Rated R for some language and brief violent material.
Starring Daniel Boland, Katie Featherston, Seth Ginsberg, Sprague Grayden, Micah Sloatand and Molly Ephraim
Directed by Tod Williams (The Door in the Floor)
Just as scary as the original.
With a video camera in hand, new parents Kristi (Grayden) and Daniel Rey (Daniel Boland), bring home their new baby, Hunter. Ali (Molly Ephraim), Daniel’s teen daughter by his first marriage, helps to capture each precious memory of her baby brother. But that’s not all that has “come home.” A demonic presence begins terrorizing them, tearing apart their perfect world and turning it into an inescapable nightmare. Security cameras capture the torment, making every minute horrifyingly real.
As the credits were running at the end of the first Paranormal Activity and I was catching my breath, I knew the squeal was inevitable. Like The Blair Witch Project, Paranormal Activity was a low budget film that caused a big stir at the cineplex. And like The Blair Witch Project, Paranormal Activity released a squeal as quickly as possible. And as the movie started I expected a poorly made, poorly thought out movie that screamed cash cow. What I got was a clever movie that was just as scary (if not more so) than the original.
Paranormal Activity 2 cost roughly 20 times more than the original but iIt’s still almost impossible for a sequel to live up to the original… even with a big budget. However this sequel adds to the first film’s back story and maintains that “Oh no, what’s going to happen now” creepiness. Between the “rumbling” music and the visual “bumps in the night” there are plenty of good scares in Paranormal Activity 2.
As someone who doesn’t normally care for horror movies, I can strongly say, this movie is definitely not for everyone. So I cannot recommend it, or give it a high score. But it is well done and if you like to be scared and jump in your seat, I say check it out…it’s a Rental.
SHOULD KIDS SEE IT?
I have to say no. Not only is there language and violent material, but the demonic storyline is very disturbing.
Conversation Starter
Three Simple Questions (with Answers You May Be Looking for):
Q: What’s the message/theme of this movie?
A: This horror movie is centered on a demonic “haunting” and possession. So the theme of supernatural forces is clearly displayed throughout the film.
Q: How do you suppose we—as serious Christ-followers—should react to this movie?
A: We should react very carefully. We do not need to give Satan any more time or attention than necessary. Although this is a fictional story, Satan and his demons are very real and should be taken seriously.
There is a scene in the movie where the young teenager says, “it would be cool if our house was haunted.” There is nothing “cool” about the devil or his tactics.
Q: How can we move from healthy, Bible-based opinions about this movie to actually living out those opinions?
A: We need to follow the advice of Paul and put on the full armor of God.
10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. 11 Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. 12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. 13 Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. 14 Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, 15 and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. 16 In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17 Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.
18 And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people.
