Pet Sematary

Pet Sematary Review
2019
6
Director: 
Kevin Kolsch, Dennis Widmyer

SYNOPSIS: 

Louis Creed, his wife Rachel and their two children Gage and Ellie move to a rural home where they are welcomed and enlightened about the eerie ‘Pet Sematary’ located near their home. After the tragedy of their cat being killed by a truck, Louis resorts to burying it in the mysterious pet cemetery, which is definitely not as it seems, as it proves to the Creeds that sometimes, dead is better.

REVIEW: 

Whether you’re the type of person who loves remakes or simply the type who loves to hate them, it’s highly likely that 2019’s Pet Sematary is on your radar for one reason or another if you’re into horror. It’s directed by Kevin Kölsch and Dennis Widmyer (who also directed Starry Eyes) and is, of course, a reboot of the classic Stephen King film Pet Sematary from 1983. Pet Sematary stars Jason Clarke (Winchester, Trust), Amy Seimatz (The Sacrament, You’re Next, Bitter Feast), and the always legendary John Lithgow (Raising Cane, Twilight Zone: The Movie).

Those who aren’t acquainted with either the novel or the 1989 Mary Lambert film adaptation are definitely in for a treat as far as the plotline goes. Pet Sematary is the twisted tale of a mysterious ancient graveyard for pets with the unexplained ability to resurrect those buried there. When the unwitting Creed family moves to the area and experiences the power of the graveyard firsthand, terror ensues. “Sometimes dead is better” is the moral of the story, and this classic tale does an excellent job of explaining why.

But is this glossy reboot of Pet Sematary really worth your time, or are you better off simply taking a walk down memory lane and re-watching the first adaptation? If you’re like many horror fans, the resounding success of 2017’s It remake gave you tentatively high hopes for Pet Sematary, and the film does deliver in many ways. Its take on the horrifyingly creepy cat, Church is really well done and definitely makes for some decently good scares. There are also some truly creepy vision sequences, and cinematographer Laurie Rose does an amazing job of setting up some really impactful shots.

John Lithgow is predictably wonderful as the kindly Jud Crandall. Jason Clarke also turns in an incredible performance as the conflicted Dr. Louis Creed. In fact, the entire cast does an amazing job of making the world of Pet Sematary feel and seem not only real, but appropriately terrifying. The atmosphere set by the film, cast, and crew is appropriately forbidding on every level and does justice to the original mood of the King novel. And if mood isn’t really what makes the hairs on your arms stand up when you watch a horror film, rest easy in the knowledge that there are plenty of really effective jump scares thrown in for good measure as well.

To be fair, some things about the film don’t quite work or else simply seem unnecessary. There are certain liberties taken with the plot that take away from the build-up of the mood, as well as the descent into madness experienced by Dr. Creed over the course of the movie. There’s also a lot of effort made to include many of the legendary scene’s fans of the book and first adaptation will no doubt be watching for – perhaps too much effort, as this sometimes feels forced and prevents this newest incarnation of Pet Sematary from truly feeling like its own film.

All in all, this is a really good effort and definitely worth seeing. You’ll like it if you enjoyed the King book, the 1989 adaptation, or both, even if you won’t necessarily be blown away. If you’re unfamiliar with this story in any form, this is well worth seeing if for no other reason than to experience one hell of a creepy tale that’s honestly too good to miss out on. Ultimately, this version of Pet Sematary doesn’t really bring anything new or especially exceptional to the table. It will likely ultimately be forgotten as the years roll on. However, you won’t be sorry you saw it if the idea of it appeals to you at all. It’s definitely worth a watch some Saturday night over popcorn.

SIMILAR MOVIES REVIEWS

OTHER MOVIES REVIEWS

La Reliquia - a movie by Paolo Martini

La Reliquia

2020

Disturbing Rosemary's Baby in southern sauce, "La reliquia" (seen online at the Fantafestival in Rome) is a successful insight into the practices and rituals of southern Italy. The theme is the atmosphere is very interesting and original, but the narrative suffers from the short duration. The cast of actors is exceptional, mostly comedians, but perfectly in part in histrionic (Paolantoni) or slimy (Rizzo) roles. The beautiful and evocative photography creates a dark atmosphere. Effective direction. Note of merit: the use of the lunar music by Egisto Macchi, author of... Read More

Gretel & Hansel Review

Gretel & Hansel

2020

Anyone familiar with the original versions of classic fairy tales like “Hansel and Gretel” already knows that they have lots of horror movie potential. As a rule though, most attempts to capture these tales on film tend to miss the mark. It’s clear from the conspicuous reversal of the titular names that Gretel & Hansel hopes to distinguish itself from the rest of the pack right from the get-go, but does it actually do the job, or are you better off spending 90 minutes of your time on some other film? Gretel & Hansel is the brainchild of writer/director Oz... Read More

Ritual Review

Ritual

2013

A married couple with a complicated relationship, a corpse, and a room at a less than reputable motel. It’s a classic formula for a horror movie that’s no doubt familiar for many genre fans. It’s also the set-up for Mickey Keating’s 2013 film, Ritual. Ritual is the 14th original film distributed by After Dark Originals. It stars Dean Cates (Pod) and Lisa Summerscales as married couple, Tom and Lovely. Additional costars include Derek Phillips (Serum), Brian Lally, and Katherine Skelton. Ritual opens with a warning title card, promising plenty of violence to come. It... Read More

Dead Awake review

Dead Awake

2016

Whether you’ve personally experienced it or simply heard your share of other people’s horror stories over the years, it doesn’t get much scarier than sleep paralysis. Director Phillip Guzman (Sleep No More) makes this all too relatable real life phenomenon the center of his 2016 indie horror film Dead Awake. The film stars indie horror favorite Jocelin Donahue (House of the Devil, All the Creatures Were Stirring) in the lead, as well as Jesse Bradford (Cherry Falls), Brea Grant (Dead Night), Lori Petty (Bates Motel), and others in supporting roles. The... Read More

The Noonday Witch review

The Noonday Witch

2016

When you think of the most chilling horror tales of all time, there are a lot of staples that come immediately to mind when it comes to possible settings – like dank asylums, haunted houses, isolated forests, or just about anywhere that feels a little creepier and more sinister under cover of darkness. You don’t probably think of sun-drenched corn fields or bright summer days in the countryside, but The Noonday Witch may just change your mind about that. The Noonday Witch is a 2016 Czech language film brought to the screen by promising Czech director, Jiri Sadek. (In... Read More