A-

Not quite as scary as the first -- while the jumps are there, the sense of building dread is largely absent -- but that doesn't stop it from being pretty damn awesome. Well-paced, great scares (kitchen for the win), and an ending that's total coolness even if it's easy to figure out the second a late second act plot twist is introduced to deal with the demon.

Very worthy sequel, and I can't wait for Paranormal Activity 3.

Is this a prequel?

It's a prequel and a sequel.

It slices, it dices.

PARANORMAL ACTIVITY 2 - 8/10 (B+)
While it definitely isn't as good or scary as the first (though my boyfriend thought the sequel was better) it was still a blast to watch. The first hour or so was good, but very slow. Slower than anything that was in the first PARANORMAL flick, but it did have enough creepy moments to keep you entertained. The cupboard scene made me scream. Once all hell starts to break loose (and believe me, it really fucking does), it turns into a pretty scary flick. There were multiple times that I screamed and jumped in the last half hour of the movie and it was a BLAST to watch. I did have a few problems with it though...

The new characters weren't as fun as Katie or Micah. The father was very more annoying than Micah was in the first film. While he wasn't taunting the demon like Micah, he didn't believe in anything at all, even when there was proof that something was happening (like the part where the daughter got locked out of the house. HELLO, it wasn't the wind you idiot :p).

I also wasn't a huge fan of the multiple cameras. The movie really shined when it was the hand held camera being used. The multiple cameras got old pretty fast, since they pretty much constantly just showed the same shots over and over.

I really liked the daughter, for the most part anyway. The whole Ouija board scene was incredibly unnecessary. Also, the scene where she was babysitting dragged on for way too long with nothing much happening after she gets locked out of the house. If that whole bit was a bit tighter, I think the movie would have been in a bit better shape.

The crowd seemed really into it and it should be huge. Three midnight showings were sold out at my theater. I definitely recommend it, especially if you're a fan of the first movie. It was a fun, scary little flick for Halloween. The last few minutes were absolutely AMAZING. Loved it.

PARANORMAL ACTIVITY 2 - 8/10 (A-)

To my surprise, I thought this was just as good, if not a hair better than the original. I was expecting a cheap cash-in sequel, but it offered plenty of good chills. If you liked/loved the first, you should enjoy this one. If you didn't, then you won't. It's basically more of the same, which to me, isn't a bad thing. It starts out a bit slow and I was prepared to be disappointed, but the second half really picked up. Basically just like the first, except I guess I was a little more intrigued by the set-up in the first and this time I just wanted them to get on with it. But be patient, it delivers.

Seeing this with a sold out crowd was just awesome. They laughed, jumped, screamed, etc... at all the right parts. At one point when it was getting pretty tense two girls went running out of the theater (no lie), which is something I've never seen before. I don't think I'll have a better moviegoing experience all year. The audience made the movie.

This was a great Halloween treat. Try and see it opening weekend during a time where there will be a lot of people. I hope for a third next October.


My friends I saw it with thought it was better than the first, and they loved the first.

I really liked the first but i found this one very dissapointing and boring, the whole family annoyed me, to bad they didn't use the scary sounds like the first did, the only creepy part was the baby getting dragged from the crib.
Another thing, this movie cost 3mill and yet i thought the first had better pruduction values than this one with its 11k budget, where did that 3mill go?

3/10
D

Paranormal Activity was a very enjoyable and thrilling film that really can account itself as one of the best of its genre. The sequel, however, is a completely step down and brings some worry to where this franchise will go. The story is mostly prequel with a tiny bit of sequel in there. The film seems to not even worry about its scares until the last half. The film definitely builds some suspense but once the reveals are made, they aren't scary but laughable. That really is all most of the film is. Then it decides to continue where the last film ended in just about three minutes and it's just stupid. Hopefully the third, which will most likely be made, will be a step up from this and closer to the first. *1/2

I thought the way they told the story was fantastic.

A rare sequel which improves upon the original, which is not to say Paranormal Activity 2 is a revelation. It just refines and expands upon the formula which made its predecessor one of the most iconic and profitable horror films of the decade.

If you had a blast watching the first film--with its long, grain-laden nocturnal shots, your eyes darting from detail to detail, watching for small supernatural movements, waiting for big JUMP! scares and, in the end, a cool, surprising finale--you will have just as much fun with the sequel, if not more. A Halloween treat and sure to become a slumber party classic.

B+

yo, I heard this is like, a meta-textual narrative, dog. tru?

Definitely not as scary as the first, but I loved what they did with the story.

For the record, this movie is actually not bad, and this (albeit heavy-handed and pretentious) description is not totally inaccurate. Some of the security camera footage is framed almost perfectly for maximum fear-inducing and thought-provoking goodness, for serious.

D+

This movie sucked, the first half was building up to the first major scary thing, and wat was that? a door opening?, besides they didn't even tried, they remake the first one, every trick was done in the first film, this was boring and way too long.

Saw it again this week with my friend and her kids. They all loved it and thought it was much better than the first (which they also liked). They thought it was really scary. Good times.

5/10 -> C-

Some things are better in this movie than in the first (more likable characters) and some are just worse (again repetitive scenes that get boring and lack of something else than doors shutting down and people being dragged around the house). Overall I'd rate it the same.

Something just felt creepier about the first film. It felt claustraphobic. It felt like it could be real. PA2 features a larger house, more characters and a bigger (although not much) budget. The larger, nicer house takes away from the claustraphobia of the first. More characters provides more chances for characters I don't really care for. They tried (in both films) to create real people, but even more than the first, they've created a couple of horror movie cliches. I'd prefer they just go with regular acting. The "real people" thing feels forced and fake.

What works, works really well. But it takes so darn long to get there. The kitchen scene (which needs no further description) was awesome. Parts of the final third are fun, although again, it treads into typical horror movie waters, which I felt the first mainly avoided.

It's a worthy sprequel, but it don't think it'll be as well-remembered as PA1. At least it's not a train-wreck sequel like Blair Witch 2. It's okay, just lacks the punch of the first. Although my biggest gripe with the first are the in-between scenes, mainly due to the inexperienced leads.

Grade: C+

PA1: B+

I still can't believe that some people who loved the first absolutely hated this.

It is interesting, isn't it??? I've heard nothing but good things about PA2 and that it's the rare sequel that improves upon the 1st movie and then, you come to KJ where the grading and reviews of this are opposite than what you read everywhere else...

If every other forum was jumping off a cliff, KJ would survive!

Why?? Cause you used parachutes???

No, because we...uh...wouldn't...jump.

You did notice how I said "some people," didn't you? Most reviews here are favorable.