For the last thirty minutes or so of the film, things get a little crazy. There's a moment in the film that is creepier than any of the American Paranormal Activity films never achieved. I won't spoil it, but let's just say you will know when you see it. There's also a little twist in the end, where you think it's going to end the same way as the first film.... but it doesn't.

Paranormal Activity 2: Tokyo Night is a worthy entry in the Paranormal Activity series. It does tie into the franchise and worth a watch if you like these films. Next time I see it, I'm watching it with subtitles so I know what they're talking about. There's a lot of slow parts, though. Then again, so did the American versions.

Toshikazu Nagae, the director already made a horror in 2002, Gosuto shisutemu. 8 years later he picked in on the success of Paranormal Activity. It is said that it was a sequel to the original one but I guess that it was said for promotional reasons only. This is just a remake from the original one. Funny, we are used to see it go otherwise. Normally Japanese flicks are remade by Hollywood.

You love or hate the Paranormal franchise. I like them but with this one I missed something. For me the best part were the last 20 minutes. The movie starts with the telling of a girl coming back from the states after a carcrash. Almost after 5 minutes in this flick things go wrong but what I didn't like was that her brother already guessed that an entity was in the house. And from there on it's a pure rip-off of the original. Of course the ghost is being cast out by a priest in Japanese rituals, that's the only difference but towards the end we get that typical The Grudge or Ringu girls, you know the face when you see it.

I never really jumped while watching or ever got a creepy feeling because I have seen it all before. And don't get me wrong, PA3 did give me some goosebumps. But then again I wouldn't recommend it for those who are easily afraid because it all happens at home.

It fits perfectly in the franchise (as did Paranormal Entity)but yes, I think most geeks will hate it.

Gore 0/5 Nudity 0/5 Effects 1/5 Story 2/5 Comedy 0/5