They’re Remade

Poltergeist (2015) is just another soulless remake to a modern classic. Slasher movies aren’t the only horror genre getting pointless reboots. Except it makes less sense for Poltergeist since most Steven Spielberg affiliated movies should be untouchable. Poltergeist (2015) is mostly everything that came before with a modern update and different names for the family. Now they’re father Eric, mother Amy, oldest daughter Kendra, son Griffin, and youngest daughter Madison. Only it’s not enough for the Bowen’s to be a simple suburban family.

They’re just moving into the house, they have financial difficulties, and each kid has an individual problem. It’s an unnecessary amount of detail for a reboot that’s shorter than the original. I didn’t recognize anyone outside of Sam Rockwell. Rockell (or producer Sam Raimi) don’t elevate the reboot. The family isn’t very likable, except for maybe Griffin who overcomes his fears. The “They’re here” scene isn’t as creepy with a glitchy flat screen TV or Maddy’s flat delivery of the famous line. The creepy tree is only briefly used and the scary toy clown is given more attention.

The rest of the hauntings are just generic, even for this decade. The parapsychologists don’t standout and the creepy little medium is replaced by some guy with a ghost hunting show. I honestly felt nothing when Maddy was kidnapped. Even less when the house was consumed by a skybeam. The only modern change that made sense was the PG-13 rating that the original couldn’t get at the time. If there’s anything good that came out of this unnecessary Poltergeist (2015), it’s that at least no one suffered any tragic loss.

“They’re coming”

Remake of: Poltergeist (1982)