Pet Sematary (B- or 2.5/4 stars)
'Pet Sematary' (directed by Kevin Kolsch & Dennis Widmyer) is a remake of the 1989 horror flick & based on Stephen King's 1983 novel. Dr. Louis Creed (Jason Clarke), his wife Rachel (Amy Seimetz), & their children - 8 yr. old Ellie (Jete Lawrence) & 2 yr. old Gage (Hugo & Lucas Lavoie) - have relocated from noisy, high-pressure Boston, Mass. to live a quiet suburban life in rural Ludlow, Maine. While exploring the forest area behind her new house {which is near a busy trucking highway}. curious Ellie discovers a frightful pet 'cemetery' where, for generations, local children have buried their deceased pets. That is where she meets friendly-yet-somewhat-odd neighbor, Jud (John Lithgow), a widower who becomes a friend of the family.
Soon, Louis is experiencing nightmares that evoke the memory of his recent patient who died (Obssa Ahmedi), who warns: "The ground is sour". Louis doesn't tell that to Rachel, who is still guilt-ridden about a disfigured sister who died young in a horrific home accident. When Ellie's pet cat Churchill dies, Jud shows Louis a hilltop ... where dead animals miraculously come back to life! Problem with that is: after a darkly magical rebirth, they are not the way they were before {besides 'looking' ill, the personality is ... off}. But Ellie - who didn't know that Churchill died - realizes something is awry. Jud notes, "Sometimes dead is better". But now that Louis knows about the dark magic, he must decide what to do the next time tragedy strikes.
This film version isn't great or anything, but I was surprised by how strong it was in fits-&-starts. Coming 30 yrs. after the '89 movie {which I did not care for; poor acting ruined it for me}, this remake is effectively unsettling, focusing on the characters rather than on explicit gore & visual effects. The writers throw in an interesting twist, differing from the novel & original movie and, the directors concentrate on eerie atmosphere, legitimate jump scares {most involve speeding trucks} & some crisp sound design {including a chilling musical score from the great Christopher Young}. But this is one of the darkest stories Stephen King ever wrote (he was reluctant to have it published because there are elements in it from his real life), so its effect is more unnerving than it is riveting {more of a slow burn sense of dread}.
If this movie thrives at all, it is due to the doom & gloom that pervades the proceedings. This is a DARK movie; in color scheme/shadows - but also dark in tone & ramifications. Bad things happen to good people. Some horror fans - like me - will appreciate this remake's disquieting nature & craftsmanship, but others may be looking for a simpler, PG-13 slasher quality that the original lent. Why I can't praise this movie to the heaves, however, is because: a) it is not High Art. And b) some of the plot points get a bit crazy & mayhemic for my liking near the end; even though I dug the final shots and their sick implications. For better or worse ... there is little joy to be had from 'Pet Sematary'. Either you're looking for that or not.
Soon, Louis is experiencing nightmares that evoke the memory of his recent patient who died (Obssa Ahmedi), who warns: "The ground is sour". Louis doesn't tell that to Rachel, who is still guilt-ridden about a disfigured sister who died young in a horrific home accident. When Ellie's pet cat Churchill dies, Jud shows Louis a hilltop ... where dead animals miraculously come back to life! Problem with that is: after a darkly magical rebirth, they are not the way they were before {besides 'looking' ill, the personality is ... off}. But Ellie - who didn't know that Churchill died - realizes something is awry. Jud notes, "Sometimes dead is better". But now that Louis knows about the dark magic, he must decide what to do the next time tragedy strikes.
This film version isn't great or anything, but I was surprised by how strong it was in fits-&-starts. Coming 30 yrs. after the '89 movie {which I did not care for; poor acting ruined it for me}, this remake is effectively unsettling, focusing on the characters rather than on explicit gore & visual effects. The writers throw in an interesting twist, differing from the novel & original movie and, the directors concentrate on eerie atmosphere, legitimate jump scares {most involve speeding trucks} & some crisp sound design {including a chilling musical score from the great Christopher Young}. But this is one of the darkest stories Stephen King ever wrote (he was reluctant to have it published because there are elements in it from his real life), so its effect is more unnerving than it is riveting {more of a slow burn sense of dread}.
If this movie thrives at all, it is due to the doom & gloom that pervades the proceedings. This is a DARK movie; in color scheme/shadows - but also dark in tone & ramifications. Bad things happen to good people. Some horror fans - like me - will appreciate this remake's disquieting nature & craftsmanship, but others may be looking for a simpler, PG-13 slasher quality that the original lent. Why I can't praise this movie to the heaves, however, is because: a) it is not High Art. And b) some of the plot points get a bit crazy & mayhemic for my liking near the end; even though I dug the final shots and their sick implications. For better or worse ... there is little joy to be had from 'Pet Sematary'. Either you're looking for that or not.