Poltergeist (2015) (Film Review)

Poltergeist (2015) Well folks, I’ve never been a big Poltergeist fan. I did see the very first one a few times, though, without being too convinced, in my childhood and adolescence. I’ll have to see it again with my adult eyes. And to finally write a review.

I’ve always thought it would have been perfect if Spielberg had directed it and not just been involved as a producer. This film could have been pretty good. Alas, it doesn’t really succeed. Sure, it has a good atmosphere, but it could have been a lot scarier. I don’t know if it’s because we already know the story, but the film isn’t really exciting, it’s rather boring. It clearly doesn’t stand a chance against the first Poltergeist film, even if the special effects are almost perfect.

Well… we understand each other! And all in all, you might wonder why they spent the money on such horror. The original film still had some charm, was more fun, with more likeable actors. This is a far cry from that. Don’t touch it if you loved the original! As with most remakes, especially the bad ones, you could cry foul!

I’m thinking in particular of Fright Night 1 & 2, which weren’t very good at all. Why do they shoot such things? Let’s get on with the story: Poltergeist is a 2015 American supernatural horror film directed by Gil Kenan, written by David Lindsay-Abaire and produced by Sam Raimi. A remake of the 1982 film of the same name, the film stars Sam Rockwell, who is a joy to watch, Rosemarie DeWitt, Jared Harris and Jane Adams.

In the film, all seems well for Eric Bowen (Sam Rockwell), his wife Amy (Rosemarie DeWitt) and their three children as they move into their new home in suburban Illinois. Soon the youngest daughter, Maddy (Kennedi Clements, an excellent little actress), starts talking to an imaginary friend, or so the family thinks. It isn’t long before sinister spirits wreak havoc on the house, holding Maddy captive and forcing the parents to consult a team of parapsychologists who engage the supernatural entities in a battle for the girl’s freedom.

German film composer Marc Streitenfeld is already well known for his collaborations with director Ridley Scott (Alien). Born in Munich, Germany, Streitenfeld moved to Los Angeles as a teenager at the age of 19. He first worked briefly as a musical assistant to composer Hans Zimmer, then independently as an editor and music supervisor on several blockbusters.I wasn’t thrilled to hear that Gil Kenan had directed this film.His Monster House (2006) was one of the worst animated films of its time. On the other hand, I enjoyed his recent Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire (2024), but that’s probably because he was able to play on my nostalgia. And there you have it!

My Rating