Quartile rating: 5.5/10 · 1 rating
The "sematary" is up to its old zombie-raising tricks again. This time, the protagonists are Jeff Matthews, whose mother died in a Hollywood stage accident, and Drew Gilbert, a boy coping with an abusive stepfather.
Pet Sematary II is a largely by-the-numbers horror sequel that recycles the core premise of the original — the cursed burial ground resurrects the dead with violent consequences — without meaningfully expanding or subverting it. The plot substitutes a new set of family traumas (grieving son, abusive stepfather) but hits nearly identical beats to the original. Acting is serviceable but unremarkable; Edward Furlong is decent in his early career role but the supporting cast is inconsistent. Mary Lambert's direction brings some competent visual craft to the Maine woods setting, but the cinematography is workmanlike rather than distinctive. The zombie/resurrection sequences have some visceral energy but nothing that distinguishes the film from its peers. The ending resolves predictably and without emotional resonance. A moderately entertaining but forgettable horror sequel.