With how big of a hit the first "Paranormal Activity" was," a sequel was greenlit and put into production almost immediately. This resulted in "Paranormal Activity 2," made for a $3 million budget and released in late 2010 to another impressive Halloween season box office gross.
In this sequel, which is actually a prequel, we meet Katie's sister, Kristi, and the rest of her family. This includes her husband, Daniel (Brian Boland), his daughter, Ali (Molly Ephraim), and their infant child, Hunter, as well as their housekeeper, a Latina woman named Martine (Vivis Colombetti). After what is suspected to be a home invasion, the family invests in a full setup of security cameras inside and outside of their house. What then ensues is night upon night of doors slamming, kitchenware flying everywhere, and pool equipment malfunctioning. Add to that the realization that this entity is after Hunter, and it definitely raises the stakes in a big bad way.
The sequel also does a good job of teasing details of Katie and Kristi's childhood, saving the major elaborations for the third film. Also, with the addition of more cameras, it gives the film the chance to try different setups and scares, expanding beyond the first film's limited scope. While not quite as terrifying as the first film, "Paranormal Activity 2" still delivers on more of the same tense, low-key atmosphere.
