When “Paranormal Activity” was released last year, and became a cultural phenomenon, I found myself in the minority – believing the film paled in comparison to the 1999 reality-show-like horror film “The Blair Witch Project.”

Now comes “Paranormal Activity 2,” which manages to do something “Blair Witch” couldn’t do – sustain its premise in a second film. This is the rare sequel that proves to not only be better than the original, but actually makes the first film better as well.

“Paranormal Activity 2” is actually more of a prequel, with most of the action taking place in the weeks leading up to the haunting of a California couple, Katie (Katie Featherston) and Micah (Micah Sloat).

We quickly learn that Katie isn’t the only one in her family to experience creepy and unexplainable things – with her sister Kristi (Sprague Grayden) and Kristi’s family trying to figure out some bizarre occurrences in their household.

Everything seems to center on Kristi’s infant son, Hunter, although Kristi’s husband, Daniel (Brian Boland), seems to believe there is a reasonable explanation behind all the bumps in the night and strange noises.

Daniel’s daughter, Ali (Molly Ephraim), is more of a believer, especially when the apparent haunting intensifies.

As things get more menacing, Kristi and her family find themselves in danger – bringing out a dark secret from Kristi and Katie’s past.

Anyone who has seen “Blair Witch,” “Cloverfield” or the first film will be familiar with the formula. Director Tod Williams does a good job of building tension and anticipation, although the film takes a little while to get in gear.

The scares are more genuine here. Anytime a child is in peril, it makes for some uncomfortable moments on screen – and “PA 2” offers plenty of that. It also throws in a dog, just to amp up the tension – with surprisingly positive results.

But the biggest surprise may be the film’s rather clever screenplay. For a film that was rushed into production after the success of the original, the script doesn’t seem slapped together. Instead it is quite focused and concise, providing puzzle pieces that add meaning and clarity to the first film.

I will admit that the film does have some, “Get on with it moments,” and like the recent release “The Last Exorcism,” the ending feels a little rushed. But those are small quibbles for a movie that manages to deliver what it promises, enough scares to entertain even the most fickle horror fans.

DVD dandy of the week

This week’s dandy is “The Girl Who Played With Fire” (B), the second part the trilogy of popular novels by Stieg Larsson. Like part one, “The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo,” this is a compelling and complex thriller – although a tick below “Tattoo.”

“Fire” picks up with computer hacker Lisabeth Salander (Noomi Rapace) accused of murdering a journalist who was working on a story about sex trafficking. Lisabeth sets out to clear her name, getting help from Millennium magazine publisher Mikael Blomkvist (Michael Nyqvist). As the duo get closer to finding the person behind the murders, they also start to uncover dark secrets in Lisabeth’s past.

“Fire” doesn’t quite have the depth and arc of the first film, but there is still a lot going on – with some deeper issues being explored throughout the film. The centerpiece mystery isn’t quite as complete as “Dragon Tattoo” either, but it is still a step above most American thrillers.

Rapace continues to impress as Lisabeth. It was recently announced that Rooney Mara from “The Social Network” will play Salander in the American remakes of this trilogy. Mara will have a tough act to follow, with Rapace bringing to life Larsson’s well-drawn heroine.

Fans of the books and the first film will once again be satisfied with this adaptation, which sets up a highly anticipated final act, “The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet’s Nest” (which is scheduled to open in Nashville next month).

“The Girl Who Played With Fire” is rated R for brutal violence, including a rape, some strong sexual content, nudity and language, and is now available on DVD.

— To get sportswriter/movie reviewer Micheal Compton’s up-to-the minute thoughts on all things movies, visit his blog at mcompton.wordpress.com or his Twitter page at twitter.com/mcompton428. You can also e-mail him at mcompton@bgdailynews.com.