Poltergeist
A suburban family races to reclaim their youngest child from the angry spirits occupying their home.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Moderate
- Complexity
- Simple
- Violence
- Mild
- eerie
- tense
- accessible
- halloween night
- supernatural horror marathon
What critics said
Critics generally found the remake competent and occasionally entertaining but too derivative, conventional, and less haunting than the original.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
The Bowen family's suburban house becomes the central site of escalating attacks by angry spirits.
Eric and Amy Bowen unite to recover their youngest daughter after the apparitions take her.
The film reimagines the classic haunted-house story for a contemporary setting while retaining its core premise.
Its PG-13 rating, mainstream presentation, and emphasis on apparitions make it suitable for younger horror audiences.
Films like Poltergeist, and why
The Conjuring
shared suburban haunted-house premise, supernatural horror, family rescue stakes, and accessible scares
Insidious
shared ghostly home invasion, family-centered supernatural danger, and mainstream horror presentation
The Amityville Horror
shared haunted suburban setting, child endangerment, and supernatural horror built around a family's fractured safety
Monster House
shared young-audience-friendly ghost story, suburban family dynamics, and horror-comedy accessibility
Movie Details
- Director
- Gil Kenan
- Release Date
- 2015-05-20
- Runtime
- 93 min
- Rating
- 5.2 / 10 (2442)
Cast
- Sam Rockwell
- Rosemarie DeWitt
- Saxon Sharbino
- Kyle Catlett
- Kennedi Clements
- Jared Harris
- Nicholas Braun
- Jane Adams
- Susan Heyward
- Karen Ivany
Where to watch in United States
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Poltergeist about?
- A suburban family races to reclaim their youngest child from the angry spirits occupying their home.
- What is Poltergeist like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Poltergeist as brisk, its intensity as moderate and its storytelling as simple.
- Is Poltergeist violent?
- Only mildly. Ember rates the violence in Poltergeist as mild.
- What did critics think of Poltergeist?
- Critics generally found the remake competent and occasionally entertaining but too derivative, conventional, and less haunting than the original.
- Which films are like Poltergeist?
- Films with a similar feel include The Conjuring, Insidious, The Amityville Horror, and Monster House.
- How long is Poltergeist?
- Poltergeist runs 93 minutes.
- Where can I watch Poltergeist?
- In United States, Poltergeist is available to rent or buy from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home.
