MOVIE REVIEW: PET SEMATARY

Dr. Louis Creed and his wife, Rachel, relocate from Boston to rural Maine with their two young children. The couple soon discover a mysterious burial ground hidden deep in the woods near their new home. When tragedy strikes, Louis turns to his neighbour Jud Crandall, setting off a perilous chain reaction that unleashes an unspeakable evil with horrific consequences.

Director: Kevin Kolsch, Dennis Widmyer

Cast: Jason Clarke, Amy Seimetz, John Lithgow, Jeté Laurence

Release Date: April 5, 2019

Genres: Horror, Mystery, Thriller

Rated R for horror violence, bloody images, and some language

Runtime: 1h 40min

Review:

The second adaptation of Stephen King’s Pet Sematary is much like its first adaptation, a mix bag of jump scares and under explored ideas.  I can’t speak to how closely the film follows the original novel since it’s one of King’s major works I never got around to reading.  As such, the film offers little in the way of tension or surprises.  There are a well timed jump scares which directors Kevin Kolsch and Dennis Widmyer choreograph well but never feel particularly fresh.  It’s a theme that carries throughout the majority of film even thought it’s propped up by a strong central performance by Jason Clarke.  Jeté Laurence, likewise, makes an impressive debut as the pair’s daughter and John Lithgow is equally strong in a supporting role but the story never bothers to delve any deeper into the various themes at play.  Instead we’re left questioning the bevy of terrible decisions the central characters make but the film never really bother making you care much about them so when things start going bad we don’t get the desired dread.  Instead we’re left with general disinterest over another forgettable horror film. 

C+