You must REALLY have a weak stomach as for a good 60% of the movie the camera is stationary on a tripod, and, when it DOES move, Micah (the guy controlling the camera most of the time) is careful to hold picture steady.  Maybe 5% - 10% of the time the camera is moving, if that.

More to the point, why write a review of Paranormal Activity and ONLY talk about your motion sickness?  Instead of taking advantage of an opportunity to review what one of the most unique and scary movies to be released in years, you discussed your own peccadillos.

Sure some people are hyper-sensitive to camera movement, but this movie is nowhere near the level of other similar movies such as Blair Witch (which was bad for many) or Cloverfield.  It is disingenuous of you to give your readers the impression that this movie will give you motion sickness when in point of fact there is very little of the ‘shaky cam’ effect but plenty to make you shaky in your seat.

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Well - the point of my particular post was to write something that may not be covered elsewhere. As I learned with my Cloverfield post, I wasn’t the only person who shared my motion sickness experience.

And speaking as someone who has experienced the problem—it just doesn’t go away. Once it kicks in, it doesn’t end quickly. So the shakiness doesn’t appear to stop, even if it does seem subtle to those who are immune to it. So I disagree with you when you say that Micah held the camera fairly steady. It doesn’t appear that way to those already feeling sick.

This post wasn’t meant to start an argument nor was it - like I said in the beginning - meant to serve as a review, it was simply to relay my experience. Ironically, my hope is that people will be more prepared so that they CAN see the movie. Not regret they did.

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The camera was handheld and moving (bouncing, spinning, etc.) for WAY more than 5-10% of the movie.  The motion sickness problem is VERY real in this movie, it was worse than the Blair Witch Project.  The guy ran up and down the stairs with that friggin’ camera a dozen times!  A woman in my row actually got up and ran out of the theater to go hurl and never came back!  Do NOT see this movie if you get motion sickness; in fact I do not get seasick or ill on rollercoasters ever, but I sure did in this movie.  I agree with Veronica, take some Dramamine with you!
As to the fear factor, some parts were scary but most was so unrealistic (they didn’t even think of calling TAPS after the expert psychic ghost hunter ran away??)  If anyone had things happening in their home like these two did, they would get some help from SOMEONE,  family members, priest, whatever.  And for pete’s sake, at least close the bedroom door if there is a demon loose in the house!!

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thanks for the warning veronica, it was exactly what i was looking for while deciding whether to watch the movie. if i do i will definitely take the pills lol

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Blair Witch on video got me motion sick, but I could stop it until I felt better.  I spend most of Colverfield with my eyes shut after the first 45 minutes.  I too thought Paranormal Activity would be mostly stationary.  Just when it got good, I had to run from the theater and hurl.  Once that episode passed I was able to re-enter and make it through to the end (glad I did, it was a good ending).  I like to sit middle/middle but next time I see a hand held camera feature, I may try sitting in the back.  If you have moderate to extreme motion sickness, this film will get to you.  Problem is, it’s good film and a good scare.  Worth seeing in a packed theater.  Sit in the end, near the exit.  While the film is scary, I think people are leaving because it’s making them ill to watch.

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I got REALLY sick too.  I actually had to leave the movie because I almost threw up.  THe parts when the camera did move I had to close my eyes because my stomach was so sick.

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I completely agree with her, I’m keeping a running list of movies that make me nauseous in theater. Star Trek was the first one that I can remember then I had to leave District 9 because I couldn’t take it. I searched for this on a whim because I was planning on going to see this tomorrow night now I know to take some Dramamine with me so I can actually enjoy the movie. Thanks

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I had the exact same reaction! And I’m convinced it’s not only the camera’s movement, but the speed of the film made it “flicker” differently from traditional movie film—I kept my eyes closed and finally had to go and lie down on a bench in the theater lobby.

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I’ve never really had a problem with motion sickness, I love rollercoasters, etc. About 39 minutes into the movie, I started feeling nauseous, and before I knew it, both of us were running to the restroom. I threw up 6 times, and went home with my head spinning .Too bad, I wanted to see the rest of it.

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I completely agree!  We just saw Paranormal Activity and it induced big time motion sickness.  The camera was indeed jerky and poorly controlled for way more than 5-10% of the movie.  We watched Cloverfield at the same theatre and it was no where near as bad in regards to causing nausea.  From what I heard as I sat there with head down it seemed to be a decent movie.  My wife confirmed that she thought it was a decent movie.

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Omg I have never been so freakin scared in my life only it was definitly not the dumb movie i thought I was pregnant or something I went to see it with a friend and had to run out so I could vomit my in and out meal plus my nose started to bleed it was gross and I would never try this again ugh I should have asked for our money back they should have a warning!!!!! So angry

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OMG - WAY more than 5% - 10% was MOVING, moving, moving, round and around and around up and down the stairs, swing to the left and swing to the right…please pass the barf bag - QUICK!!!  I so wanted to stay for the rest of the movie. Heck the last thing I saw was the girl sleep standing then sitting in a swing outside in the middle of the night - bummer. I heard it was the scariest movie - ever! I only wish I would have known it was going to make me motion sick - I could have taken something before.

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Ugh, me too.  Sick enough to make me google “paranormal activity motion sickness”...I started feeling extremely sick a few minutes into the movie and spent much of it with my face covered up with my jacket, not because of fear but just to try to settle my stomach.  The last 5 minutes were good, but the moving doors and swinging chandeliers weren’t much of a buildup to me.  what a freaking waste of an afternoon.

Craig D, you miss the point entirely.  There are plenty of blogs to discuss how supposedly scary, unique, etc. PA is.  The point is the (more like 50%) ridiculously shaky movement can indeed induce nausea, which may be a unique experience in itself to some moviegoers.

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I went to see PA last night and I was unable to enjoy this movie due to the poor recording of the film. (Not to mention Mach’s inability to control his camcorder as well.) By the time we got to the chandler sceen, I was thru. My stomache was upset, my head was hurting, and I knew I had to get out of there before it became an ugly sight. When I agreed to go with a friend, I had no clue what the movie was about. (Personally,  I’ve learned in the past that watching home videos make me sick.) So when a friend asked me to come with, I was trying to be a good sport. All I will say I will never again I go into a movie theater cluelss….

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I really feel ratings should reflect these type of movies. VMC (vomit movie cam?)  I’m a flight attendant and can tolerate a lot of motion that would make most people barf!  However, this movie and Blair Witch had me running out of the theatre in 5 minutes.  I purposely didn’t see Cloverleaf because of the strong warnings from people it induced vomiting.  I was very disappointed not being able to see the movie because for once it was set in my hometown of San Diego.  It’s so rare my city is in movies.  I also like a good scare but i guess I’ll have to read about what happened.  I felt horrible for the rest of the day are watching only 5 minutes. They usher was nice enough to recommend another movie that started a few minutes after PA.

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Sorry about my grammar and spelling errors.  I started feeling sick just writing about this movie.

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i had not idea it was a home camera film when i went for the show, only heard it was scary as hell.

as soon as the show started, i had a bad feeling. few minutes into the show, i had to close my eyes with my head down for most of the film , only opening my eyes when the camera was on the tripod. damn the motion sickness!

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It was horrible! My boyfriend and i decided to have dinner before the movies… (thank God it was soup and salad!) Within a few minutes i started to feel sick, but i didn’t realize why. After the first night i had to look down, after the fifth night i had to get out of there or the ghost would of come out of my stomach! 

I was very disappointed i didn’t get to see the rest. Worse part, people thing you’re leaving because you’re scared.

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OMG! I wish I had read Veronica’s post about Paranormal Activity before I went to see it this past Saturday night. A few minutes after the movie started, this extremely nauseous feeling came over me. My body got very hot and I thought I was going to lose my dinner. (I remember feeling the exact same way when I went to see the movie Quarantine). I didn’t understand it, though. I thought maybe the scary scenes were making my blood pressure shoot up. However, when I got home I researched the internet and discovered that these movies used the “shaky cam”, POV-style of cinematography that sometimes evokes nausea in viewers. That was so fascinating to me! I had never heard that before. As for my nausea, it was 3 a.m. that night and I was still feeling the effects of Paranormal Activity in my stomach. It was a great movie, though! VERY disturbing.

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I had the same worst experience and I wrote about it here: http://www.bonigala.com/paranormal-activity-movie-bad-for-motion-sickness

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I agree for the few people like my selfe it is very real. When I went to see Paranormal activity I had to run out and get some candy. Though most of the movie is stationary there is enough movement at times to get the motion sickness ball rolling. the effects last longer than the actual movement in the movie.

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