It may not be particularly original in terms of content or style, but Oren Peli's decisively no-budget horror creates a surprisingly effective sense of dread. Presented as "found footage" (à la Cloverfield and The Blair Witch Project), it concerns a young couple who suspect that their new home is haunted by a malevolent entity. They set up video surveillance to capture evidence of what happens as they sleep at night. What follows plays to the most basic primal fears of darkness and the unknown, from low-key noises and ghostly scares to increasingly unpredictable and ominous occurrences that weave a shuddery spell over Peli's supernatural chiller. As the sinister events take control of the couple's lives, freaky violence leads to a truly gut-wrenching conclusion. Minimal special effects and the absence of a musical soundtrack create a heightened sense of reality, which complements the almost surreal normality the actors bring to the eerie tension.

After a young, middle-class couple moves into what seems like a typical suburban house, they become increasingly disturbed by a presence that may or may not be demonic but is certainly the most active in the middle of the night.