I can remember back when I was a kid sitting and watching the original Poltergeist movie on HBO at Halloween. I remember being so scared that I couldn’t sleep with the light off in my room for days. It scared my friends so bad that they wouldn’t even walk home by themselves, they got my mom to walk with them. Of course, I stood on the porch the whole time, watching, too scared to stay in the house by myself. Yes, to me it was that scary. So, you could imagine my excitement when they released a reboot of the movie this year. I had to go check it out.

Poltergeist Movie Review {2015}

The Cast:
The new Poltergeist stars Sam Rockwell as Eric Bowen, an unemployed factory worker whose family is forced to move into a new home because they simply can’t afford the one they have been living in. Rosemarie DeWitt plays his wife, Amy, a struggling young mother who quit her job to become a writer. Saxon Sharbino plays their oldest daughter, Kendra, Kyle Catlett plays their only son, Griffin, and Kennedi Clements plays their youngest daughter, Madison (or Maddy). Poltergeist also features Jared Harris as Carrigan Burke, a spiritualist with the ability to “cleanse” houses of unclean spirits, or so he claims. Jane Adams plays Dr. Brooke Powell, the leader of a team of paranormal researchers that are called in to help the Burke family. Also on this team are Sophie (played by Susan Heyward) and Boyd (played by Nicholas Braun).

The Plot:
If you have seen the original Poltergeist, then you know the story line already. However, for those of you haven’t seen the original, here’s the plot: Poltergeist begins with the Bowen family looking at a new home. The father, Eric, was recently laid off and the mother, Amy, has quit her job to start writing, so how they can afford a new home is beyond me. Anyway, they find a home that suits them in a modest suburban development. The home seems nice enough, however, the realtor that sells them the home neglects to tell them that the home is built on the site of an old cemetery. Supposedly, the graves were moved to a new spot down the road, but the Bowens will soon find out differently.

Almost immediately, their youngest daughter, Madison, starts talking to unseen people that she claims are real. Their son, Griffin, says that there is something wrong with the house and refuses to sleep in his attic bedroom. Soon electronic equipment starts to short out and strange noises are heard from the walls. Griffin awakens one night to see Madison up close to the TV screen, talking to… something. Until then, the mom and dad refuse to believe there is anything wrong with the house, and go about their daily lives.

*Minor Spoilers*
One night, when the kids are left alone in the house in the care of the oldest daughter, Kendra, things take a turn for the worst. Griffin is dragged out of the house by a tree, Kendra is attacked in the garage, and Madison disappears. When Eric and Amy return home, they see Griffin stuck in the tree upside down and Kendra tells them she can’t find Madison. The very next day, the Bowens contact the Paranormal Research Institute, led by Dr. Brooke Powell, to help them find their baby girl. Along with her assistants, Sophie and Boyd, they discover that Madison is trapped inside the house but in another dimension. To get her out, they need more help. So, they call in Carrigan Burke, the host of a paranormal television show and a self-proclaimed psychic who can remove ghosts and spirits from a home. Burke immediately establishes a “life line” into the closet where Madison has supposedly disappeared and begins to work out a plan to free her. Of course, the spirits aren’t going to let her go peacefully.

My Thoughts

I felt that the movie was worth the price of admission. It had some scary parts that will definitely make you jump. The acting was kind of hit-or-miss. I really thought that the two younger kids, played by Kennedi Clements and Kyle Catlett, gave the best performances. I felt that Sam Rockwell did an awful job. He lacked emotion, and the times that he did show any emotion, you could tell that it was obviously coached. Rosemarie DeWitt was okay as Amy, but not overwhelmingly good either. But, for the sheer scare factor alone, it was good enough to see. I saw it at a cheaper 2nd run theater {$2.50 admission}, and Poltergeist was worth that price. But don’t pay more than $4 to see this film or you are just not getting your money’s worth.

Have You Seen This Poltergeist Or The Original? What Did You Think?