Written by: Kevin Berge
Creepy animal mask children has to have some kind of official name as a phobia. (Image Courtesy of: avforums.com)
Quick Take: Pet Sematary (2019) is a frightening and bleak experience that feels like it ultimately lacks much insight. While it certainly has memorable frights and works as a basic horror experience, those looking for more will not find it despite Stephen King's original novel being driven by the underlying ideas.
***This review will not contain spoiler beyond the basic set-up of Pet Sematary, not excepting the viewer to have seen any form of this story before reading the review. Anyone can read ahead without risk.***
I'm not much of a horror buff, but, in recent years, I've found myself often drawn to the genre particularly psychological horror. For that reason, I have found myself forgetting why I never considered the genre much my cup of tea.
Pet Sematary feels like a prime example of why I'm not a horror fan. It's a good movie. I enjoyed the experience in a "tried not to jump out of my seat" kind of way, but it wasn't one that lingered with me.
This movie has a lot of surface-level frights that work, but it never dives deeper. It occasionally shies away from diving too deep into its own demons, and the primary themes feel immensely surface level.
All this is to say that I think it is perfect for those just going to see a scary movie. This story of a family torn apart by their own fears and negligence is wonderfully twisted, but I feel like we've gotten to a point that the genre has moved beyond this.
This is not to knock the source material here. While the original film is much worse, there's a book at the core here that really does dive deeper, one of Stephen King's best. Horror novels though have to be thoughtful and creepy. Horror movies can just be jumpy and violent.
Where this movie ultimately falls short is that it is simply a bit too stupid for my liking. The characters all make choices that don't feel earned because it feels like their purpose is to make the decision that brings them to the end rather than the decision that would make the most sense for their motivations.
I'm not much of a horror buff, but, in recent years, I've found myself often drawn to the genre particularly psychological horror. For that reason, I have found myself forgetting why I never considered the genre much my cup of tea.
Pet Sematary feels like a prime example of why I'm not a horror fan. It's a good movie. I enjoyed the experience in a "tried not to jump out of my seat" kind of way, but it wasn't one that lingered with me.
This movie has a lot of surface-level frights that work, but it never dives deeper. It occasionally shies away from diving too deep into its own demons, and the primary themes feel immensely surface level.
All this is to say that I think it is perfect for those just going to see a scary movie. This story of a family torn apart by their own fears and negligence is wonderfully twisted, but I feel like we've gotten to a point that the genre has moved beyond this.
This is not to knock the source material here. While the original film is much worse, there's a book at the core here that really does dive deeper, one of Stephen King's best. Horror novels though have to be thoughtful and creepy. Horror movies can just be jumpy and violent.
Where this movie ultimately falls short is that it is simply a bit too stupid for my liking. The characters all make choices that don't feel earned because it feels like their purpose is to make the decision that brings them to the end rather than the decision that would make the most sense for their motivations.
The evil cat really just looks like a normal cat. Seems about right. (Image Courtesy of: adventuresinpoortaste.com)
When I left the theater after seeing Pet Sematary, I was genuinely creeped out. I felt jumpy and unnerved, and perhaps that's what horror should do at its core. However, a week later, I can't remember much of what happened. I don't remember why it even scared me.
It's got a lot of gross-out moments, relying on its premise of the dead returning to life. Some of the imagery almost lands hard though the movie pulls back before it can. One character in particular almost gave me nightmares but did not stick around quite long enough.
Amy Seimetz and John Lithgow can bring their best performances to this movie, and it still never quite feels like it matters. The movie just can't quite get to where it wants to go by its end. It's a surface-level experience.
Stephen King writes so much that it is inevitable he will have many films made and remade based on his novels. Few though have truly stuck in the way his writing often has for readers. I find myself a novice to his work in many ways, but I get the allure.
He's got a strong thoughtful focus to his writing. It comes off the page. There's some powerful ideas and critiques that make the horror all the more real. It's not that we expect the dead to come back and kill us. It's the fear that our inability to accept death will only bring more.
Pet Sematary does not get it even though directors Kevin Kölsch and Dennis Widmyer know how to get people to jump. The movie has some gorgeous moments, but it never all comes together and will likely ultimately be forgotten in a few year's time.
It's got a lot of gross-out moments, relying on its premise of the dead returning to life. Some of the imagery almost lands hard though the movie pulls back before it can. One character in particular almost gave me nightmares but did not stick around quite long enough.
Amy Seimetz and John Lithgow can bring their best performances to this movie, and it still never quite feels like it matters. The movie just can't quite get to where it wants to go by its end. It's a surface-level experience.
Stephen King writes so much that it is inevitable he will have many films made and remade based on his novels. Few though have truly stuck in the way his writing often has for readers. I find myself a novice to his work in many ways, but I get the allure.
He's got a strong thoughtful focus to his writing. It comes off the page. There's some powerful ideas and critiques that make the horror all the more real. It's not that we expect the dead to come back and kill us. It's the fear that our inability to accept death will only bring more.
Pet Sematary does not get it even though directors Kevin Kölsch and Dennis Widmyer know how to get people to jump. The movie has some gorgeous moments, but it never all comes together and will likely ultimately be forgotten in a few year's time.