Paranormal Activity 2 (2010)
August 21, 2022 2:39 PM - Subscribe

Days after welcoming a newborn baby, Dan and Kristi Rey return home one day to find their house ransacked with seemingly no explanation. Their fear forces them to put in security cameras, which begin to capture strange activity around the house.

57% fresh on Rotten Tomatoes.

Currently streaming in the US on Paramount Plus and free with ads on Pluto TV. Also available for digital rental on multiple outlets. JustWatch listing.
posted by DirtyOldTown (3 comments total)
 
Using security cameras to continue the "found footage" motif was pretty clever. The "beat" of the security video was really well done, heightening the tension as the viewer keeps looking for telltale signs of the Activity. (The carousel over the crib was particularly well done.)

And the film continues hinting at something that was established in PA1 and finally nailed down in PA3: the victims of the Activity are pretty well off financially. (In PA1, Micah is supposedly a successful day trader, their house is in Coronado and Katie has a pretty sweet ride for an unemployed student. In PA2, the family is obviously comfortable. And in PA3, there's clearly no way that a guy who videotapes weddings can afford that place.)

I was a bit unhappy with Martine (the housekeeper) becoming the "expert" in how to deal with bad spirits (because, sure, all brown people know about this stuff). It might have been better if Martine had directed the family towards a priest or other local expert.
posted by SPrintF at 4:02 PM on August 21, 2022 [1 favorite]


I suspect that's actually intended as thematic, not racist. My pet theory for the underlying theme of the PA series is that it's about blithe yuppie people who have discarded spirituality who are doomed when faced with demonic evil. I think it's intended as pointed that the white people don't know shit and the brown person has to explain it to them.
posted by DirtyOldTown at 5:13 PM on August 21, 2022


This movie scared me to death.
posted by dianeF at 6:19 PM on August 21, 2022


« Older House of the Dragon: The Heirs...   |  Book: Tacky: Love Letters to t... Newer »

You are not logged in, either login or create an account to post comments

poster