Rating summary

Movie		3.0
Video		4.0
Audio		4.0
Extras		0.5
Overall		3.0

Poltergeist II: The Other Side Blu-ray Movie Review

“They’re baa-aaaaaack…”

Reviewed by Casey Broadwater November 22, 2011

Horror sequels almost categorically suffer from the law of diminishing returns, and Poltergeist II is no exception. It’s not nearly as scary as it’s predecessor, it lacks that distinct Steven Spielberg movie magic, and it tries to make up for these deficiencies by going way over the top with special effects. That said—and this is a big that said—I have a semi-irrational love for Poltergeist II that overrules all of my normal critical instincts. If I’m being as objective as possible, I know that the movie just doesn’t measure up to the truly classic first film. There’s no doubt about that. If pressed, I’d even admit that the sequel is sometimes laughably inept—an exercise in hokey plot devices, Native American stereotypes, and fuzzy metaphysics. But this doesn’t matter. Poltergeist II is fun, not just the usual, so-bad-it’s-good variety of horror film fun—though it is that, occasionally—but actual fun. You can’t help but enjoy how ridiculously far out it’s willing to go while still remaining completely straight-faced. What other film features a tequila worm monster, killer braces, a levitating chainsaw, and the wackiest failed doomsday prophet this side of Harold Camping?

Grandma?

At the end of Poltergiest, the Freeling family’s haunted home was sucked into another dimension, leaving behind an empty plot of land. The insurance company won’t investigate a house that vanished into thin air, but pint-sized spiritual medium Tangina Barrons (Zelda Rubenstein) does her own examination of the property, turning up a tunnel that leads to an underground cavern filled with skeletons. But wait! This is no Indian burial ground! The bodies trapped in this subterranean chamber were actually once utopian rapture cult members who starved to death while awaiting the end of days, led by their uber-creepy, black hat-wearing prophet, the Reverend Henry Kane (Julian Beck). We learn that after his death, Kane became “The Beast,” a powerful demon who—in the first film—sought to steal the “lifeforce” of the Freeling’s doe-eyed young daughter, Carol Anne (Heather O’Rourke). Of course, thwarted once, he’s angrier and more determined than ever.

Meanwhile, Steven Freeling (Craig T. Nelson) and his wife Dianne (JoBeth Williams) have relocated the family to Phoenix—minus their eldest daughter, who was written out of the script after actress Dominique Dunne’s murder—where they live with Dianne’s mother, Grandma Jess (Geraldine Fitzgerald), a clairvoyant who senses that Carol Anne also has what we might as well call the shining. Grandma Jess’ psychic powers temporarily keep the supernatural forces following the Freelings at bay, but when she dies—a spooky scene where Carol Anne talks to her granny’s departed spirit on a toy telephone—the door is opened for Reverend Kane to continue his demonic attacks. Tangina sends a Native American guru named Taylor (Will Sampson) to teach the Freelings how to defeat Kane—it boils down to the power of their love as a family—but they have to fight the evil themselves.

When all hell inevitably breaks loose, Poltergeist II becomes a carnival fun-house of horror, complete with skeletons bursting out of closets, rip-roaring chainsaw attacks, and ankle-clutching, zombified corpses that rise up out of the backyard. Where the first movie used a minimum number of scares to maximum effect, the sequel tries to get a decent boo in every few minutes. It’s overkill, and none of the shocks come close to being pants-soilingly scary, but there are some great moments, with sights I can’t say I’ve seen in any other horror movie.

In one of the craziest tableaus, the Freeling’s son, Robbie (Oliver Robins), gets attacked by his own braces, which sprout out of his mouth in wiry metal tendrils, wrapping him up and then inching ever closer to the power socket on the wall. Later, Steven gets drunk on tequila and swallows the worm at the bottom of the bottle, a worm that—I kid you not—is possessed by Reverend Kane. Taking control of Steven’s body, Kane tries to rape Dianne, but when she professes her undying love for her husband—remember, love is the key—Steven pukes up the worm, which has increased twentyfold in size and mutates into a slimy, H.R. Giger-designed creature that quickly scurries out of the bedroom. Can I get a WTF up in here? And I haven’t even mentioned the ludicrous finale, which sends the entire family into the spirit realm to rescue Carol Anne. You can’t take any of this seriously, and that’s what makes Poltergeist II so fun.

I love the characters too. Craig T. Nelson’s Steven is such an archetypal movie dad. I love his interactions with JoBeth Williams’ Dianne—they seem like such a believable couple—and I love when he refers to the diminutive Tangina as “that magic mushroom.” Zelda Rubenstein, of course, is a hoot with her distinctively pitched voice, and although Will Sampson is playing the usual Native American role—knowing and wise, with esoteric knowledge about the situation—he has a slight smirk that gives you the impression that he’s in on some secret joke that you wish he would tell you. You might recognize him from One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest.

The best part of the film, though—hands down—is Julian Beck’s Reverend Kane, who deserves to be recognized as one of horror’s ickiest boogeymen. Gaunt and crazed, with stringy white hair and dingy yellow teeth, he looks like an Old West mortician who also happens to be an unrepentant Level- 3 sex offender. His leering gaze makes you feel like you need a shower, and when he opens his mouth to sing—yes, sing—what issues forth is possibly the creepiest-sounding hymn ever penned.

Poltergeist II: The Other Side Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Poltergeist II's Blu-ray debut genuinely surprised me. No, the film's 1080p/AVC-encoded transfer isnt' the most breathtaking you'll encounter this year, but it looks far better than you might imagine, especially for a horror sequel from the mid-1980s. The print is in near-perfect condition—aside from a few scattered white specks—and the image is untouched by DNR, edge enhancement, or other unnecessary tweaks. While clarity is not quite as refined as that of contemporary releases, the picture is satisfyingly resolved, displaying more-than-sufficient high definition detail in the actors' faces, their clothing, and the gnarly practical effects. (I'm specifically thinking of the scene with all the wires, which looks fantastic here.) Color is vibrant as well, and balanced—never too dull or overblown. Black levels are adequately deep and contrast is spot-on. Finally, there are no compression troubles worth noting—no banding, macroblocking, excess noise, etc. Really, I have no complaints. This is much better than I expected the film to look.

Poltergeist II: The Other Side Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The same goes for the film's DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 surround track, which may lack the continuous heebie-jeebies-inducing sound design of most modern horror movies, but certainly has its moments of sonic onslaught. The various supernatural goings-on are almost always accompanied by some stocky-but-well-meaning sound effects in the rear channels—you can expect lots of swooshes and swoops, electrical crackles and throttling chain saws— and there's occasional quiet ambience to fill out the experience. As with the first film, Jerry Goldsmith's score is an allure, and it sounds wonderful, with crisp brass stabs and rich strings. Dialogue throughout is clear and comprehensible, and the disc comes with a number of optional dub and subtitle options.

Poltergeist II: The Other Side Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

The only bonus feature on the disc is the film's theatrical trailer, in high definition.

Poltergeist II: The Other Side Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Although I can't quite put my finger on why I like it so much, I've always had a soft spot for Poltergeist II. In many ways, it's the usual lesser-than sequel—a second cash-in, capitalizing on a blockbuster success—but as long as you adjust your expectations and accept that it's never going to be as good as the first film, Poltergeist II is actually a lot of fun. It looks good on Blu-ray too—surprisingly—with an all-new 1080p/AVC- encoded transfer that's cleaner and sharper than you might expect. All fans of 1980s horror take note.