Pet Sematary
A forgettable and creepy reboot that lacks heart and soul. - 5.5/10
by Francesco Bakhos - 365 Movies Lebanon
A forgettable and creepy reboot that lacks heart and soul.
This film centers around Dr. Louis Creed and his family whom soon discover a mysterious burial ground hidden deep in the woods near their new home. When tragedy strikes, Louis turns to his neighbor Jud Crandall, setting off a perilous chain reaction that unleashes an unspeakable evil with horrific consequences.
I don't know what to say other than that Underwhelming is an understatement. Pet Sematary was one of my most anticipated movies. Unfortunately, it didn't live up to my expectations for numerous reasons.
In order for you guys to understand my reasons fully for why i gave it such a low score, I'll be dividing my review into two main categories.
First things, the positives: I have to admit, directors Kevin Kolsch and Dennis Widmyer did a really decent job in creating a creepy and an unsettling atmosphere and maintaining it throughout the entire movie.
In addition, this disturbing atmosphere alongside various other aspects burned the hell out of the 3rd act, which to say the least was my favorite. So it's fair to say watch till the end. I also have to add that the acting wasn't as good as I've hoped it would be but i wont deny that in some scenes its was pretty intense and really good. Jason Clark and Jete Laurence were the only two, in my opinion, whom stood out.
But on the other hand, this movie also presented a lot of negative aspects, starting with the very obvious lack of proper backstory. While the original Pet Sematary, a low budget horror movie, contained a decent well studied backstory, this cheap reboot did not. The characters were so paper thin that even the slightest huff will tumble them down to the ground. This only made it more difficult to understand the characters' motives, in addition to having a hard time creating a caring relationship.
Plus, the fluctuating pace from slow to rapid, from boring to exciting didn't quite work out as intended i presume . This was a major flaw that should've been dealt with properly.
But what I'm most concerned about is the story. C'mon, akidddddd and im 1000% sure that this is not something that Stephen King would approve of. Next time when adapting from a book with extremely well thought of metaphors and multilayered stories and messages, pleaseee keep the depth, the emotions, the fears, the concerns and pleaseee leave A if not THE message. Everything great and memorable from the original or the book was left out and we were stuck with a lame story story that's trying to be scary.
At the end, Pet Sematary failed at being anything more than a mediocre horror movie with some few jump scares.
Totally not what I signed up for.
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