I really wanted to like this film as I thoroughly enjoyed the original movie, and despite some shortcomings, liked part 2 as well. The premise and idea of the high rise location and use of mirrors was original and an example of thinking outside of the box. But in the end, at least for me, this film didn't work for several main reasons.
First off....I felt bad watching the movie knowing that despite Heather O'rourke's excellent performance, she was suffering from serious health issues and ultimately would pass away before the film was completed. I feel the same way about the Three Stooges short "Half Wits Holiday" with Curly Howard deeply ill and ultimately not able to complete the short. Just difficult when you can remember her in past films, TV shows, and commercials in perfect health and not obviously sick.
Second....the cast's acting was overblown, cliche, and almost spooflike, giving both O'rourke and Zelda Rubinstein no support whatsoever.(both actresses held over from the previous films still giving 100%)...the writing was truly terrible with cringe-worthy lines....
"Carol Ann!" X 150! I can compare this to an awful baseball team loaded with bad rookies but with one or two veteran all stars still hitting home runs yet the game is still lost.
Third....bad attempts with effects to try to generate scares. This film had so much potential to be a great psychological thriller through its creative use of mirrors and setting. Even with a low budget it could have been pulled off, but this falls flat with use of such gems as melting wax faces, condensed air, and other cliche' 80's slasher tricks. Writing, scoring, proper acting, and timing could have done the trick nicely. Can you just imagine Heather O'rourke acting in a tense manner with nothing but dead silence and slow room sweeps before a jump scene takes place? Could have been great.
Finally.....and to nobody's fault but fate itself...the loss of a beloved young performer. Like I said above, it was difficult to watch a hugely talented young lady perform her heart out despite the shortcomings of the film, and her own looming health crisis and knowing that even before the film hit the theaters she had died. In my opinion, the movie should have been scrapped just on that event alone.
Review of Poltergeist III
