Pet Sematary is an MTV horror film – too reliant on jump scares with not enough evil
I can understand the reasons behind this remake of the 1989 film based on Stephen King’s (throwaway) novel - but I can’t understand why they didn’t make it... better
HMMMM. I can understand the reasons behind this remake of the 1989 film based on Stephen King’s (throwaway) novel – but I can’t understand why they didn’t make it… better.
You’ll probably know the plot already. Family move to a remote house on the borders of a sleepy town after a bit of the quiet life. Dad Louis (Jason Clarke in his millionth movie this year) works at a University hospital and suffers visions of a student who’s life he failed to save. His daughter Ellie (Jeté Laurence) has befriended their neighbour Jud (John Lithgow) who knows a bit more about the strange land they now own.
When Ellie’s beloved cat ‘Church’ (named after Winston Churchill, which also gives the film it’s best joke) is hit by a truck, Jud shows Louis how to use the ancient land beyond the Pet Sematary (an area that locals use to bury their pets) and bring the cat back to life – which inexplicably he agrees to rather than tell their daughter the cat is dead.
It kind of works, which only encourages Louis to seek the same desperate measures later on – a really bad move.
It’s an MTV horror film – too reliant on jump scares with not enough evil.
It borrows from too many recognisable sources (The Haunting of Hill House getting a nod, along with A Quiet Place – again) and doesn’t follow up on the interesting subplots (mum Rachel has the best of these).
Feels a bit of a rush job to capitalise on IT, but hasn’t done itself – or the original film any favours.