As I've mentioned in other reviews this year, I've been going through a "ghost-phase" since Janurary. Over the past six months, I've watched at least 4 or 5 ghost-themed movies each month, generally at least one per week. This is because I have always had an interest in the paranormal, and also because I want to work on a short film based around ghosts, so I'm researching the genre.
I stumbled back onto the "Poltergeist" series around the time this new phase started, and just a few days back, showed the first sequel (this film) to a friend who had never seen it despite being a fan of the original.
"Poltergeist II: The Other Side" is directed by Brian Gibson, and written by two of the writers from the original film. Unfortunately, it appears that Tobe Hooper and Steven Spielberg had nothing to do with this film, despite their incredible involvement with the original.
Most of the original cast returns, including Craig T. Nelson, JoBeth Williams, Heather O'Rourke, Oliver Robins and Zelda Rubenstein. They are joined by newcomers including Will Sampson and Julian Beck. (And yes, I will acknowledge the death of Dominique Dunne from the original film, explaining her absence as well as Beck's death during production. It does make the alleged "Poltergeist Curse" seem more real, but I don't want to address that in this review.)
A year after the original film, the Freeling family is living with Dianne's (Williams) mother Jessica (Geraldine Fitzgerald). Steve (Nelson) is having a bit of trouble adjusting, and the children Robbie (Robisn) and Carol Anne (O'Rourke) are doing decently, it seems. After it comes out that Jessica is clairvoyant, and suspects Dianne and Carol Anne are as well, she passes away, leaving the family hurt.
Soon after, a mysterious and eerie man named Henry Kane (Beck) begins to appear to the family, threatening them. As it turns out, the spirit Kane and his ghostly followers (undead spirits who refuse to enter the light) got a taste of Carol Anne when she crossed over in the first film, and are now intending to follow her for his evil purposes. In order to protect them, Tangina (Rubenstein) sends Indian Shaman Taylor (Sampson) to help protect the family and help train Steve in the ways of a spiritual warrior.
The film for what it is, is quite fun and eerie at times. While not as inventive as the original (which is my mind, is maybe the best haunted-house/ghost film of all time), it does supply a lot of good, creepy scares and some decent creature effects. Particularly memorable is a scene involving a terrifyingly designed creature that looks like a cross between a fetus, a skeleton and a reptilian human, who is born via vomiting, and a fun little scene where the family is attacked by a floating chainsaw. (which seems to be a reference to Tobe Hooper, director of the original film and the first two "Texas Chainsaw Massacre" movies)
The acting is also very good. All of the returning cast members are very likable and have a great built-in chemistry from the first film. And newcomers Sampson and Beck are wonderful additions. Particularly Beck, whose frail Southern preacher villain Kane is truly frightening, with the ability to get under your skin.
However, the film also has many flaws. For starters, it is extremely fast. At only 90 minutes, it runs as the shortest film in the series, 8 minutes shorter than the third film and nearly a half hour shorter than the original, which causes the film to be quite rushed. I've seen on websites that numerous scenes were deleted, and I seriously wonder why they weren't included, as the film felt too short. In addition, nowhere near as much happens in this sequel as does in the original. Usually sequels are bigger and bigger, but this one goes the opposite route and makes the film feel smaller. Less scares, less creatures, less of everything. Some of the effects are also very shoddy (including some pretty foul stop-motion animation). And finally, the ending is very brief and anti-climactic.
Those complaints being said, this is still a solid film with some great creeps. It's one of those rare horror-sequels that works well and feels like it has a reason for existing. I quite like this film, and would recommend it to fans of the original. And hey, at least its better than the awful third film. I give "Poltergeist II: The Other Side" a pretty-good 7 out of 10.
I stumbled back onto the "Poltergeist" series around the time this new phase started, and just a few days back, showed the first sequel (this film) to a friend who had never seen it despite being a fan of the original.
"Poltergeist II: The Other Side" is directed by Brian Gibson, and written by two of the writers from the original film. Unfortunately, it appears that Tobe Hooper and Steven Spielberg had nothing to do with this film, despite their incredible involvement with the original.
Most of the original cast returns, including Craig T. Nelson, JoBeth Williams, Heather O'Rourke, Oliver Robins and Zelda Rubenstein. They are joined by newcomers including Will Sampson and Julian Beck. (And yes, I will acknowledge the death of Dominique Dunne from the original film, explaining her absence as well as Beck's death during production. It does make the alleged "Poltergeist Curse" seem more real, but I don't want to address that in this review.)
A year after the original film, the Freeling family is living with Dianne's (Williams) mother Jessica (Geraldine Fitzgerald). Steve (Nelson) is having a bit of trouble adjusting, and the children Robbie (Robisn) and Carol Anne (O'Rourke) are doing decently, it seems. After it comes out that Jessica is clairvoyant, and suspects Dianne and Carol Anne are as well, she passes away, leaving the family hurt.
Soon after, a mysterious and eerie man named Henry Kane (Beck) begins to appear to the family, threatening them. As it turns out, the spirit Kane and his ghostly followers (undead spirits who refuse to enter the light) got a taste of Carol Anne when she crossed over in the first film, and are now intending to follow her for his evil purposes. In order to protect them, Tangina (Rubenstein) sends Indian Shaman Taylor (Sampson) to help protect the family and help train Steve in the ways of a spiritual warrior.
The film for what it is, is quite fun and eerie at times. While not as inventive as the original (which is my mind, is maybe the best haunted-house/ghost film of all time), it does supply a lot of good, creepy scares and some decent creature effects. Particularly memorable is a scene involving a terrifyingly designed creature that looks like a cross between a fetus, a skeleton and a reptilian human, who is born via vomiting, and a fun little scene where the family is attacked by a floating chainsaw. (which seems to be a reference to Tobe Hooper, director of the original film and the first two "Texas Chainsaw Massacre" movies)
The acting is also very good. All of the returning cast members are very likable and have a great built-in chemistry from the first film. And newcomers Sampson and Beck are wonderful additions. Particularly Beck, whose frail Southern preacher villain Kane is truly frightening, with the ability to get under your skin.
However, the film also has many flaws. For starters, it is extremely fast. At only 90 minutes, it runs as the shortest film in the series, 8 minutes shorter than the third film and nearly a half hour shorter than the original, which causes the film to be quite rushed. I've seen on websites that numerous scenes were deleted, and I seriously wonder why they weren't included, as the film felt too short. In addition, nowhere near as much happens in this sequel as does in the original. Usually sequels are bigger and bigger, but this one goes the opposite route and makes the film feel smaller. Less scares, less creatures, less of everything. Some of the effects are also very shoddy (including some pretty foul stop-motion animation). And finally, the ending is very brief and anti-climactic.
Those complaints being said, this is still a solid film with some great creeps. It's one of those rare horror-sequels that works well and feels like it has a reason for existing. I quite like this film, and would recommend it to fans of the original. And hey, at least its better than the awful third film. I give "Poltergeist II: The Other Side" a pretty-good 7 out of 10.