Paranormal Activity 2

3 years after the original, the long awaited Paranormal Activity 2 has hit our screens, and it doesn’t disappoint. Set as a prequel to Paranormal Activity, the film follows the lives of the Rey family after they experience a mysterious break-in where every room is ruined except that of their youngest son Hunter. The father of the house Dan (Boland) has surveillance cameras installed all over the house in a bid to protect the family. Shortly afterwards, the family begins to see mysterious happenings around the house. Whilst Dan is initially disbelieving of his wife and daughter’s claims, it soon becomes apparent that there are evil forces at work, and the warnings of their housekeeper Martine (Cortez) regarding the presence of spirits in the house begin to come true. The question becomes whether the family will survive the haunting or succumb to its evil.

Like the original, Paranormal Activity 2 is true nail biter of a film. Filled with tense silences and false moments of fear, the film continuously keeps the audience interested and unsure of what will happen. There are excellent performances from Sprague Grayden as the wife Kristi, and her stepdaughter Ali (Ephraim) as they increasingly begin to experience the mysterious goings on within the house. Alongside this is the undercurrent of curiosity, bought by the presence of Kristi’s sister Katie (Katie Featherstone) who starred in the first film. After the success of the original, Paranormal Activity 2 had a lot to live up to, and easily manages to meet the same levels of terror, with the unknown spirit wreaking havoc throughout. Considered by many critics to be an even better film than its predecessor, Paranormal Activity 2 is a must for horror and thriller fans everywhere.

Catherine Gowers