Review of Poltergeist II: The Other Side (1986) by Kevin B — 31 Jan 2013

"They're back!" The Freeling Family is far from safe after escaping from their haunted home in Cuesta Verde, California... The dark entity that controls the other spirits has come looking for Carol Anne, who he believes is their gateway back to Earth.

With the aid of an Indian spirit guide, the Freelings must band together once more to defeat the forces of evil and win back their family! If POLTERGEIST painted the picture of the perfect American family, POLTERGEIST 2: THE OTHER SIDE shows us what happens when that family is torn apart.

With their hopes and dreams diminished, the Freelings are forced to move in to Grandma's house, and Steve must return to selling vacuum cleaners to make ends meet. The psychological damage and financial stresses from their ghostly encounter has left the family in ruin, which is just where evil has the advantage to strike when they are at their weakest.

Despite their hardships, we find that the bonds of love cannot be broken, and the Freelings are able to overcome their greatest trials yet. POLTERGEIST 2 dives into the history of the Cuesta Verde estate, revealing that the ghosts that haunt the area were the followers of a religious fanatic that drove his congregation to a horrible death.

Julian Beck makes his series debut as the Reverand Kane, a terrifying personage of evil incarnate. Craig T. Nelson and JoBeth Williams return along with Zelda Rubinstein, Oliver Robins, and Heather O'Rourke as well, and while their is a bit more overacting than before, it is great to see these familiar characters continue their battle, together.

Nelson's first confrontation with Reverand Kane as Steve Freeling provides one of the most powerful moments in the entire series. The sequel is also much darker and more menacing in tone than its predecessor, with far more shocks and frights abound.

As sequels go, THE OTHER SIDE does a great job building upon the original, while carefully monitoring the personal struggles of each of its characters to maximize the emotional impact of the film.