The original Paranormal Activity was my favorite movie of 2009.

Why?

It was the most fun I had in a theater last year.  Plain and simple.

Click here for my review.

My hopes were high that the sequel wouldn’t be a complete dud.  It didn’t have to be better, I just didn’t want it to be stupid.

I went into the theater with an open mind.  I was so excited.

Then a group of 14 year old punks entered the room laughing loudly and basically being idiots.

You guessed it.  A movie lovers worst nightmare.

They sat down one row behind us…

Why?  WHY?

I always get nervous when people talk during the trailers.

Will they shut up?

I hope they aren’t jerks.

Why won’t they just shut up?

They didn’t stop.  The movie started and they kept chatting away completely oblivious to the people sitting around them.

Yes, I get it…  It is filmed just like the first movie.  Fantastic observation losers!

How can people be so inconsiderate?  I’m a little more forgiving if their stupid comments are somewhat funny but these morons were not funny.  That…  Is unforgivable.

People kept blatantly staring at them.  Practically begging them to stop talking.  Tension was high and no one around us was enjoying the movie.

Then it happened…History was made…

“Shut up!!!!!!!!”

That’s right I said it!

You hear that sound?  That’s the sound of applause!

Okay, no one actually clapped but they wanted to and more importantly, the losers listened!

It gave me a sense of pride knowing I intimidated them.

I smiled and returned to the movie…  Or at least I tried.

Paranormal Activity 2

If you loved the first film, you will definitely love the second. It’s definitely a worthy sequel to one of the scariest movies I’ve ever seen in theaters.

On the other hand, if you hated the original, the second probably isn’t for you either.

The movie doesn’t reinvent the format by any stretch.  It’s basically another hour and a half of handheld insanity but that’s exactly what I signed up for.

Again, I found myself jumping with my eyes wide open while smiling ear to ear.

But…

Something was different this time around.  I wasn’t having as much fun as I did one year ago.

It was the audience.  They shifted at the wrong moments and laughed during some of the bigger scares.  A lady nearby was texting constantly.

Dear Text Lady: Covering the screen of your phone slightly doesn’t mean we can’t see it!  It’s still glowing!

Two guys in the front row were literally pointing out everything on the screen that referenced the first film.  Something would start moving and these two would point at the screen and discuss it.

“That thing is moving!”

“I know!  Thanks for pointing though because I almost missed it!”

“I’m just paying you back for the time you pointed earlier.  This movie is awesome!”

“It really is.  Hey we should ask my mom if we can have a pop tonight with our sugarless candy!”

“No way, you know how mad she got the last time!”

“I’m asking!”

“Oh man, I can’t wait to see the look on her face!  Best weekend ever!!!!!”

It’s distracting and I’m sorry to say it completely ruined the experience for me.

The movie has a fantastic story that ties in well to the first, the scares were more intense without being over done and I even laughed out loud a few times.  You can’t ask for much more than that.

Oh wait…  You can ask for an audience that respects the fact that I paid 10 bucks to see it.

PA 2 was a perfect way to follow up the first.

Yet the crowd in our theater killed the effect for me.  Movies like Paranormal Activity depend on crowds to sell the illusion.

Having an idiot yell:

“That looks fake!”

During the final few moments of the movie DOESN’T sell the illusion.

However, the fact that I still loved the sequel says something about the effort the filmmakers put into the story.  This didn’t feel like a studio cash grab.  It was a sequel I’m happy they made.

Paranormal Activity was an 8.6 out of 10.

I’d give the sequel an 8.5.  Not too bad except it becomes a 6 or 7 thanks to some inconsiderate jerks.

Thanks everyone.

PS: We saw the same punks outside the theater and my girlfriend fired off an awesome burn.  Nice one hunny!

PS #2: I looked back and caught them smiling about it and they stopped.

“Yeah, that’s what I thought… Shut up!”

PS #3: I’m not actually intimidating…  It’s a sad truth I faced long ago…