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Paranormal Incident

Name: Paranormal Incident
Director: Matthew Bolton
Released: 2011
Duration: 82 min

Representation Score

5.7/10

Fair

2011

Not Rated

Director

Matthew Bolton

Runtime

82 minutes

Average Rating

No ratings yet

New Showbiz Analysis

Paranormal Incident functions as a conventional found-footage horror film, emphasizing suspense and environmental manipulation over identity-focused storytelling. The narrative centers on the mechanics of survival within a haunted sanitarium without exploring systemic power dynamics or multi-layered identities. The film relies on established genre clichés, leaving the specific demographics of the cast largely undefined. While the setting has historical ties to mental health, the characters do not engage with these themes through a lens of disability or social critique.

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Category Breakdown

Does Paranormal Incident have LGBTQ+ representation?

Fair

The film does not explicitly include LGBTQ+ characters or narratives that challenge traditional heterosexual relationships. It adheres to typical genre conventions without delving into diverse sexual orientations.

How does Paranormal Incident portray gender?

Fair

Six students drive the plot, but the main storyline revolves around a single male survivor. There is no indication that the film challenges traditional gender roles or hierarchies.

How racially and ethnically diverse is Paranormal Incident?

Fair

The racial and ethnic makeup of the student ensemble is not specified, so we cannot determine the diversity of the cast. The film follows a conventional ensemble structure typical of mid-budget horror films.

How does Paranormal Incident represent religion and culture?

Limited

The story is set in a sanitarium but focuses on supernatural elements rather than critiquing Western institutions or cultural norms. It avoids examining the deconstruction of cultural norms.

Does Paranormal Incident include disability representation?

Limited

Despite being set in a sanitarium, the film does not feature characters who have ability to act through disability. Chronic illnesses or neurodivergence do not play a central role in the character arcs.

Present on Screen

The film builds tension and atmosphere using a classic found-footage structure.

Limited or Absent

The narrative lacks depth in addressing multi-layered identities or challenging traditional social hierarchies.
The story misses opportunities to explore the historical or social implications of its sanitarium setting.

Official Synopsis

The infamous Odenbrook Sanitarium closed after a mass suicide occurred within its walls. Sixty years later, six college students armed with cameras and recording equipment venture into the asylum to prove the existence of the paranormal. Thrills turn into nightmares as members of the group go missing without a sound, cell phones mysteriously vanish, corridors turn into mazes, walls appear where doors once stood, flashlights fail and something or someone begins toying with the group. Days later, when five of the six friends turn up missing, the lone survivor must go through the recovered footage in order to clear his name and find out what happened to his friends

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