Poltergeist III (1988)

Poltergeist III is the rare late-’80s horror sequel that finds a fresh hook and commits to it: an entire high-rise turned into a funhouse of mirrors where every reflection feels like a doorway that might open at the worst possible moment. Director Gary Sherman leans into a sleek, chilly urban vibe—glass, steel, empty corridors, and a creeping sense that the building itself is being possessed—so the scares land less like random jolts and more like an escalating siege. It’s at its best as an effects-driven thriller, briskly paced and full of clever visual misdirection, with Heather O’Rourke’s vulnerability giving the spectacle a human pulse. If you want subtle psychological horror, this isn’t that; but if you’re on the fence and craving inventive, old-school supernatural set pieces that keep topping themselves, it’s a surprisingly watchable ride.

Poltergeist III is clearly trying to bottle the original’s suburban-spook magic inside a slick high-rise setting, leaning hard into mirrors, reflections, and big “nowhere is safe” set pieces. The problem is the story feels more like a string of effects-driven scares than a coherent escalation, and the characters are too thin to make the danger land emotionally. Performances range from serviceable to stiff, and the movie often mistakes noisy spectacle for suspense, which can get tiring if you want atmosphere and payoff. If you’re a completionist or you enjoy late-’80s horror gimmickry, there’s some creepy imagery to enjoy, but if you’re coming for strong writing, memorable character work, or anything close to the first film’s heart, this will likely disappoint.