…sadly, it has nothing new to contribute to the original film. Haunted houses, creaking doors, strange noises in the middle of the night, and scary looking toys in the attics – all this has been done to death in horror films over the years. Poltergeist gives us more of the same.

…the original 1982 film was a cult classic. If you’re going for a redo, at least up the game. Scare-wise, there’s nothing here, we haven’t already seen. Effects-wise, it wildly fluctuates between the truly scary and the laugh-out-loud parts. And more so, toward the latter.

Almost entirely a copy, and with hardly any improvement over the old Poltergeist, this is a film where nothing appears new. Except for the use of 3D and a strategically used camera-mounted drone. The first is pointless, the second ridiculous.

The trouble with this new Poltergeist is that the big reveal comes too soon, much before the halfway mark.
Where’s the slow burn? Why didn’t you let me even try to figure it out by myself first? And now what’s the point of the rest of the film? It’s just a light-and-sound show that says, “Look at what my CGI team can do!”

The Bowen’s house of horrors is a minefield of scares. Evil dolls, clowns, toys and even the gnarled old tree outside. And of course, closets that contain more than just clothes and shoes. Interesting modern touches, such as an innovative use for a drone and a rogue smartphone are added but the pace is just too breezy.

The only differentiating factor in the remake is that it veers away from the original in the third act, but by that time the film has already betrayed its audiences. There’s no escaping that you’re watching something you’ve seen a dozen times before. If only there was a dimension of ghosts who terrorize filmmakers who rely on clichés to entertain his audiences.

Although the film connoisseur may not approve of this remake of classic horror film, Gil Kenan’s Poltergeist is packed with enough thrill to keep you entertained. Shot in 3D, the film will take you on a scary ride. And, whether you accept it or not, there’s always something creepy about closets.