Paranormal Activity 2 (2010)

If you didn't like the first Paranormal Activity I strongly doubt you will enjoy Paranormal Activity 2 so don't even bother, stay far away from it. I was one of those who liked Paranormal Activity and thought it was entertaining and somewhat different from other horror movies as well. The concept of all these paranormal events going on and purposely cheaply-made film was intriguing and best of all, it worked. The thing is there were parts were I was genuinely scared, I couldn't help but be a little freaked out by what the characters were going through. This second PA movie is actually the prequel to the first one and not a traditional sequel like you would imagine, it has elements of both a prequel and a sequel (that's the best way of putting it). It can be a little difficult to imagine a second film that wouldn't ruin what the first one did, be different and still have the effect the first had. I was curious enough and found this one just as enjoyable as the first one. Paranormal Activity 2 doesn't really cover new ground but with careful improvements and changes, works just as well if not better than the original. I respect that they obviously didn't want to ruin what the first movie did which tends to be hard for a sequel, they clearly cared enough and wanted to show viewers something worthy (and I'll say it was). Paranormal Activity 2 begins two months before the first film and what happens in this prequel leads to the first. This time around the story is focused on Dan, his wife Kristi, Dan's daughter Ali and son Hunter who are-you guessed it-victim of paranormal activity. It's becoming clear to viewers that something is after baby Hunter and will go through anything to get him, even family members. Dan is a skeptic and refuses to talk about these events until it comes to a point he can no longer ignore. His daughter Ali believes and researches the events happening to the family. This leads to a situation. Now, the story is nothing new but it soon all falls into pieces. If you believe or not in these things is not the point, you are likely to be captivated, guessing and wondering what's coming next. What's interesting is that you see Katie and Micah from the first PA and you even see them at their house and Micah with his Camera. I felt this one explained more of what happened in PA which only helps of course. For me, when watching the first film it took some time to really get into it but once you're in, it's quite a ride. PA 2 is no different but there are some elements that made it even more enjoyable for me. It starts out nice and easy, then gradually things begin to happen and it gets progressively worse, it's a formula that worked well for the first and it also applies here. In this one the acting is much better, there are cameras all over the house and the story behind it all was really interesting. The family dog, a German shepherd named Abby who also feels a presence in the house; animals usually feel those types of things before humans do and only contributes to make things more interesting. In the first PA, it seemed things only happened when the characters were asleep, which made sense. This time around things happen both during night and day which adds another dimension to PA. I was definitely freaked out after viewing, I kept thinking about what I've just seen on the screen. Paranormal Activity is deeply psychological that's why it's so interesting to some and won't appeal to others. It certainly makes one think about the paranormal and raise questions, but that's probably what the filmmakers want you to do. If you liked the first one chances are you will also like this one, I probably enjoyed this prequel/sequel more than the first. I feared this one might be bad but I must say that the experience is just as valid as in the first movie. Some things about PA 2 are very similar to the first, yet it's also different in its own way, after all no one experiences things in the same way. Just to make things clear, it's not "the scariest film ever!" or "the worst movie ever made" as some reviewers said. You may have seen the first movie but are you sure you're ready this time around? 4/5.