'Paranormal Evil' drew me into seeing it, with a cool poster/cover, an intriguing if not particularly original premise and as someone with a general appreciation for horror. That it was low-budget, which from frequent personal experience is rarely a good sign due to that there are so many poor ones out there, made me though apprehensive as well as the low rating and poor reviews.

It is sadly however yet another film seen recently, hence some reiteration because the exact same strengths and flaws those films have are present here, that to me was incredibly disappointing considering its potential which it doesn't do anywhere near enough with. 'Paranormal Evil' is terrible, with a plethora of problems (huge ones too) and doesn't do enough with its potential, which was hardly small. There is next to nothing to recommend.

Lets start with the sole positive. The scenery is atmospheric and spooky.

Unfortunately, the scenery is not done justice by the rather direct to video schlocky way it's shot and edited and the drab colour palette, so much so it was hard to appreciate it, it was very clear that the film was made in a rush with no care or enthusiasm. In particular, the camera work was a nauseous assault on the eyes with its excessive amateurish-ness.

Going on further to the negatives, the story does feel paper thin, disjointed and over-stretched and some of it feels vague, under-explained in the last third where the film especially became duller, more predictable, more senseless and less scary. Too many characters are too sketchy and with nowhere near enough to make one want to endear to them. Their annoying and illogical decision making and behaviours frustrates.

Making the film feel bland and forgettable with not enough heart put into it. The effects are ropy at best, the sound quality is obvious and utilised cheaply (being too loud in the build ups and people's reactions) and it's best not mentioning the uniformly lumbering and histrionic acting that shows a huge indifference to the situation and what is going on.

Dialogue can be stilted and rambling, with lots of clichés and no depth whatsoever, while the pace goes to a standstill very quickly and drags on forever with very little going on worth caring about and useless padding, never recovering. Found too many the supposedly shocking moments not surprising or scary and the supposedly creepy atmosphere dreary, due to the excessive obviousness, a lot of dumb and vague moments and explanations and the lack of tension and suspense. Would not have minded the lack of originality (the film is extremely derivative and in a dumbed and watered down way) if the story and atmosphere were at least alright in execution, in reality they were both very poorly done.

A lot of 'Paranormal Evil' has underdeveloped plot elements and often nonsensical and confusing character motivations, while too many of the things to make you jump or shocked are far from creative or scary and are pretty tame. The ending makes the film finish on an incomplete and confused whimper.

There is not enough threat, and what there is of it tends to be used poorly, it is completely unimaginative and more odd than creepy, completely failing to show any sense of horror or creativity. Everything here is neither creative, suspenseful or nail-biting. Some badly sagging momentum too. The direction is leaden and like their heart was not in it or ill at ease, with the chemistry between the characters and actors coming over as constantly random and aggressive with the subtlety of an axe.

Overall, awful with no redeeming value apart from an element that is difficult to appreciate with it being complemented so badly. 1/10 Bethany Cox

*WARNING: SPOILERS IN THIS REVIEW*

I gave this movie one star because it was not possible to give it a lesser rating than that. The basic premise isn't the worst that I've ever seen, but everything else about this film was awful. None of the characters are even remotely likeable, or believable.

The main character, Alexis, inherits a house from her mother, and this happens to be the same house that her mother and little brother were murdered in. At the time that she is informed of this inheritance, Alexis is living with her kinfly Aunt Pat. Aunt Pat is the sister to Alexis's stepfather, Dorian. Dorian is in an asylum for the criminally insane, ostensibly for killing Alexis's mother and little brother.

Alexis decides that it is only right to visit Dorian in the asylum, to give him some money from her inheritance. Alexis takes her boyfriend, Paul, with her. Alexis tries to engage Dorian in meaningful conversation, which faisf. Dorian ends up attacking Alexis and tried to dtrangle her to death. Of course, he fails.

Alexis goes on to move into the house that she inherited, with the help of Paul, Kira, her best friend, and Ray, Kira's boyfriend. The gang decides to play hide ''n' seek, during which time Ray puts the moves on Alexis. She rebuffs his advances, and he skills off sulking. Alexis is then frightened by a presence in the basrbase. When questioned by Kira, Alexis says that she was frightened by a mouse. Kira is skeptical of Alexis's story, but doesn't push the matter.

Over the course of the movie, Paul and Alexis have sex, during which she bites him hard enough to draw blood. Pail freaks out and they stop fooling around. At this point, I should advise you that Alexis, Paul, Kira, and Ray all have the moral integrity and fiber of a nymphomaniacal 25 cent hooker. Alexis, you see, is troubled by visions, and when Paul can't handle her mood swigss, he bangs Kira. Kira tells Paul that she is dumping Ray because she wants to be with him. Paul tells Kira that he plans on marrying Alexis.

Kira moves in with Alexis, and witnesses Alexis's increasingly erratic behavior. Paul makes several visits, to check on Alexis. Kira also tried to patch things up with Ray, whom she had dumped in the hope of getting with Paul. Shortly after speaking with Ray, and telling him how much she wants to see him again, she bangs Paul. Ray comes to the house, and Alexis puts the moves on him, telling him that she knows that Paul and Kira are bumping uglies. Ray, who has been a lecherous creep for most of the movie, is now suddenly morally upright and virtuous; he rebuffs Alexis rather vehemently.

Ray then storms out of the house, spitting and cursing like he'd just French kissed a leper. He then goes and sits on a bench in the backyard to have a cigarette and calm down. In the house, Alexis gets call from her Aunt Pat. Pat tells her that Dorian managed to escape from the asylum, and that he is coming after Alexis.

Back outside, Ray is murdered by someone not shown on-screen. In the house, everyone is freaking out about Dorian's escape. Paul goes outside to get Ray, and finds him dead, with his throat cut from ear to ear. He freaks out and goes back inside to get Kira and Alexis, and then leave before Dorian gets there. Kira finds out that Ray has been killed, and she collapses like she's just lost the love of her life. Mind you, she was banging Paul like drum major in a marching band earlier that same night. Paul please with Kira, telling her that they need to go, but she refuses to leave Ray behind.

Paul and Kira carry Ray's body into the house, and Kira stays with Ray.. even though he's dead and there appears to be a killer on the loose... while Paul goes to find Alexis.

Alexis has been having visions this entire time, and while stumbling around the house, she finds Paul's body; he's been murdered. Cut to Dorian showing up at the house; he is next to Kira's body; she is now dead, too.

Dorian finds Alexis and they struggle, but she ends up stabbing him to death. The authorities arrive, and the sole survivor, Alexis, is rescued. The movie cuts to a year later, and Alexis is living with Aunt Pat again. Aunt Pat finds an old letter behind a photograph of a young Alexis. Reading the letter, Pat discovers that it's from her former sister-in-law, Alexis's mother. Dorian was not the murderer. Alexis was. Alexis drowned her little brother, but Alexis's mother didn't tell anyone, because she knew that no one would believe her. She goes on to warn, in this letter, that Alexis is evil, but it would be futile to warn anyone because they wouldn't believe her, either. Alexis then shows up snd asks dear Aunt Pat what she's doing.... and fade to Black. The movie ends.

Bad acting. Bad story. And three names under which this film is known won't make it good. The utter boredoom. Its posters are literally like Don't judge the film by its poster, which was the well-done posters for a bad-done film.