Poltergeist (2015)

Director: Gil Kenan
Starring: Sam Rockwell, Rosemarie DeWitt, Kennedi Clements

Synopsis:
A family finds their home is haunted and they enlist the aid of paranormal researchers when their daughter is taken to the other side.

Impressions:
Even though the original film could hardly be called high cinema, it's nevertheless a classic in the genre and people are rightfully wary whenever someone comes along to remake a classic. I was wary too, but while this isn't as good as the original, it shows how to do a modern remake right. The proliferation of electronics in the present day and the rise of ghost hunting TV shows are effective elements to update the story. Sam Rockwell is good in the lead role, but I feel something is lost in the fact that he doesn't have the same measure of responsibility for the situation as Craig T Nelson's character in the original. Also, while Jared Harris isn't bad as Carrigan Burke, he isn't anywhere near as memorable as Zelda Rubinstein's Tangina. With films like the Paranormal Activity series saturating the market, you may not be all that inclined to give this film a chance. It's worth seeing, I think, but if you have to pick one, go with the original.

Rating:
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