Pet Sematary (2019) **1/2

I've not read Stephen King's novel so I can't speak to how faithfully or not Pet Sematary (2019) follows it. I also think I've only seen the 1989 version of Pet Sematary once (maybe twice) and don't recall much, so I'm probably due for a revisit.

As for this new filmic adaptation—it's fine but nothing great. I thought it was solid up until the finale, and in particular, the last moment—while nothing new in horror films, the smirky ending didn't work for me, and reminded me of a similar tonal betrayal in another recent horror film, A Quiet Place (2018) (my review here).

That was a better film than Pet Sematary overall, but not dissimilar in the sense that they're part of the new school of horror—that of murky cinematography, drab color grading, and a lack of a unique voice. Even Christopher Young's score just kind of blends into the background (he scored another King adaptation, The Dark Half (1993), a better film and a great book). Sadly, there's no indication that the same directing team of Starry Eyes (2014), which I quite liked, made this film. Here's hoping whatever they make next is more interesting.

While PS offers no surprises, the cast is good—particularly its young actor Jeté Laurence, who channels a sweet quality not unlike a young Drew Barrymore, but also plays evil quite well. I can't see a rewatch changing my mind much—Pet Sematary simply plays it too safe. 2019 hasn't been a very impressive year for horror so far—I do hope that changes soon.

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