Pet Sematary
Pet Sematary

Pet Sematary

1989Movie103 minEnglish

After the Creed family's cat is accidentally killed, a friendly neighbor advises its burial in a mysterious nearby cemetery.

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Insights

IMDb5.6/10
Rotten Tomatoes56%
Metacritic47/100
Google Users64%
Director: Mary LambertGenres: Horror, Mystery, Thriller

Plot Summary

A doctor and his family move to a secluded Maine home, only to discover a mysterious pet cemetery behind their house that possesses an ancient, dark power. When tragedy strikes, the doctor unearths a horrifying secret that unleashes an unspeakable evil upon his family and community. The ensuing events spiral into a nightmarish struggle against death and the terrifying consequences of disturbing the natural order.

Critical Reception

The 1989 film adaptation of Stephen King's 'Pet Sematary' received mixed to negative reviews from critics, though it proved to be a commercial success. Many found the film to be genuinely frightening and atmospheric, drawing praise for its disturbing themes and Fred Gwynne's performance. However, critics often cited issues with pacing, uneven tone, and some underdeveloped characters, leading to a generally lukewarm reception.

What Reviewers Say

  • Praised for its genuinely creepy atmosphere and disturbing premise.
  • Criticized for pacing issues and a less-than-satisfying third act.
  • Fred Gwynne's performance as Jud Crandall is often highlighted as a strong point.

Google audience: Audience reviews are somewhat divided, with many appreciating the film's ability to deliver scares and effectively capture the dread of the source material. However, some viewers found the plot predictable and the execution lacking in comparison to other King adaptations.

Fun Fact

Stephen King himself makes a brief cameo appearance as a minister during the funeral scene.

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My Review

TMDB Reviews

5 reviews
kevin2019

kevin2019

"Pet Sematary" boasts a very routine quality on every level and most of the time it seems as though everything connected with this film is strictly on autopilot. It is no wonder the films based upon Stephen King's fiction don't fare particu...
CertifiedHuman

CertifiedHuman

A completely botched adaptation. It's completely lifeless and truncated and seems like it's just missing tons of important scenes of lore and character development (which is all included in the book of course). It's odd, the film cuts Judd'...
CinemaSerf

CinemaSerf

The "Creed" family relocate to a rural town in Maine where the father - "Louis" (Dale Midkiff) is to be a local doctor. They don't get off to a great start after the beloved cat of daughter "Ellie" (Blaze Berdahl) gets squashed by a passing...
Gimly

Gimly

Even if it wasn't any good, Pet Sematary's sort of a must watch given how heavily it's been referenced in the film and television industries since. But it is good, so there's that too. _Final rating:★★★ - I liked it. Would personally rec...
John Chard

John Chard

And the night when the cold wind blows, No one cares, nobody knows. The Stephen King novel from which the screenplay was adapted very nearly didn’t see the light of day. It was actually written by King based on a real place and instances...