MORE than three decades ago, supernatural shocker Poltergeist profitably severed the box-office jugular and spawned two sequels.

Unsurprisingly, this remake strikes again to terrify a new generation of shock-film fans.

The story’s the same — Eric and Amy Bowen (Sam Rockwell and Rosemarie DeWitt) and their three children move into a house in a typical “sanitised-by-Spielberg” US suburb.

Before long they are subjected to a tsunami of supernatural terror, with the undead seizing youngest daughter Madison (Kennedi Clements) and it’s up to TV paranormal expert Carrigan Burke (Jared Harris) to save her.

Director Gil Kenan delivers a highly effective genre picture, bringing the strong and at times painfully noisy scare story vividly to life. There’s pace, atmosphere and effective performances, especially by Clements and Kyle Catlett as her younger brother Griffin.

Highly effective 3D and state -of-the-art special effects help create the perfect serum to raise the franchise from the dead.