The new version of 'Poltergeist' scrapes the bottom of a very large barrel labeled 'Beloved Horror Films From Our Youth' and drags it to the multiplex for a new generation to make faces at whilst they wait for the summer blockbusters. The good news is that whilst it is undeniably an inferior, unnecessary and unwanted remake (the original still stands up) I did find it a lot of fun. I saw it with a good friend, low expectations, 3D glasses and a belly full of beer. I had a blast. 'Poltergeist' is a ghost train ride, nothing more and nothing less.
It helps that Sam Raimi was on board as a producer as he knows a thing or two about horror ('Evil Dead, 'Drag Me To Hell'). It helps that the original was a fun movie, targeted at a family audience and was a thrill-a-minute ride of jump scares and special effects. With those ingredients it was always ahead of its time but is now bang on the money with current tastes in horror. It even has its very own scary doll a la 'Annabelle' ready to use. It's no wonder then that this was prime material for a remake.
The template is the same: all American family moves onto a new-build estate, daughter talks to the television, son is scared of everything, there's a whomping willow outside the bedroom window and the closet is full of scary clown dolls....because....scary clown dolls. Oh, and some poltergeist activity happens at some point too.
At a stretch you could say the original was trying to say something about not abandoning your kids to the dangers of television. This version throws lots of social concern stuff at the screen but nothing really sticks. If anything, the grand theme this time would be - your kids will ruin you - financially (eldest daughter demands a new phone after ghostly interference wrecks it), sexually (mom and dad can't get it on because junior is scared of noises in the attic) and spiritually (there is no philosophical meaning to any of this - just inconvenience). These kids are so demanding all the time it is a wonder the parents put any effort into protecting them at all. Plus, the real horror of this film for them, is that they are judged all the time...at dinner parties for moving into the wrong neighbourhood, at the local store when their credit cards are refused and by me when they feed their kids Pizza all the time.
Sam Rockwell is always interesting to watch, Rosemarie DeWitt one of the most convincing screen moms we've seen in a while and the kids are great too. The story focuses more on the son this time out, this is very much his 'journey' and the part is very well played by Kyle Catlett. Kennedi Clements ain't no Heather O'Rourke but she is less annoying than the average moppet they usually put in these things. I didn't take to Jared Harris as the ghost-busting television exorcist guy called in to help the paranormal researchers. He plays it very "Oirish", to-be-sure, where it needs other-worldly weirdness. He's a poor substitute for the eccentric medium of the original.
Is it scary? No, not particularly - but I'm not sure the original was ever that scary either. It's a different approach. It never sets out to be full on scary - it just wants to shout "boo!!" at you, so that you jump and then laugh. On that score it succeeds admirably. It's cattle-prod cinema, you can't argue with that, but it's a fine example of it. At least it's not lazy like 'Annabelle'. I recommend you see it in 3-D for the full 'eyeball-might-be-piereced-by-drill-part' effect
Where this film really does improve on the 1982 model is in its depiction of exactly what's on the other side. It's truly the stuff of nightmares. I won't spoil it for you but it is really well rendered and goes waaayyyyy beyond being just a spectral lightshow on the staircase.
'Poltergeist' (2015) then, much better than I expected and much better than it has any right to be. A good, unpretentious, enjoyable horror film fun ride. Who you gonna call?
p.s.
Seeing this film, I couldn't help but recall the time when working in a DVD store a customer told me:
"You know that girl in 'Poltergeist'? She died when a real one got her."
*Sigh*
The bullshit people choose to believe....
Scarier than anything in the movies
No comments:
Post a Comment