Poltergeist

talisencrw 6/23/2021 3:57:51 PM 8.4

I had huge reservations about watching this remake, which I felt was completely unnecessary. It wasn't as bad as I had anticipated, and that the bad reviews at the time gave me the impression I should fear or avoid watching it. The special effects were pretty good, and Sam Rockwell, Jared Harris and Jane Adams (how wonderful it was to see her again, after her exceptional work in 'Happiness'!) sold the film for me. I knew what to expect after liking, but not loving, director Gil Kenan's earlier animated 'Monster House', but I was intrigued how his energetic directing would transfer to live-action work. I think they could have made it more suspenseful and scary, but I'm not really sure that was their intention. I think they were going for a family experience with some thrills, chills and laughs...such as the recent 'Ghostbusters' remake was going for. If that was the case, then in that regard it was quite successful. I'm looking forward to re-watching this eventually with my 13-year-old son, horror-film aficionado, Julian, who like me adored the original. If I was to make the perfect 'Poltergeist' film, I would have taken the same exact Steven Spielberg script and simply updated the special effects. I think that would have been a more successful approach.

Reno 5/16/2024 3:18:26 PM 8.4

> Would have been a better film if it was an original. Unnecessary to compare this with the original and I tried, but impossible to avoid it since it's an official remake. Everything, from the house to frame by frame, all the scenes looked the same, except the cast and it's set in the present world with the daily life's modern gadgets. If you had not seen the 80s film, then there's a little chance you might like it. Though it was not a serious horror movie, or a scary movie to consider, still quite enjoyable like a dark comedy in parts. But I recommend the old one. Really? Sam Rockwell? He did not fit in the role, just okay though. And the kids, did not impress me as like the original movie. The only upgrade in this new version was the technology, CRT monitors to LED kind of stuffs. I expected a major, at least a bit alteration in the story or the screenplay that sets in a different circumstances and the location. That could have been a lot better. Disappoints for those who loved the first version. However, that movie deserved to be remade, and I did not think it would end like this. Hoping for a better sequel, but I'm already feeling that would end in the hands of the second string cast and crew which could be a cheap horror-thrill. 5/10

r96sk 6/23/2021 3:58:44 PM 8.4

Lame horror. <em>'Poltergeist'</em> offers nothing. It may not be an absolutely awful watch, but there's nothing about this that's good unfortunately. The story is largely predictable and plain, none of the cast give anything close to a performance that's worth remembering. There aren't many, if any, scares either - not great for a film in this genre. As for the onscreen talent, it's slim pickings... not even Jared Harris' late appearance could save things. If I had to pick a standout, away from Harris, it would be Sam Rockwell. The two youngest kids, Kyle Catlett and Kennedi Clements, aren't terrible in fairness. Not one I'll be revisiting. Yawnful.