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'Pet Sematary' contemplates why 'sometimes dead is better'
Pet Sematary is a remake worth watching.
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S
tephen King’s Pet Sematary was first adapted for the big screen in 1989. A second adaption of the classic horror novel has recently been released and carries the same tagline: “Sometimes dead is better”.
Directed by Kevin Kölsch and Dennis Widmyer, 2019’s Pet Sematary is set in the town of Ludlow in Maine, the United States. Traveling from Boston, Louis Creed (Jason Clarke) moves to the town so he can spend more time with his wife Rachel (Amy Seimetz) and children, Ellie (Jeté Laurence) and Gage (Hugo Lavoie and Lucas Lavoie). The family also bring along their cat, Church, which is very much loved by Ellie.
Working as a doctor at a university hospital, one day Louis is unable to save his patient, Victor Pascow (Obssa Ahmed), who suffered severe injuries from an accident. Louis’ life then changes, as Victor’s spirit often shows up in his dreams and warns him about an area in his backyard.
Meanwhile, Ellie discovers a place called the Pet Sematary behind her home, which appears to be where locals bury their deceased pets. As Ellie strolls on, she is stopped by Jud (John Lithgow), a widower who lives near her house. Jud soon becomes a friend of the family.
Read also: Stephen King announces 'good vs. evil' novel 'The Institute'
One day Church is found dead after being hit by a truck. Believing that Ellie will be devastated when she finds out, Jud suggests that Louis bury Church on a misty hill a short distance from the Creeds’ house. Church suddenly reappears in the house, but seems different from the cat the family knew, leading to horrifying incidents that will haunt the Creeds and Jud.
Those who have watched the 1989 film may spot a stark difference in the 2019 remake. Kölsch and Widmyer set a gloomy tone from the opening scene and both should be applauded for building a good amount of suspense; however, sometimes their jump-scares are rather predictable. Pet Sematary starts rather slow, but picks up pace toward the ending.
The actors were all able to convey the transformation from being warm people to troubled ones. The characters have their own perceptions of death, as they are still suffering from the deaths of their close relatives. Though it may be more savage than the 1989 version, 2019’s Pet Sematary is still worth a watch. (kes)
