This is one of those films where the idea worked better than the execution. It has been described as the “Blair Witch Project” of the 00’s, and that might be the most accurate description for the film, good and bad. I have seen quite a few films now that utilize the ‘design concept’ of having one of the characters film everything consistently, but with that in mind, the drawbacks to that type of storytelling can ultimately hurt the believably factor as well as trump any effort in classical storytelling. For example, when watching a documentary-esque/reality TV format such as this, the conceit is that it is SUPPOSED to be reality.
However, one always has to question after a while—why is this person still filming? Then by extension, the character with the camera has to explain that he is an amateur filmmaker or die-hard videographer to justify the constant shooting of events, especially needed to explain those ok to decent compositions we “witness.” That being said, the third act story elements needed to raise the stakes for the characters (in this case, a half-burnt photo found in an attic that a demon apparently kept of its victim since her childhood) fail completely because they are traditional storytelling elements forced into a guerrilla situation.
How much war footage have beginnings, middles, and ends? Hardly any because they are far too random to fit a three act structure, so when Paranormal Activity attempts to clarify its activity with a certain amount of linear discovery—it becomes for a lack of a better word: corny. Still, the film is not a total loss. The director maintains a certain amount of suspense. Sometimes the payoff isn’t all that effective, but the imaginations of the audience do fill in some of the gaps. Most effective moments are often the most simple: woman stands for hours without moving in time-lapsed video.
To me, the scariest moment is the least logical. True fear is something with some clear basis, but devoid of complete explanation.