‘Blair Witch’ of this decade it is not

Unlike “The Blair Witch Project,” which captured the claustrophobia of panicked behavior under the guise of being “real,” “Paranormal Activity” fails to live up to the sensational hype we have been hearing all month.

With no opening or closing credits, the movie succeeds at seeming “real,” but its standard ghost story plot, mediocre acting and slow development keep it from ever really taking off in the way that it should.

Because the scariest parts of the movie can be seen in the film’s trailer, we are left with minimal scenes to shriek at, most of which cause a slight unease or nervousness at most.

“Paranormal Activity” leaves recent cheesy slasher remakes like “Prom Night” or “Friday the 13th” in the dust but still fails to truly terrify.