Movie review: Poltergeist

There's a whole cupboard full of clowns in the remake of Poltergeist.

Fans of the original 1982 Poltergeist would have been relieved to learn horror aficionados Sam Rami (The Evil Dead series and the 2002 Spider-Man reboot), and Gil Kenan (Monster House) were behind this modern take on their beloved, classic horror.

Poltergeist 2015 is a faithful tribute, produced with an eye to introducing the Steven Spielberg-produced original - and the phrase "they're here" - to a new audience.

Everything you remember about Poltergeist returns, from the demon tree and the creepy clown to the television static and the cupboard portal to another world. But they are in exaggerated form - instead of one clown doll there's a cupboard-full, and it's not only a television set that picks up paranormal activity but any number of cellphones and iPads.

Actors Sam Rockwell and Rosemarie DeWitt are the parents of a family taken over by a "mob of spirits", and they anchor the story with some normality.

Rockwell in particular, as a recently laid-off dad struggling to save his youngest daughter who's been sucked into another realm by a supernatural force, does a very good job of conveying sensitivity and emotion - as opposed to just blind terror.

The kids are also impressive in the way they handle things.

But the film doesn't quite live up to the original when it comes to the paranormal experts who bring the missing Madison (Clements) back to the real world.

Watch the trailer for Poltergeist here:

Academics come to help the Bowen family, but the spiritual medium they bring in is reality television star Carrigan Burke (Jared Harris), who doesn't have the gravitas Zelda Rubinstein's character did first time around.

That's not to say Poltergeist isn't without its creepy, make-you-jump moments, thanks in no small part to the sound track and some freaky CGI effects. I saw a 2D screening which was quite enough thank you, although undoubtedly some of the thrills would have been more effective in 3D.

In a recent article on the Collider website, Sam Rockwell was quoted as saying, "it's more of a kids' movie".

The late Heather O'Rourke in the 1982 original.

I assume he meant teenagers, and if that's the case I think he's right. It's not a fresh re-telling that takes the story to a new level, but there's enough here that's unnerving to keep horror lovers happy. If you watch this film at night, it should be a brisk walk through the carpark afterwards.

Cast: Sam Rockwell, Rosemarie DeWitt, Kennedi Clements
Director: Gil Kenan
Running Time: 94 mins
Rating: M (Supernatural themes, frightening scenes)
Verdict: A good thrill, but it doesn't surpass the original

- TimeOut