Poltergeist [2015] ★★

Do we really need a remake of Tobe Hooper’s 1982 horror classic that spawned several sequels? Not really. But the people behind this remake knew that a few more bucks could be squeezed out of the Bowen family, whose suburban home is haunted by evil forces. You know the drill, unless you’ve never seen a horror movie before. The movie’s one inspired idea was casting Jared Harris as a parapsychologist who knows how to get rid of evil spirits. Harris rips into the role with relish. It’s too bad the script turns him into a deadpan joke machine. Overall, I didn’t completely hate this remake. But just like “A Nightmare on Elm Street” in 2010 and “Carrie” in 2012, “Poltergeist” 2015 has no reason to exist.

Rating: 2/4