Poltergeist

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1:46

Poltergeist

PG-13

2015

1h 33m

Horror

Mystery & Thriller

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

29%

Tomatometer

133 Reviews

22%

Popcornmeter

25,000+ Ratings

All seems well for Eric Bowen (Sam Rockwell), wife Amy (Rosemarie DeWitt) and their three children as they move into their new house in the suburbs of Illinois. Soon, the youngest daughter Maddy (Kennedi Clements) begins talking to an imaginary friend, or so the family thinks. It's not long before sinister spirits wreak havoc in the home, holding Maddy captive and forcing the parents to consult a team of parapsychologists who engage the supernatural entities in a battle for the girl's freedom.

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Critics Consensus

Paying competent homage without adding anything of real value to the original Poltergeist, this remake proves just as ephemeral (but half as haunting) as its titular spirit.

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Jesse Hassenger

AV Club

09/14/2018

C+

Though Rockwell and DeWitt give the material their own likable spin, most of the story mechanics will be familiar to anyone who has seen the original Poltergeist.

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Jason Bailey

Flavorwire

05/28/2016

'Poltergeist' assembles a very gifted group of people to go through another movie's paces, a cover band you wish would just play their own songs.

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Drew Hunt

Chicago Reader

05/28/2015

Director Gil Kenan ruins the pacing with too many half-baked, awkwardly staged horror set pieces, but the cast acquit themselves well enough.

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Keith Garlington

Keith & the Movies

08/24/2022

2.5/5

Why did we need a “Poltergeist” remake?

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Brian Eggert

Deep Focus Review

06/21/2022

2/4

The main problem here is the filmmakers haven't done anything significantly new with the material, so there are few surprises worth noting—unless you count how this remake isn't terrible, just pointless.

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Kip Mooney

Central Track

08/10/2021

C

Just completely unnecessary.

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Bret M.

@BretM-3 Mar 12

I had low expectations going into this movie, mainly because I wasn't a big fan of the original. But I thought this movie was WAY better than the original. A huge improvement in this movie compared to the original is the pacing. Never once was I bored or fighting sleep while watching this movie, 2 problems I faced while watching the original. This version also has more jump scares and overall feels more like a horror movie than the original. The updated VFX makes this movie feel even scarier and that much more reel. This one also works in a good amount of comedy, but not to much comedy. Overall, this movie is way better than the original and is over-hated by horror fans.

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Matthew M

@mattmelancon Jan 31

Poltergeist (2015) is one of the most incredibly well-crafted films I’ve seen in years. Directed by Gil Kenan and produced by Sam Raimi, the film delivers perfectly controlled storytelling with beyond Oscar-level performances, blending horror and terror with genuine family and emotional drama. I can’t stop rewatching this movie or recommending it to everyone around me. It’s become a constant comfort watch for me — a film that sustains nonstop suspense while still hitting with real emotional weight: something very few other movies have done for me. If any project deserves Oscar recognition, it’s this one — without question.

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Aye E

@RT43717499 Jan 25

Too bad they dragged great performers into this worthless and completely unnecessary remake.

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Bruno L.

@notbrunoatall Nov 5

Poltergeist 2015 fails to be frightening or even passable. As a viewer who has never seen the original, this remake makes me want to give it a look! Aside from ONE scare and some cool CG visuals, what brings down this movie are the unlikable characters, weird dialogue, and a story that doesn’t take you anywhere thrilling. Skip this one.

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Infernalo F

@RT91670147 Sep 29

good start but after the cgi came it was ruined

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Alejandra C

@RT30574541 Sep 5

cgi is bad but the movie is not as bad if you can appreciate a good idea for the story.

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Gil Kenan

Director

Sam Rockwell

Eric Bowen

Rosemarie DeWitt

Amy Bowen

Kyle Catlett

Griffin Bowen

Jane Adams

Dr. Claire Powell

Jared Harris

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Poltergeist: Trailer 2

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Synopsis

All seems well for Eric Bowen (Sam Rockwell), wife Amy (Rosemarie DeWitt) and their three children as they move into their new house in the suburbs of Illinois. Soon, the youngest daughter Maddy (Kennedi Clements) begins talking to an imaginary friend, or so the family thinks. It's not long before sinister spirits wreak havoc in the home, holding Maddy captive and forcing the parents to consult a team of parapsychologists who engage the supernatural entities in a battle for the girl's freedom.

Director: Gil Kenan
Producer: Sam Raimi, Rob Tapert, Roy Lee
Screenwriter: David Lindsay-Abaire
Distributor: 20th Century Fox
Production Co: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, Ghost House Pictures, Fox 2000 Pictures
Rating: PG-13 (Intense/Frightening Sequences|Brief Suggestive Material|Some Language)
Genre: Horror, Mystery & Thriller
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): May 22, 2015, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Sep 4, 2015
Box Office (Gross USA): $47.3M
Runtime: 1h 33m
Sound Mix: Dolby Digital

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