Paranormal Activity 2: Scary. Yes, it's actually scary.

Dan and Kristi have just welcomed a new baby boy named Hunter into their house. Along with Ali, Dan’s daughter from a previous marriage, and their dog Abby, everything seems wonderful. But when unexplained events start happening in the household, the family must deal with the supernatural forces that are vexing them.

When people hear, “horror film sequel,” they no doubt have visions of Friday the 13th Part 8 or Nightmare on Elm Street Part 5, films that have iconic characters as their villains, but lack in storytelling or even continuity story - wise. In fact, horror sequels such as the ones previously mentioned seem to only be concerned with reusing the same plot devices and storylines (sprinkled with excessive gore and nudity of course). That is why Paranormal Activity 2 was something of a surprise for it was a horror film sequel that not only acknowledged the first Paranormal Activity, but surpassed its predecessor in both scares and story. From the start, director Tod Williams was able to keep the audience both on the edge of their seat and squirming with uneasiness while on that edge for he slowly built the tension in the beginning of the film via subtle knocks and bumps that the family laughed away at first. As the film (whose story cleverly tied to the first in an unexpected surprise) unfurled, the thrills and scares intensified, culminating in an ending that was both startling and disturbing. Another welcome change to this sequel was the lack of gore and blood used to evoke the scares. Williams used those creepy sounds and subtle incidents to make the audience’s imagination fill in the horrifying blanks of what was happening to the family.

You want scary, pick up Paranormal Activity 2. But you might want to think twice before watching it alone.

Grade: B