Quartile rating: 6.5/10 · 1 rating
After the Creed family's cat is accidentally killed, a friendly neighbor advises its burial in a mysterious nearby cemetery.
Pet Sematary is a solid Stephen King adaptation that leans into grief and parental dread more than typical slasher fare. The plot builds genuine dread around the Micmac burial ground mythology and the tragedy of Gage's death, though pacing is uneven and some scenes feel stagey. Acting is a weak point — Dale Midkiff is stiff as Louis Creed, and most supporting performances are serviceable at best, though Fred Gwynne's Jud is warm and memorable. Cinematography is functional horror-of-the-period — competent but unremarkable Maine atmosphere. Novelty earns a slight edge for its uncommonly bleak, grief-centered horror premise (King exploring parental helplessness and denial of death), which distinguishes it from generic horror of its era. The ending is genuinely unsettling and commits fully to its dark logic, with Rachel returning as a killer — a memorably grim payoff.