Poltergeist II: The Other Side (1986) User Reviews

Decent sequel overshadowed by poor post-production

[GABaracus · 6/10 · 25 March 2005]

I have seen this sequel to "Poltergeist" many times and have always enjoyed it as much as I did the first movie. You will find that most people who dislike this sequel do so for the simple fact that it's a "SEQUEL" to the original 1982 "Steven Spielberg" produced hit (surprise surprise!) and "Spielberg" was nowhere in sight this time around (so what!), not everybody cares about whether a big director is involved with a movie/sequel or not including myself.

The sequel is written & produced by "Mark Victor" & "Michael Grais" who co-wrote the original with "Steven Spielberg" and follows the doomed Freeling family four years after the original classic left off...

I have always regarded "Poltergeist II" as a worthy follow up with it's flaws (which it is) and can still not understand how this movie made it's way from a running time of "130" minutes down to a mere "91".

Its obviously down to MGM rushing the movie's production and ordering pathetic cuts. Some of this movie's editing is really poor and it's a shame because the movie is actually pretty good and only really falls apart at the end when you can see how bad a hack job this movie really received. They should have dropped "The Other Side" from the title because you only get to see it in the movie for about 2 minutes and what you do get to see is a rushed not-finished mess of a finale.

The Poltergeist franchise should have been sold to UNIVERSAL (The company "Steven Spielberg" first approached about the original). They would have given this movie the justice it deserved. As for the third movie "I really don't care" nothing could have saved the third movie from being bad". Even with it's problems, I still loved the character's from the first movie, the plot was on the right track and introduced us to one of the most memorable villains in horror sequel history, the evil "Reverend Kane" brilliantly portrayed by "Julian Beck", and while not being as productive as the original, the special effects held up too.

Wrapping everything up, this movie is a decent sequel and has the advantage of retaining most of the original cast from the first movie (minus "Dominique Dunne" who was murdered by her boyfriend shortly after filming the first movie) and there are some really good classic moments in this sequel, one being... "The Vomit Creature!"...check your Tequila for strange worms swimming around in it next time!.

7/10

An Entertaining Sequel

[Uriah43 · 7/10 · 22 September 2020]

This film essentially begins one year after the horrors in the previous film with a new malignant force now seeking the young child "Carol Anne Freeling" (Heather O'Rourke) for the exact same reasons as in the previous film. This time, however, the evil spirit has been generated from a 19th century cult leader by the name of "Reverend Henry Kane" (Julian Beck) who led his congregation into the desert in preparation for an end-of-the-world scenario that never materialized. Not wanting to admit to his congregation that he was mistaken, he subsequently lets them all die in an underground cave that has only now been discovered-and it just happens to be located right under the same house owned by the Freeling family in the previous film. To make matters even worse, this evil spirit has more power than the previous one and recognizing this the spiritual medium named "Tangina Barrons" (Zelda Rubinstein) enlists the help of a Native American shaman by the name of "Taylor" (Will Sampson) to combat it. Yet, in spite of all of his knowledge and experience, he soon discovers that Reverend Kane is much more formidable than he realized-and he has no intention of allowing Carol Anne to escape. Now rather than reveal any more I will just say that I thought this was a pretty good sequel when it first came out and having just watched it recently I remain of that opinion. Admittedly, some of the situations were recycled from the first film and as a result it didn't have the same impact as before. But even so the underlying story was still entertaining enough in its own right. Another interesting facet is that--even though both JoBeth Williams (as "Diane Freeling") and the aforementioned Heather O'Rourke clearly dominated in the previous film--it was the performances of both Julian Beck and Will Sampson who rose to the occasion in this one and gave this movie an added edge. At least, that is how it seemed to me. In any case, for what it's worth I enjoyed this film and have rated it accordingly. Above average.

A fun sequel to watch

[jeffplus3 · 17 November 2000]

"Poltergeist II: The Other Side" is a very interesting movie despite the fact that the plot was rather subpar. My favorite movie of all time is the original "Poltergeist," and this movie is a respectable sequel. I like it because of the character Kane, for one, who gives the movie another ghostly dimension. Julian Beck was wonderful in the film as Kane. Also, the children remained good actors, especially the late Heather O'Rourke, who played Carol Anne. This is another strong performance by the young actress, and would have gone on to be a wonderful adult actress later in life had she lived. All in all, I give it a 7.5 out of 10.

They're Back

[nayruslove14 · 6/10 · 16 September 2007]

While not as good as the first one this movie was interesting. It was well made and featured many of the same actors and actresses as well as a few new ones, who all turned out excellent performances.

The story line was solid and thought out. I particularly felt that Julian Beck's character Cane was a nice addition. He was chilling to watch on screen as a antagonist to the family. Will Sampson as Taylor was also an interesting character. R.I.P to both actors and to O'Rouke.

Overall a good film but one that can not possibly hold a candle to the original.

6 out of 10.

Another Curiously Frustrating Horror Film Sequel

[virek213 · 6/10 · 17 December 2012]

JAWS 2; HALLOWEEN II; THE RAGE: CARRIE 2—all of them horror film sequels that I can only label as "curiously frustrating", in that there's enough in them to like, but just as much to be skittish about. This is also true of POLTERGEIST II: THE OTHER SIDE, the 1986 sequel to the highly acclaimed and highly successful 1982 Steven Spielberg co-produced/co-written horror film classic that Tobe Hooper (of THE Texas CHAINSAW MASSACRE fame) directed, and which ranks with THE SHINING as one of the few true horror classics of the 1980s.

The film picks up one year after the events of the original, as the Frelengs, led by Craig T. Nelson and JoBeth Williams, have now moved off to a desert suburb of Phoenix, Arizona while trying to get a new start, living with Williams' mother (Geraldine Fitzgerald). Nelson is having a rough go of it trying to be a vacuum salesman; he had been in real estate, but the Cuesta Verde incident left him out in the cold. When Fitzgerald passes on, however, it lets open the door for some literal ghosts of the Frelengs' past to haunt them. They become terrorized all over again; and this time, getting in contact with both the famous medium Tangina Barrons (Zelda Rubinstein) and an Indian (Will Sampson) well versed in the supernatural, they figure out why. Back in the 19th century, a group of White settlers were confronted by Indian warriors in what was to become the Cuesta Verde Estates, resulting in a horrific Sand Creek-type massacre that resulted in a mass graveyard that Nelson's former employers had built Cuesta Verde over. The spirits of those survivors, including especially a deranged preacher named Kane (Julian Beck), have come back to snatch O'Rourke and to lead them to the Light because they are still not at rest, but they seem to have no intention of bringing her back. Rubinstein and Sampson insist that the Frelengs must return to Cuesta Verde to confront Kane and his minions by entering the Other Side, that netherworld between life and death that Williams and O'Rourke crossed in the original. In between, though, they are confronted with a whole host of horrific things, including a "Vomit Creature", and a supernatural chainsaw that threatens to tear Nelson's station wagon apart as they head out for Cuesta Verde.

Unlike a lot of horror films, POLTERGEIST II maintains a good solid position of having five of the principals from the original film (Dominique Dunne, however, had been killed in real life shortly after the original film had been released), plus the solid special effects work of Richard Edlund, who had worked on the original. What POLTERGEIST II lacks, however, is the effective and incisive direction of Hooper and both his and Spielberg's understanding of the genre and of family. Mark Victor and Michael Grais, though they co-wrote the original's screenplay with Spielberg, somehow fail to grasp those concepts of the original; and Gibson, who directed the 1980 film BREAKING GLASS and later did 1993's WHAT'S LOVE GOT TO DO WITH IT, is not really in Hooper's, let alone Spielberg's, league. The mayhem may very well have been accelerated from the original, but that doesn't necessarily mean it's better.

Two additions, however, do work quite well. Sampson, a real-life Native American who starred in films like ONE FLEW OVER THE CUCKOO'S NEST and THE OUTLAW JOSEY WALES, is extremely good as the Indian shaman who, along with Rubinstein, assists the Frelengs in their confrontation with the ghosts. And Beck is incredibly grisly and frightening as the deranged preacher out to permanently possess O'Rourke; he comes off as a supernatural version of Robert Mitchum's role in the 1955 classic NIGHT OF THE HUNTER.

The most welcome return on POLTERGEIST II, besides Edlund's special effects, is Jerry Goldsmith's intense orchestral score. These things do keep this film from being just another Hollywood exploitational sequel. But what is there is still strangely empty; and that, in the end, is due to the absence of both Spielberg and Hooper in the basic involvement of things.

Sometimes it's amusing, but mostly it's just lame.

[Hey_Sweden · 5/10 · 19 April 2017]

Here we have yet another belated, completely unnecessary sequel that only barely gets by. After their otherworldly encounters, the Freeling family has relocated and are now living with Dianes' (JoBeth Williams) mother (Geraldine Fitzgerald). They don't get much of a breather before supernatural forces again begin to plague them. And these forces still want to get their hands on little Carol Anne (Heather O'Rourke). Diane, Steve (Craig T. Nelson), Carol Anne, and Robbie (Oliver Robins) this time receive assistance from a wise Indian (Will Sampson), while Tangina (Zelda Rubinstein) makes an encore appearance.

Technically, "Poltergeist II: The Other Side" is reasonably well made. But it's so lazily conceived that it's very hard to care what happens here. Making things tolerable are a still very likable bunch of actors, but they have some pretty bad material to work with this time around. A lot of the dialogue is simply abysmal. Attempts at humor largely fall flat. Director Brian Gibson is no Steven Spielberg, or Tobe Hooper, and can't generate any suspense or excitement at all. The efforts of a very talented visual effects team (supervised by Richard Edlund) can only do so much to help. It's hard to believe this was written by the same guys who wrote the first film.

This is not to say that this sequel is devoid of highlights. One pleasure is in watching the supremely creepy Julian Beck as a malevolent "reverend" who puts a human face, of sorts, on the antagonistic spirits. One ingenious moment involves Robbies' braces; the other is a sequence many people do enjoy about this sequel. That would be the "vomit creature" sequence. It turns out there are consequences for swallowing the worm at the bottle of a tequila bottle.

The family is still worth rooting for; young O'Rourke is as adorable as before. It's just too bad they're stuck in such a blah story.

H.R. Giger ("Alien", "Species") is credited with conceptual design.

Sadly, the final film for both Beck and Sampson.

Five out of 10.

So-so first sequel

[ITTMovieFanatic · 6/10 · 2 June 2004]

"Poltergeist II: The Other Side" is a mostly average sequel to the superb 1982 horror movie about unfriendly ghosts terrorizing a suburban family. This movie is not real bad like most people say it is (I did like some of it), but it's not real good either.

"Poltergeist II" takes place in Arizona, which is where the Freeling family now resides. But no matter where you go you can't keep a nasty ghost down, and those pesky spirits are back to terrorize the family once again. Where the first film was scary with a great sense of humor, the second film comes off more funny than scary. Not a good sign for a horror film where you're expected to be scared. And there isn't much scares this time around. Plus, the special effects this time around aren't as effective as they were in the first film. Nevertheless, the effects received another Oscar nomination, which to me was surprising.

If there's anything to like about "Poltergeist II", it's the acting. JoBeth Williams, Craig T. Nelson, Heather O'Rourke, Oliver Robins, and Zelda Rubinstein are all back reprising their roles from the first film, with a few new faces add to the cast. The new cast members add some spark here. Will Sampson is very good as the Indian medicine man who also happens to be an exorcist, and comes in to help out the Freelings; Julian Beck makes a strong presence as the evil preacher who happens to be the leader of the ill-mannered ghosts (Beck was reportedly very ill when he made this, and it shows on the screen; he died right after filming completed); and the great veteran actress Geraldine Fitzgerald has a nice small part as Grandma Freeling. So to sum up this film: good acting, bad story, so-so effects, which makes for an average movie.

*** (out of five)

The dangers of drinking the worm in tequilla graphically displayed.

[Aaron1375 · 5/10 · 2 February 2004]

This sequel was okay at the theater when I saw it, but it wasn't great. Kind of an average film that adds plot points that really are a bit weak. We find out in this one that it was not necessarily the fact the little community was sitting on an old cemetery that was the problem in the first one, but rather that the house was over some burial ground of a cult. There is also this really old man that is a bit creepy wandering around looking for Carol Anne and the Freeling clan. I just think they wanted to add a more physical enemy, someone you could focus on. The family is now living with grandma, but strange stuff starts happening again. For some reason they want Carol Anne. An Indian guy comes to their aid and gives them advice and there are a series of happenings, but this one just isn't as good as the first one as it is very slow in places. The ending was just plain lame and only makes this one worse than it is. As not good as this is though, the next Poltergeist makes this one look a lot better. Some good scenes here and there, but ultimately this one disappoints. Though there is that memorable scene with the worm.

Decent follow-up to a classic

[kannibalcorpsegrinder · 7/10 · 12 October 2016]

Trying to get away from their haunted house, the family that was originally targeted comes under attack once again by the same source as before in their new dwelling and must find the source of it's power in order to finally rid themselves of the evil being.

This one here wasn't all that bad of a sequel. One of the better elements here is the fact that it carries over from the first one and shows the family unit together that was so vital in the first one. Bringing it back relates them more to the events of what came before as what starts this off pretty much right from the beginning. There is some good moments here and there that are pretty enjoyable, as the first attack in the bathroom is a great highlight with some great special effects showing the spirits getting released and an imaginative series that had a great sense of trying to be original, the braces wiring springing to life and ensnaring them in the bathroom is a big scene that's pretty imaginative, and the displays of his religious powers are rather entertaining. The entire vomit creature scene is full of great moments as the early scenes of him possessed trying to toy with her is quite chilling before leading into the cheesiness of the rest of the sequence including the creature itself which looks great and pretty realistic before the all-out encounter in the garage which contains the rather chilling brawls with the electrical wiring and the running chainsaw getting put to great use. That leads into the thrilling finale back in the caverns underground which lend themselves to a spooky setting where the skeletons and cramped rocky settings give this the fine backdrop for the battle in the other dimension which is pretty thrilling overall and really offers a lot to like. These all add up to a film that's far better than it should be even though there's a few problems here. There is one overriding problem with the film that is really hard to shake in it's PG-13 rating. This really shouldn't be much of a problem, but the fact is that it has to retreat on it's horror moments to make it more acceptable for the younger crowd to not get too scared at it. That severely reduces the power of the films' potential when it has to scale back the reason for its being to make it more acceptable. There's also the fact that a couple of times what is eventually revealed completely contradicts what happened before comes about for no reason with the fact that it makes the family seemed destined to their fate instead of just being plagued by a random ghost attack. It really destroys the continuity of the two films. There was some slight scenes that never really felt right in terms of the continuation of the series. The film also has a very slow start, and takes a while to get going. It's all mostly exposition to get into the film, but it could've done with some cutting out to tighten it up. Otherwise, there's some enjoyable parts here.

Rated PG-13: Violence, mild Language and children-in-jeopardy.

The magic is gone

[Jexxon · 1/10 · 25 March 2005]

The poor family from the first Poltergeist film think they're safe, after having moved and thrown out the TV. Well, they're wrong. Now living with grandma, they soon discover that the nasty ghosts and goblins are back - led by the nasty reverend Kane, who for some reason wants to get his hands on little Carol Anne.

The original is a classic - this one isn't. It's got quick-cash project written all over it. The effects are less than special, the plot leaves a lot to be desired, and it just feels sloppy and uninspired. Poltergeist managed to be funny, scary, dramatic, and overall entertaining - all at once. The sequel is just boring, albeit we do get to see Craig T Nelson acting all coked up for some reason.

The plot is little more than a thinly disguised allegory over the importance of the concept of family (see how the dad feel's inadequate, starts drinking and literally turns into a different person). All talk about how the family must stick together feels strange considering that one of the kids from the first film isn't in this one, and no explanation is given either (yes, I know the actress was killed shortly after the first one - but still...).

There's also a subplot about psychic powers that just doesn't go anywhere. Most of the film is just talk, talk, talk. Occasionally there's a "cheap" jump scare thrown in there, just to keep people awake. But considering the anticlimactic ending, you might as well stay asleep. [1/10]

Revenge of the 80's: The multiple sequels.

[Captain_Couth · 8/10 · 29 June 2004]

Poltergeist II (1986) was the second film of the Poltergeist Trilogy. With the amount of money the first film made. the studio decided to make another film. The principal players from the Freeling family are here (sans Dominique Dunne, for reasons known) along with an old friend from part one. A new character is added to the mix as well. Poltergeist II is darker than the first one (if you can believe that) but not as brilliant as the first one.

The Freelings have moved away from the remnants of the home. After the horrific events of part one, things can't get any worse (or can they...). An evil entity is following the family on the run. For awhile things are relativity calm. They've set up a new residence (with a family member) but the family has fallen on some pretty hard times. But they're about to get even harder. A dark man has been visiting them hurling religious epitaphs at them. Like a family house guest he doesn't want to leave and is even more bothersome than a Fuller Brush salesman or a religious solicitor. Does this strange figure intended to harm the Freelings or is he a person from the family's past?

A scary sequel. Not bad, if you want to follow the exploits of the Freelings then this movie is for you. Poltergeist II is a worthy sequel. I enjoyed it very much. Followed by the final entry in the Poltergeist trilogy, the ever so dark and (surprisingly frightening) part three.

Recommended.

A flawed but fun sequel

[al-682 · 7/10 · 23 March 2008]

Being a big fan of the original 'Poltergeist', it's fun to see the Freelings reunited (aside from Dominique Dunne, of course, who was murdered soon after filming 'Poltergeist') in this flawed but fun sequel to the original classic.

The film introduces some interesting concepts to the Poltergeist mythos, particularly a great final performance from Julian Beck as the very creepy Reverend Kane (Beck died soon after filming due to stomach cancer - no, not the so called 'poltergeist curse' - Beck was fully aware of his condition whilst working on the movie).

Despite another great performance from little Heather O'Rourke and professional performances from the rest of the cast (albeit not as inspired or memorable as their performances in the original), the film ultimately lacks the heart, warmth and quality of the original.

As a viewer, you can't help but come away with the feeling that if a little more time, money and love had been bestowed on the production this could have been a better film.

Still, there are some memorable moments and genuine spine-tingles in this sequel.

Despite the rushed feeling to some parts of the production, for it's nostalgic revisiting of the family Freeling, the Kane character, the few memorable 'horror' moments and last but not least, the fantastic follow-up soundtrack by the great Jerry Goldsmith, I rate this film 7/10.

Mixed bag of a sequel

[Red-Barracuda · 5/10 · 17 March 2010]

In this follow-up to Poltergeist, the Freeling family call on the big Native American fella from One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest to help them once again defeat evil malevolent spirits that seem to not like them very much.

As with virtually all sequels this one is inferior to the original. However, the first film wasn't all that great and this one isn't a complete washout either. The story is modified somewhat from the first episode so that now the source of the poltergeist unrest is attributed to the dead followers of a cult leader, as opposed to the dead disturbed by unscrupulous property developers. The change has really only been made so that they can have a sequel to be perfectly honest, however, it does mean that the series is able to introduce the evil Reverend Kane. Kane is probably the best character in the series and his scene where he confronts the Freeling family on their front porch is the scariest and most well-crafted moment in any of the films. Julien Beck is excellent and unforgettable as the skeletal preacher. The rest of the cast play it strictly by numbers, although once again Heather O'Rourke is fab as the little girl. The other daughter is completely written out of this film with no explanation. Although it's a well documented fact that the actress who played her, Dominique Dunne, was murdered shortly after the first film was released, I still don't think it would have trashed her memory to have explained her absence; quite the opposite in fact.

The Poltergeist series was perhaps most famous at the time for its spectacular visual effects and this film is no exception. The demon Kane is a well rendered creation, and there are a number of cool 80's effects throughout. Unfortunately, though, it all ends in a somewhat underwhelming finale where the family enter some vortex or something. I think it would have been better if they had cut back on the special-effects here and simply re-introduced Reverend Kane, as he was much scarier. But I guess having a big effects-laden ending is one of the in-built rules of the Poltergeist movies sadly.

Overall, there's good stuff in this sequel but it's ultimately squandered on a rubbish ending.

Never Drink The Worm

[chelano · 7/10 · 16 October 2011]

This is a good sequel to the first film. It takes place only a little time after the first. Heather O'Rourke has gotten a little older since the first film, so you has many more lines in the film. I guess you could say it gives her character a little more personality. The father, mother and brother are the same from the first also, so that is good. A new edition is the mother of JoBeth Williams's character, Geraldine Fitzgerald. Now the biggest thing in this film is the character Kane played by Julian Beck. In the first film they gave the ghost a voice. Here they gave him a body and a really creepy on at that. Beck did an amazing job. The story line was decent but two things got in the way for me. They should of left the problem to Zelda Rubinstein's character. Instead they brought in this Indian guy and his acting was a little off. Also the ending of the film was interesting. Why they went with that ending, I am not sure. But still a great and scary movie.

A Decent Follow Up

[Waqar_Shah666 · 7/10 · 23 September 2010]

A nice sequel to a classic supernatural thriller/horror film from 1982. It has certain sweet scenes that I feel helped the film. Definitely not as good as the first, but still as great as a sequel can be to 'Poltergeist'. Maybe not a flick for everyone, but should be fine only for people who enjoyed the first.

The only real flaw is the short sequence on the other side. It's a shame that they deleted quite a few good scenes, it's even worse that there is no way to see them. This sequel is very underrated. It paid great respect to the original, with lines, camera shots, creepiness, and sequences. A good example would be an extreme close-up on a TV, and the camera slowly tracking away.

It continued the story well. The special effects are amazing here too, as is the acting. It does loose the realism of the first. Also the actor who plays the villain is brilliant, he was scary. I hate that they never mentioned the elder sister or even dedicated it to the actress, who played her. There are very small flaws, however overall a good faithful sequel to the original.

Check it out if you really enjoyed the first.

Undistinguised sequel with the likable family pursued by diabolic forces

[ma-cortes · 5/10 · 23 June 2008]

This second installment concerns about the young Freeling family(Jobeth Williams, Craig T Nelson, Robbins, O'Rourke and no Dominick Dunne but was suddenly killed) again, various months later and in a new house. Then appears the otherworld Beast in a ghostly apparition as the evil reverend Kane(Julian Beck.)It seems all of his supernatural powers have just about sent over the edge. The nasty reverend back from the other side and he wishes the good Carol(Heather O'Rourke), but with help her family, united to psychic Tangina, an Indian American(Will Patton) and the Granma(Geraldine Fitzgerald)confront against the weird being.

This inferior sequel from original (produced by Spielberg and directed by Tobe Hooper) contains spooky scenes, intrigue, suspense and dazzling special effects by Richard Edlund. The performances are uninspired and is badly paced with flaws and gaps which cause lack common sense and no coherence . Spectacular music score by the master Jerry Goldsmith and colorful cinematography by Andrew Lazslo. The complete project collapses under a regular direction by Brian Gibson(1944-2004). He was a director with no much success, and a biographies expert, such as : 'The Josephine Baker story and Tina Turner' ,and also directed 'The Juror, Still crazy and Camarena story'. Followed by a third sequel starred by Heather O'Rourke who surprisingly deceased, Tom Skerrit, Nancy Allen and Zelda Rubinstein, usual in the tree parts. The motion picture is classified PG-13(Parents guide) for violence, tense events and intensity. This pointless sequel and occasionally plodding will like to strange deeds buffs and Poltergeist trilogy fans.

A fun little sequel, "Poltergeist II: The Other Side" doesn't hold a candle to the original, but is still a creepy, good time...

[TedStixonAKAMaximumMadness · 7/10 · 4 July 2012]

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.

Crappy, crappy sequel

[zmaturin · 1/10 · 20 July 2000]

This is one incredibly moronic movie. It begins with magical spirits flying up a man's nose (he looks like a telekinetic coke addict), and then goes down hill from there.

The older daughter from the first movie is missing and no attempt is made to explain her absence. The rest of the family is back, though, headed up by stoner parents JoBeth Williams and Coach (a.k.a Craig T. Nelson, who is painfully bad in this), who both have really bad hair. Once again they're plagued by spirits from beyond. Who do they trust? The annoying Native American guy who sits around their backyard, speaks in half-assed proverbs, and does nothing for about an hour of screen time? Or the silly-beyond-words Reverend Kane, who sings asinine bible songs at the top of his lungs? Who cares? You'll be too busy laughing at this film's unending parade of goofiness.

The first movie was really good- it held your attention, had interesting effects, and had some very scary, eerie sequences. It wasn't perfect, but it was an enjoyable movie. This flick is ridiculous. It has a few okay moments whenever the main monster shows up (He first appears after Coach vomits him up!). He's pretty cool looking, but you don't get to see him much. The rest of the movie's effects sequences are completely preposterous. In one scene a kid is attacked by his own braces. Then Coach sits on a ghost. That's about it.

Pointless scenes drag on, filled with boring dialog about the family's power when they work together, blah, blah, blah, and the characters all become so annoying that you'll wear out your fast forward button. If you make it to the end, you'll be treated to an absurd sequence where the family goes into the spirit world and floats around like Christopher Reeves' Superman. These scenes are so incredibly goofy, I simply cannot do them justice here. If you think you know goofy, just wait. The movie "A Goofy Movie" wasn't as goofy as this movie. The key word here is "goofy".

You will laugh at this movie, but not with it. This movie tries very hard to be funny, but fails miserably. Take for instance the "classic" closing scene: Annoying Native American guy and Coach look at Coach's car. Coach says "How can I make the car happy?" Annoying Native American guy says "It wants to go home with me!" So Coach gives him the keys and he drives away- but then the family realizes that they need a ride home! D'oh! They chase after the car as the credits roll. That's the film's stinger, the scene they thought would cement this movie in the hearts of film goers everywhere. Instead, I'd like to cement it in a crate at the bottom of the ocean, mobster-style.

I hated this movie.

Ordinary Sequel

[benjaminryder-45940 · 7/10 · 8 October 2020]

I'm not sure some movies really need sequels and Poltergiest is one of them. There's nothing else to do but repeat themselves and that's what Poltergiest II does, but it's not a total loss as there are some memorable moments thrown in.

The Freelings have relocated to the home of Diane's elderly mother after their house vanished into thin air at the end of the first film. It's not long before the ghosts find them and want Carol Ann to lead them into the light. This time, they're led by a charismatic preacher named Kane who can manifest himself to people in broad daylight. Zelda Rubenstein returns as Tangina and brings along Will Sampson as a kindly Native American who tries to help the family rid themselves of these unclean spirits.

Everything is a little bit goofier in Poltergeist II. Instead of being attacked by a creepy clown doll, Robbie is attacked by his braces which come to life and hoist him up to the ceiling. Chainsaws fly around, grandmother spirits appear to save the day, and Stephen pukes up a tequila worm that's twice the size of his body. The cast remain as game as ever and, if it weren't for them, none of this would hold together.

The few frightening moments of the film are supplied by Julian Beck's astounding performance as Kane. He makes the most of his limited screentime and radiates a sense of danger and menace that will have you leaving your lights on at night.

Amusing But Not Scary

[Rainey-Dawn · 5/10 · 23 December 2022]

This film is so lame but kinda fun to watch. It doesn't have the overall 'spookiness' of the first film except for that demon preacher guy that after Carol Anne - now he's creepy. Mostly this film just comes across as comical: floating chainsaw, braces going crazy, tequila worm monster... yea it's funny sometimes. I'd say this movie is worth watching for the laughs - not for scares.

This story is of the poltergeist following the family and the creepy preacher is after Carol Anne. Not a lot is explained as to why he wants Carol or why the family needed to go back to their original home in the end.

5/10.

They're here, again!

[OllieSuave-007 · 8/10 · 27 May 2014]

Poltergeist II is one of better ghost/horror sequels I've seen, a story where the Freeling family moves to a new house, but followed by the supernatural, in the form of Reverend Kane.

Being a movie made in the early 1980s, like its prequel, it still holds a great amount of horror, as its elements will grip you and send chills down your spine. This movie doesn't rely on gore and violence to make it entertaining, but rather relies on the ghosts' presence and their frightening powers that they are able to unleash onto the unfortunately family, highlighted also in very polished and keen special effects.

The screenplay and story by Michael Grais and Mark Victor were well-written, giving us a captivating and exciting plot, and the direction by Brian Gibson is solid and thrilling like the original. The cast of characters gave another superb and heartfelt performance.

Overall, it's a good continuation of the original Poltergeist, but also works great as a sequel with its unique storyline superb acting.

Grade B+

because of Dominique (web)

[leplatypus · 7/10 · 3 February 2014]

Well, hadn't she been killed by her real ex-boyfriend, i'm sure that the big sister would have rejoiced this Freeling family again! Strangely, her absence is never explained in this sequel, nor the next one. In all cases, the best thing of this movie is again the incredible cast because the parents and the kids are really the best family ever made for screen. Then, i'm straightforward and i acknowledge that the movie hasn't the quality of « P1 ». The great difference is that « P1 » was about ordinary getting extraordinary while « P2 » is totally extraordinary : with the opening of a native exorcism, you can only expect ghosts afterward! The characters of reverend Kane, very creepy, and Taylor are a bit too Old West for me. Sometimes, i thought i was watching the episode « Showdown at Malibu Beach High » from Baywatch (SE3EP6). And notice that the pair would be the next two victims of the curse (read about the stunning anecdote of Nelson visiting his grave !). However, there are good scenes in the movie, especially when the father becomes infected. At this moment, i thought to « alien » and « Prometheus » and it was a surprise to discover on the credits that the monster was designed by Giger. If it's still difficult to understand the explanation about the light and why they need Carol Ann, what i will remember definitely about the movie is that Carol Ann said that she didn't want to grow up and that her last words to her dying Grandma was « i love you », the same she told her real mother at the end.

Interesting Sequel, But Really Not Needed.

[tfrizzell · 15 March 2002]

Interesting sequel to the box office hit of 1982 gets a little too smart for its own good early on. The thing that made the first so frightening was the fact that nothing was ever really explained. "Poltergeist II: The Other Side" tries to give background into the events of the first and this is not really needed. For those with curious minds the sequel may be better than the original, but I felt that the audience was better off "being in the dark" about what was happening. Not bad, but really one of those films that was just used because of the enormous success of its predecessor. 2.5 out of 5 stars.

A Respectable Sequel

[damianphelps · 7/10 · 23 February 2021]

Following on from the original was always going to be a challenge and the director and co have done an admirable job.

It builds nicely on the mythology or story of the first movie, providing extra depth. Julian Beck is just as creepy as The Tall Man in Phantasm, great job.

The other win here was keeping enough of the original cast.

Cool follow up :)

Not as good as first movie

[atinder · 6/10 · 3 November 2012]

Poltergeist II: The Other Side (1986)

This sequel was not as good as first movie at all, it was decent follow up.

I found this movie a little be more creepy then first movie as the tall old man Taylor , Man was he really creepy.

I found some parts of the movie a little dull at times, I did get little bored at times, didn't flow like the first movie.

The ending was really nice (Maybe little cheesy for nowadays) and fits in with the the movie.

The acting was really good from the whole cast, 6 out of 10