In the 90s, Pet Sematary (1989) came on every day in October. Movie marathons aired on network television and premium channels. Stephen King adaptations dominated the movies made for television genre. In 2019, two directors, Kevin Kölsch and Dennis Widmyer, dared to reimagine the film. This entry is a lot more visceral and simplified.

This Pet Sematary is a far cry from the original. Certain liberties are taken, which improved the story overall. Dr. Louis Creed (Jason Clarke) moves his wife and two kids to a rural town in Maine, where an evil force lies beyond their backyard. It’s a lot more gruesome and heightens the supernatural elements. The infamous burial ground is a character, it took on a proactive role by luring victims and playing with their minds.

Jud (John Lithgow) plays a gentle, old man with a dark past. Louis’ wife, Rachel (Amy Seimetz) suffers traumatic visions that manifests whenever she’s in a room alone. The child actors are delightful, especially Ellie (Jeté Laurence), excellent performance. She is the true star and drives the theme of Pet Sematary, a tale of loss, morality, and the consequence of bad decisions.

There’s a rich atmosphere, full of lore. Because the family house is on a farm, its secluded from town. Louis is left alone, with space and opportunity to make horrible choices, which leads to deadly repercussions. Pet Sematary is extremely dark and macabre, which creates a feeling of dread. The movie doesn’t pull any punches and gets a 7 out of 10.

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