This post is part of my movie-a-day challenge in which I will watch a film every day for 365 days. Today is Day 267! You can see all the posts for this challenge HERE. To see the original Movie-a-Day Challenge post, click HERE.
Hey friends!
So, like, last night I was in this mood, you know? The kind where you just want to curl up with a scary movie and freak yourself out for fun. Naturally, I perused the usual suspects—The Exorcist, The Shining. But then I stumbled across something that really made me do a double-take: a 2015 remake of Poltergeist. Say what? Mind blown. How had I missed this? Now, I’m a HUGE fan of the original 1982 classic (seriously, I’ve watched it more times than I can count), so I was intrigued to see what this remake had to offer.
Now, you gotta understand, I was totally in the mood for something that could give me the chills. The original 1982 “Poltergeist” was like a masterpiece in my book, and I stumbled upon this newer version by pure chance. But anyway, given my slightly morbid (read: masochistic) craving for some spooky stuff, I thought, “Why not?” But truth be told, I had, like, zero expectations. And, spoiler alert, my spidey sense was spot-on. This remake didn’t exactly rock my spooky socks off. It wasn’t quite the hair-raising experience I was hoping for.
Now, if you haven’t seen it, here’s the scoop. The story pretty much follows the classic setup: a family moves into a suburban home, only to find out it’s haunted by some seriously angry spirits. The ghosts are like the worst kind of house guests, causing all sorts of mayhem, and ultimately, they kidnap the family’s youngest daughter, Madison. The family then has to battle it out with the otherworldly squatters to get her back.
The plot sticks reasonably close to the original, but it felt a bit rushed, which might be why the scares didn’t really land. One thing about the original Poltergeist is that it takes its time sinking you into that creepy atmosphere. You feel the dread build up slowly. Here, it’s like, halfway through your popcorn, the spooky dial is turned up, and then level down, like a chaotic rollercoaster that’s more dizzying than frightening.
Acting-wise, Sam Rockwell and Rosemarie DeWitt play the bewildered parents, and they do what they can with the script. I mean, Sam Rockwell is usually the guy you can count on to bring some heavy artillery when it comes to acting, but even he couldn’t lift this movie out of the “meh” zone. The kids, especially Kennedi Clements, who plays Madison, are alright, but let’s be real, no one can top Carol Anne’s chilling performance in the original. That girl was in a league of her own.
If there was an MVP here, it was probably Jared Harris, playing Carrigan Burke, a somewhat quirky TV ghost hunter brought in to solve the family’s supernatural dilemma. He’s got this cool charisma about him and delivers lines with this dry wit that tickles your funny bone even amidst the chaos. It was much needed, let me tell you.
Now, for the spooky stuff. If you’re like me and the original had you peeking through your fingers, you might find yourself just staring blankly at the screen this time around. It’s not that it’s bad, it’s just… it’s like they took the original, scrubbed off the eerie vibes, and slapped on a bunch of CGI ghosts in hopes that it would do the trick. Spoiler alert: it didn’t. Sure, the special effects were impressive, but honestly, most of the scares felt like cheap jump scares and didn’t really stick with me. Maybe I’ve been desensitized by too many horror films or maybe the remake just missed the mark. Even the infamous clown scene felt more like an afterthought. Sad, right?
What’s funny is that even though the movie didn’t scare the bejeezus out of me, I did find myself kinda enjoying some parts. Like, the whole otherworld dimension they show is pretty cool visually, even if it’s not as dark or mysterious as it could have been.
So yeah, the 2015 “Poltergeist” was an entertaining watch, but in my ever so humble opinion, it paled in comparison to the original. It lacked the suspense, the psychological terror, and the sheer creepiness that made the 1982 film so iconic. It’s a decent choice if you’re looking for a few jump scares (maybe) and some spooky visuals, but if you’re expecting a truly terrifying experience, you might be disappointed. It just didn’t leave me with that lingering sense of unease that a good horror movie should. Stick with the original, my friends.
Cheers!
Roger