Paranormal Activity 2 (2010)

After experiencing what they think are a series of "break-ins", a family sets up security cameras around their home, only to realize that the events unfolding before them are more sinister than they seem.

Director:

Tod Williams

Writers:

Michael R. Perry (screenplay), Christopher Landon (screenplay)

Stars:

Katie Featherston, Micah Sloat, Molly Ephraim

1 win & 2 nominations.

Cast

Complete credited cast:
David Bierend	...	Surveillance Camera Expert
Brian Boland	...	Daniel Rey
Molly Ephraim	...	Ali Rey
Katie Featherston	...	Katie
Seth Ginsberg	...	Brad
Sprague Grayden	...	Kristi Rey
William Juan Prieto	...	Hunter Rey
Jackson Xenia Prieto	...	Hunter Rey
Micah Sloat	...	Micah
Vivis Colombetti	...	Martine (as Vivis)

Storyline

Daniel Rey along with his wife, Kristi; daughter, Ali; toddler son, Hunter, and their dog, move to Carlsbad, California. A few days later their residence is broken into, however, nothing appears to be missing. In order to prevent re-occurrences, they install a number of security cameras that will record everything on a DVR. After they hire a Spanish-speaking nanny to look after Hunter, she informs them that there is something wrong in their house and performs prayers, much to the chagrin of Daniel, who lets her go. He will subsequently regret this decision as more inexplicable and strange incidents occur, with Ali concluding, after a research, that their house may be possessed by a demonic entity.

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Plot Keywords:

no music | supernatural horror | found footage | ends with text | text narration | 

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Taglines:

In 2009 you demanded it. Nothing can prepare you for what's next.

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Genres:

Horror

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for some language and brief violent material

Details

Official Sites:

Official Blog [South Korea] Official Facebook

Country:

USA

Language:

English Spanish

Release Date:

22 October 2010 (USA)

Also Known As:

Actividad paranormal 2

Filming Locations:

Los Angeles, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$3,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$40,678,424, 24 October 2010

Gross USA:

$84,752,907

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$177,512,032

Company Credits

Production Co:

Paramount Pictures, Blumhouse Productions, Solana Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

91 min 98 min (unrated director's cut)

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital DTS SDDS Dolby Surround 7.1

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Brian De Palma, Akiva Goldsman and Kevin Greutert were all considered to direct.

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Goofs

During the first 17 nights or so, you can see two things that never change/move. A white cup in the kitchen in front of the fruit plate and the pillow arrangement on the sofa. Clearly a lot of different night scenes were shot in the same night.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Kristi Rey: Welcome home, Hunter, this is your house. Gonna look out that window. There's your front door.

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Crazy Credits

Sound effects from the film play over the end credits.

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Alternate Versions

There is a three minute long deleted scene where the power goes out and Hunter disappears from the house, but is found crawling outside the house on the street. The family leaves in a hurry for the rest of the night; the final shots of the scene show the house the next morning, unoccupied and in complete disarray. In the kitchen, the pans are still moving.

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Connections

Referenced in Bum Reviews: Paranormal Activity 3 (2011)

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Soundtracks

Rest in Pieces
Performed by Saliva

User Reviews

Could have been SO much better

I love a good horror story, and the premise behind this is a good one- that the sins of the "Father" may be paid for by the "Son." There are strange occurrences in the household, including the house being trashed during a supposed break in. This prompts the installation of video cameras with recorders to record events in and outside of the house. The daughter stumbles across something on the internet suggesting that there may be a demon in the house. This is seconded by the nanny, who senses an evil presence. Sounds like a kind of scary premise, right? Well, that's about it- the premise is never developed. While We learn that the mother and her sister experienced "Disturbances" when they were growing up- we never learn what was the nature of them, only that they do not talk about them. We never learn if there was an ancestor that made a "Deal with the devil," it is brought up and suggested and the movie fleshed out with that premise just accepted. However, it is never explored in any way- and that really makes the plot WEAK.

I know it will seem a cheap shot but I will make it anyway- on the cast listing on IMDD the camera installer man is listed at the top. He gave perhaps the most solid performance of any of the actors and actresses, so perhaps it was meant that way.

Three stars is my rating- a good premise developed with a weak plot and mediocre acting only goes so far. The sad part is that this could have been so good, and so frightening. My gut tells me, like other reviewers have mentioned, that this was a rush job to capitalize on the first movie, and not an attempt at a good, memorable movie- as it is not.