30 Nights of Paranormal Activity with the Devil Inside the Girl with the Dragon Tattoo is Both Hit and Miss: A Movie Review

*full disclosure: a DVD screener of this film was provided by 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment.

Director/writer: Craig Moss.

Cast: Kathryn Fiore, Flip Schultz, Olivia Alexander, Arturo del Puerto, Danny Woodburn, French Stewart, Peter Gilroy, Tyler Phillips, Stephen Kramer Glickman, and Rebecca Ann Johnson.

30 Nights of Paranormal Activity with the Devil Inside the Girl with the Dragon Tattoo is a long title. This title will also clue readers into the genre of the film. This is a spoof, that points fun at films such as Paranormal Actvity, The Dark Knight Rises, Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter, the Resident Evil films and many others. 30 Nights... is fairly plotless, but there are a few comedic tidbits to be found here.

The story is very simple. A small family moves into a new home that is haunted. The Galen clan installs security cameras to find out what is going on. From here on out, 30 Nights... gels together skit after skit in one central setting.

Meet two idiots

The skits are based on spoofing many other films. This title mostly nods to the Paranormal Activity series of films. Night cameras film unusual going-ons late into the evening. The husband, Aaron (Flip Schultz), has his face markered with the word "pussy," by a ghost. So, there is a bit of a twist on the original film. As well, Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter is given attention. Abe (Ben Morrison) is in this movie as a paramour for the young daughter. He swings his axe, while dispatching characters from the "Ghost Hunters" television series. Finally, the Resident Evil series of films are spoofed in several scenes. Alice (Kimberly Leemans) disrobes for a girl on girl on girl scene. Aaron later talks constantly of the Umbrella Corporation. All of this madness creates for some hit and miss comedy.

This reviewer found himself laughing at some of the skits. It is hard not to chuckle at a grown man parading around as a ballerina (a spoof of Darren Aronofsky's Black Swan). The humour comes across as childish, often. For instance, the wife, Dana (Kathryn Fiore), utilizes a bed sheet to Dutch Oven Aaron. Fart jokes seem the order of the day. Other jokes are still amusing. The Ghost Brothers are so ridiculous and idiotic that it is hard not to laugh at their slapstick humour. There are a few chuckles to be had here.

With the unfortunate lack of plot, 30 Nights... is just an average film. If the comedy was more consistent, then this title would be an easy recommend. However, the film seems to be going in too many directions. There is only one consistency. All of the action takes place in one setting, the haunted house. Characters are coming and going, while the jokes fly all over the place. Overall, 30 Nights... is light entertainment, which is often very base.

30 Nights... is a mixed bag of comedy and horror characters. Fans of spoofs might find something worthwhile here. But, the laughs, generally, come from simple silliness. Lighthearted and often improvised, 30 Nights... is meant as a fun time. And, the film often serves up a few chuckles and a few odd jokes in its short eighty minute runtime.

Overall: 6 out of 10 (lacking plot, lots of characters, lots of skits, several jokes in one scene, good acting).

*released on DVD and Blu-Ray January 15th.

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