About.com Rating

When Paranormal Activity became a breakthrough hit in late 2009, it came as no surprise when plans for a sequel were announced. However, the swiftness with which it arrived -- only a year after the original -- raised a few eyebrows. Even more surprising, though, might be the fact that Paranormal Activity 2 doesn't feel like a rushed sequel trying to ride the gravy train. It's a natural expansion of the storyline that may very well be superior to the first film.

The Plot

Daniel (Brian Boland) and Kristi (Sprague Grayden) live a lush life in Carlsbad, California with their one-year-old son Hunter and Daniel's teenage daughter Ali (Molly Ephraim), but their sense of security is shattered one day when they return home find the place ransacked. Nothing is missing (making the incident all the more unnerving), but Daniel decides to install several cameras inside and outside to house to make sure nothing like that happens again.

What the cameras capture, however, is more sinister than anyone assumed. Objects move by themselves, doors open and close, Hunter and the family's German Shepherd Ally stare at and react to seemingly nothing. Ali does some research and becomes convinced there's a demon in the house. Kristi is prone to agree, but she thinks that the less energy they spend on the entity, the less it will bother them. Daniel, ever dubious, thinks that he's the only sane one in the house -- including their superstitious maid. But as the days pass and the paranormal incidents mount -- particularly those focused on the baby's room -- no one can afford to be a non-believer.

The End Result

Paranormal Activity 2 is one of those rare movie sequels that, if it doesn't outdo the original, is at least its equal. It's very much an extension of the first film -- both a prequel and a sequel -- utilizing the same static, downward-angled security camera footage that helped make the original seem to real. Each scene is like a game of Supernatural Where's Waldo, training viewers' eyes to scan the shot for "paranormal activity." The slightest hint of movement feeds the movie's paranoid energy. Sure, it's a bit of a gimmick, but for the first two films at least, it works.

Because the sequel is so similar, all of the things that made Paranormal Activity successful work here as well: the acting is effectively natural, there's real-world humor to break up the tension and in the end, it's just darn scary. This time around, though, there's added depth to the story because there are more characters and because it builds on the back story already established from the first film. What seems initially like an unrelated story ends up giving us tantalizing details on the events preceding and following the tragedy involving Micah and Katie, generating a intriguing mystery behind the haunting. (Don't worry; there are still plenty of unanswered questions for the inevitable Paranormal Activity 3.)

On the other hand, because it's a sequel, there's less of a sense of surprise in Paranormal Activity 2. And putting a toddler and a dog in harm's way is as manipulative as it is effective. That said, the over-the-top ending that seemed to out of place in the in the original is more expected and palatable this time around. The format will become stale at some point (probably halfway through Part 3), but for now, Paranormal Activity 2 is a pulse-pounding spookfest that dares you to sleep with both eyes closed.

The Skinny

• Acting: B (Believable emotion and natural ad libbed feel.)
• Direction: B- (I don't really know what it means to "direct" a movie with a bunch of static camera shots, but Kip Williams does it effectively.)
• Script: B (Ties in nicely with the first movie, while still leaving certain elements a mystery.)
• Gore/Effects: B- (Modest effects with clever digital manipuation.)
• Overall: B (As frightening as the original, if not as surprising.)

Paranormal Activity 2 is directed by Kip Williams and is rated R by the MPAA for some language and brief violent material. Release date: October 22, 2010.