A Disappointing Continuation

Good films always raise compelling questions, whether the format is fiction or documentary fact.

A film with more than the usual spoiler issues. Talking about it in any detail feels akin to handing you a gift-wrapped present and saying, "I hope you like it -- It's a thriller about a diabolical secret experiment."

It's funny, it's tense, it features two great performances from two actors and the director expertly creates a web of odd tension where you actually don't know what is happening for the majority of the run time.

You may say this is a Shane Van Dyke project; not only does he star, he is credited with the screenplay and also directs. Supposedly based on real paranormal activity that took the life of a pretty young woman named Samantha Finley(Erin Marie Hogan). This supernatural horror film opens with a disclaimer that Thomas Finley(Van Dyke)was convicted of raping and killing his sister and murdering her doctor, Edgar Lauren(Norman Saleet), who also claimed to be a psychic. Ellen Finley(Fia Perera)feels something strange has entered her home shortly after the death of her husband. Dr. Lauren convinces her that she probably has reached her loved one from the "other side". But it seems most of the abnormal activity in the home is happening in her daughter Sam's room. Son and brother Thomas has installed night vision cameras in the home in hopes of catching paranormal footage. This is what we see...the allegedly "actual footage" of the events that led to the murder of Miss Finley. Thomas committed suicide while in prison. Obviously low budget and just not enough of the "good stuff" the viewer hopes to see.

Good acting with an imaginative twist on the original "Paranormal Activity" make this movie worth watching for anyone who enjoys the Shock- u-mentary genre ala Blair Witch.The story centers around the "found footage" of paranormal activity experienced by a small family.I watched this movie before Paranormal Activity. I ended up watching the P.A. after getting the DVD's 1&2 with advertised free tickets for the third installment. Paranormal Entity is actually a lot scarier; with a lot more imaginative "phenomena" going on. Finally, a 5$ DVD from Walmart that is actually worth every penny!

I've been going through a phase where I've been watching a lot of haunted house films and ghost movies. Mainly because I'm writing my own for a college project, and I want to educate myself on conventions of the genre, and partially because I am a slight believer in the paranormal, and find ghost stories generally frightening."Paranormal Entity" is a film from The Asylum- a company that makes low-budget "mockbusters"... basically, they make rip-offs of popular Hollywood films, in order to "piggy-back" off of their success by appealing to fans and by confusing the public. (Ex. After "Transformers" became a hit, they released "TransMOPRHers", after "Speed Racer", they released "STREET Racer", etc) I actually helped a family spare themselves from a purchase of an Asylum film the other day, when they confused it with the Hollywood film they were actually looking for. It's very shameless, and causes a lot of confusion with the public. A lot of their sales are generated this way- I've never known anyone who has consciously bought their films, but I've known more than one person who accidentally purchased their films thinking it was the Hollywood version.However, as I had heard their "Paranromal Activty" rip-off (this film, "Paranormal ENTITY") was slightly better than their other rip-offs, I decided to watch it, thinking it might actually be a decent scary ride.This film does not work... at all. It's too flawed, has poor pacing, and is hilariously cheap.The film centers on a family of three living in their home. We have the mother Ellen Finley, and her two grown children Samantha and Thomas. About a year ago, Ellen's husband passed away, leaving a void in the family. Ellen, missing her husband, begins using Automatic Writing as a way to try to communicate with his spirit, and at first feels as though he is nearby. However, as strange occurrences begin to plague the house, it becomes apparent that there is something else in the house with them- possibly a demonic force.The film is told from the perspective of Thomas, whom has set up cameras in the house in order to try and capture the activity, in hopes of making the footage into a documentary that he can make money on. And we witness it as it grows more and more violent over the course of the film.You will notice that I didn't list the actors, and this is for a reason- they are all unknowns. (With the exception of director/co-star Shane Van Dyke, grandson of Dick Van Dyke) And they are all very, very mediocre, sometimes even blatantly bad. The family has no chemistry to speak of, and seem very uncomfortable interacting with each other. It doesn't feel like a family, it feels like a group of actors who have never met before awkwardly trying to rehearse. (And at times, it becomes downright eerie, as the actors playing the siblings almost seem as if they are flirting, which makes their on-screen relationship creepy) The acting is very wooden, as well, which combined with the lack of chemistry makes every seem amateur and bland. Bad acting.The storytelling is also very objectionable. The character-development is all phoned in, and too blatant. The film lacks subtlety. In addition, the pacing of the film is very poor. It follows the exact same formula as "Paranormal Activity" (days/nights, ramping up of activity over time), however, it doesn't accomplish the same quality- there is no flow to the film, some scenes shoot by in seconds, while others drag on for minute after minute of absolutely nothing. It was poorly put together.I also have to comment that the film isn't scary. Part of what makes supernatural horror work is the build up and subtle content (small things, like doors opening and closing, or knocks on the door), but this film doesn't understand that- it ramps up the activity too quickly, and it becomes more funny than scary. Too much happens for it to really get under your skin.Finally, I also have to comment on how cheap the film looks. The house is absolutely baron- it looks like a cheap rented house with no detail or character. I've never seen someone with a house so empty in my life. It feels too manufactured, and makes the filmmakers look to cheap to decorate their sets. Also, the activity seems much more like cheap, lame effects in this movie- and you can obviously tell a lot of the "haunting" is caused by crew members hiding behind doorways and throwing things from off screen. It's just too poorly made.This is just a bad, bad, rip-off. It doesn't work, suffers from a weak cast, has no subtlety at all, and is too cheap to really get under your skin. I give this a 3 out of 10. Avoid it.

I watched this on Netflix instant watch one night out of boredom, and it's awful. Although the actor playing Samantha does her best, she is working with a crappy filmmaker who apparently decided to improvise the "frights" in the film. This means a lot of slamming doors and Shane Van Dyke yelling "OH MY GOD!!!!!!!" or "WHAT IS HAPPENING!!!!!! OH MY GOD!!!!!!!" Many of the plot points are identical to those in Paranormal Activity (demon that follows characters around, sleepwalking women, mysterious messages from the demon, something creepy in the attic, sudden shock ending). To be honest, the only thing this has that PA doesn't is naked breasts.If the people associated with this video are wise, they will strike it from their resumes and deny that it ever happened.