From directors Kevin Kölsch and Dennis Widmyer, the new Pet Sematary movie finally premieres in theaters this weekend. It is the second film based on the novel of the same name by Stephen King, as director Mary Lambert’s version was released in 1989. Because the first movie’s screenplay was written by King himself, it stayed rather faithful to the source material. The new story from Matt Greenberg and screenwriter Jeff Buhler keeps the same characters and structure seen in the novel and 1989 film, but offers some significant changes to help the 2019 remake stand on its own.
Warning: This review touches on the SPOILERS revealed in the trailer and poster.
In Pet Sematary, the Creed family – Louis, Rachel, 8-year-old Ellie, and toddler Gage – move away from Boston to a rural town in Maine. Unfortunately, the home is located next to both a very busy highway and a mysterious burial ground hidden in the woods. When he learns that the “sour” dirt there is capable of bringing the dead back to life, Louis buries the family cat Church at the burial ground. The feline comes back, but is no longer the same lovable Church he used to be. Distraught and hoping things will turn out differently, Louis does the same thing with his daughter after her life is taken by a reckless driver. Unfortunately, doing so only proves that sometimes dead is better.
It’s not the horror or supernatural elements which make Pet Sematary so scary. Frankly, too much time is spent on the ghosts of Pascow and Zelda, the animal masks are a bit much, and some of the jump scares fall flat. What will resonate more with viewers is the film’s heavy sense of loss, which is something everyone will have to deal with in life. Those with kids at home will especially find the film horrifying in this way, and parents will want to go home and hug their little ones tighter than ever before after seeing the film. There’s a constant state of dreariness felt from start to finish, and it’s about as far removed from a feelgood movie as you can get.
The biggest disappointment about Pet Sematary actually came before its release. For reasons I’m still trying to figure out, the producers chose to highlight Ellie’s death in the trailer and official poster. The actual scene is played out incredibly well, expertly playing with audience expectations with such a huge deviation from the source material. As it was, this scene should have resulted in a collective gasp from the audience when Ellie falls victim to the semi instead of Gage. Instead, it doesn’t elicit the reaction that it should, as most filmgoers know to expect it.
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It’s unfortunate that the decision was made to spoil the one chance the movie had to truly shock viewers. With that said, the scene in question is no less heartbreaking than it would be had it been Gage. No parent should have to lose a child in such a horrible way, and witnessing the accident and aftermath on screen just might cue the waterworks for you. Even when you know what’s coming, there’s a sense of dread that gradually builds until the scene happens, and the moment itself is rather devastating.
One area that particularly shines for this movie lies in the work of the fantastic cast. Amy Seimetz and Jason Clarke both submit very touching performances as parents dealing with tragedy, and the latter grows increasingly scary as he descends further into complete insanity. With all due respect to Fred Gwynne, John Lithgow is an excellent Jud Crandall in his own right, making viewers feel for the kooky character in the scenes where he opens up. Even surrounded by such talent, however, it’s child actress Jeté Laurence who steals the show as little Ellie Creed. Her portrayal as the innocent little girl in the start of the film will have you reeling over her death, while the undead version of Ellie may then leave you feeling very unnerved.
We’ve seen better Stephen King adaptations than the new Pet Sematary, but we’ve also seen much worse. Despite the issues touched on above, it’s a good horror movie that’s worth the price of admission. It’s unlikely I’ll be wanting to revisit the film when it’s released on home video, but you know what? I’m not exactly rushing to rewatch the 1989 version again anytime soon either. The movies aren’t exactly fun to watch as they’re just so dreary, unsettling, and downright heartbreaking. But maybe that’s the whole point.
Pet Sematary is now playing in theaters everywhere.
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