Film Review: Poltergeist

Genre: Horror, Thriller

Cert: 15 cert

DirectorGil Kenan

Screen writer: David Lindsay-Abaire (screenplay), Steven Spielberg (story)

Starring: Sam Rockwell , Rosemarie DeWitt , Saxon Sharbino , Kyle Catlett , Kennedi Clements , Jared Harris , Jane Adams , Susan Heyward , Nicholas Braun , Karen Ivany , Patrick Garrow , Doug MacLeod , Eve Crawford , L.A. Lopes , Soma Bhatia

Running time: 94 mins

Parents advised to read before viewing film as some scene may contain scenes unsuitable for younger viewers.

Sex & Nudity: A clothed couple briefly makes out on their bed until their son interrupts them. No nudity or sex.

Violence & Gore: A man sees his reflection in the kitchen faucet and hallucinates that his eyes and nose are bleeding profusely. He looks in the sinks to see blood and maggots and worms.

A father approaches his daughter in her room. She has her back to him, and when she girls around, she has a ghoul face.

A teenaged girl is attacked in her basement by a corpse.

A boy is attacked by the branches of a weeping willow.

A boy is attacked by a toy clown.

A rotted corpse jumps out of the ground.

Profanity:  Couple uses of "shit, "balls" and "ass."

Alcohol/Drugs/SmokingThe parents drink whiskey. 

Frightening/Intense Scenes:  It's a horror movie, but since it's PG-13, it isn't as intense as other R rated ones.



Story: Legendary filmmaker Sam Raimi and director Gil Kenan reimagine and contemporize the classic tale about a family whose suburban home is invaded by angry spirits. When the terrifying apparitions escalate their attacks and take the youngest daughter, the family must come together to rescue her.

Likes : First viewing this film from the trailer i actual wasn't going to watch this in the cinemas at first because it just looks bad from the trailer , but i decide to watching it anyway but lowered my expectation on viewing the film. So did it live up the hype?............ well yes & no , there is a few flaw nothing major to say this film was god awful because it dose have it moment that really dose get you on edge & creeps you out.
What iam surprised with is the fact that this is a reboot of the original film yet its set years after carol Ann's family haunting hence the reason for the name change of the family in this film, in other word this should by all means should of been a sequel to the original film by it being poltergeist 4 in a way.
I love the way they give curtain nods to the original film in this which are cleverly placed at key moments throughout the film , in honest yes this film dose have its moments that make you jump but it comes across more as a contemporary horror more than what the original poltergeist did to scare the audience.
 There are moments in this film that really dose make you shiver with a cold chill as it dose keep manage to keep dark atmospheric creepy tone though the first & second act when you start to see thing happening , kind of like the original things are all fun & games until things start to really kick off.
Director Gil Kenan really hasn't done a bad job here to be-honest even im happy with this result, she actual done something that we never really saw in the original film's ,which im impressed with it actually explore in more detail what the other side actual looks like, the special effect with the C.G.I here is stunning.
It best describe as looking at a very evil cold dark hellish world which actual made the film alot better than what it is, this was never really explored with the original which is a shame but still the original has the edge in seriously freak out scary moments.
Some of the acting is almost perfect but Kennedi Clements performance serious stole the lime light in this movie, it was just outstanding performance for child actress, she is one to look out for in the future in the industries because we have a rising star here, she has this cuteness about her in this film playing Madison Bowen.
In a way you kind of love to have a daughter like her with a qukie sense of humor that just adorable, but her performance reacting to each situation in the film is outstanding.The one thing this film dose have against it is just the fact it doesn't really offer anything new because its almost the same as the original although there are like i said a few add nods & things happen in the film that the original didn't show so in a way its going to be a film you iver love or hate here.


Dislikes : The flaws in the film is the fact it seem to be over before it started, it was a little two quick in story like it was missing alot of scene, i think this is where this film could of had extra scene to just give the film a more creep dark atmosphere moments when the investors were in the house, it just felt a bit too short in that fact.
 In the original film there were more scene before they got carol Ann back, this is where i think this film could of been improved , the ending kind of was a great ending to be honest its was a little to much of a happy ending & being in a situation like that this family wouldn't be all fun & games.
Other flaws some of the dialog kind of fall flat which ruins the pace of the film in some places ,  Jared Harris character i just wasn't feeling as being a serious character, step in to the house only being their 5 mins said their dealing with a pissed off poltergeist REALLY!!!!!!!
There should have been more of a build up here to that talk, that felt rushed to me, don't get me wrong his a good actor but he no Zelda Rubinstein from the original, she had a way about her that kept the original film with this dark creepy atmosphere as she speaks to them about what it is that has taken their daughter it really did put chills down my spine which sadly i wasn't feeling that from Jared Harris character which is a shame.

Overall : Great visual effects, some jump scary moments, Kennedi Clements is awesome, Felt part were missing.

Rating: 5 out of 5 for entertainment / 7 out of 10 for concept.


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