PET SEMATARY
* * ½
(Unsettling, ghoulish take on King’s novel)
Yes, kids, “cemetery” is spelled incorrectly. But that’s the least of the worries for parents whose kids want to see this ghoulish, unsettling remake of Stephen King’s novel.
A family of four leave Boston to settle for the quiet country life of Ludlow, Maine. As they are getting out of their car, they (and we) are startled by a truck racing down the road, the first sign of impending doom. Then, wouldn’t you know it, the cat gets run over by a truck.
Next door neighbor Jud (John Lithgow) realizes how upset the young girl is and takes Dad to a private place beyond the pet cemetery where animals come back from the dead. And would you believe it, the cat came back. But something is very different about the cat’s temperament.
If you have read the book, you know what happens and you certainly have images in your mind of the following macabre events, but seeing it in living color may be a bit too much for some,
The movie deals with life and death issues including opposite views that the mother and father have about the after-life.
If you haven’t read the book or seen the original movie, I don’t want to spoil it for you. I will tell you that there is another shocking death, a burial, a resurrection and some gory, violent happenings before the weird ending.
If you are a fan of King you may enjoy this, but if you are easily disturbed you may want to skip it.
Rated a big R for frightening scenes and some profanity.