Nerds That Geek Movie Review: ‘Pet Sematary’ (2019)

Written by John Edward Betancourt 

THIS IS THE EMERGENCY SPOILER ALERT SYSTEM...YOU ARE ADVISED TO READ AT YOUR OWN RISK...

The loss of a loved one, whether it be a family member or a special someone we brought into our life, is a devastating moment when it finally arrives. Because someone that we shared our lives with, for years on end, simply disappears one day and that rattles us in ways we never thought possible. It leaves us distraught and distant and completely and utterly destitute and while there’s no shame in grieving over their loss, and one in fact, should grieve as necessary, what we do next after they’re gone from this world is critical to our future.
 
Because whether we like it or not, at some point, we have to move on from the pain and find a way to honor those we lost as we move on in life, for if we don’t, a tough road ahead waits us. For holding onto the pain, and letting it consume us can cripple us. It can leave us lost, and angry and without purpose or direction and those who remain in this angry and shaky void can and will make poor decisions that harm themselves and others emotionally and it is this downward spiral that can come with loss and grief that is explored in incredible detail in the remake of the classic horror film, Pet Sematary.
 
Now, the plot for this remake is pretty darn close to the original, in that, the Creed family moves to Ludlow, Maine and eventually discover, by way of their neighbor Judd, that a place exists deep within the woods where the dead can be buried and resurrected and of course, disaster comes out of that. But it is what this remake has to offer from an emotional perspective that makes it so incredibly impressive when all is said and done. Because the first thing I noticed about this film, is the fact that it is far warmer than its predecessor and the Creed family feels like a tight knit unit, one that is filled with love and desperate for this new beginning in Ludlow to bring them closer than they already are. 

---

​Which matters because this time around, the audience can relate to this family, and that makes the loss of little Ellie all the more devastating, for one can feel the collective anguish that comes from the Creed family as they deal with this unfortunate and expected loss and this is where the movie truly shines. For I am a firm believer in that the original movie, a product of the times, truly held back in its exploration of the power of grief and how it can negatively consume a person, and that restriction is lifted here, and the audience is finally taken alongside an emotional journey with Louis, and the end result when it comes to this change, is ugly to say the least.
 
Because by unleashing Louis’ pain, the film goes to some supremely dark places as we watch him collapse mentally before our eyes and it is quite stunning to see a character so collected and wise early on in the story become a blubbering and hopeless mess in the third act, one who makes incredibly uninformed and bad decisions and the bleakness of this story doesn’t end with Louis’ fall from grace. For this movie truly latches onto our fear of death, and what waits for us in the great beyond, and it even bothers to explore what makes these zombies so violent, in that, it would seem that denying the soul its proper path in this universe, turns it sour once it returns to the body. But more importantly, this movie outright examines the guilt that sometimes comes with the death of a loved one and taking the time to explore all of these elements manages to leave the audience and uncomfortable and unsettled, allowing for all the horrible events that unfold to devastate one emotionally.
 
Which means that in the end, this is a quality remake and a quality horror film. It’s scary, and it draws you into moments you don’t want to be a part of, but at the same time, you simply cannot turn away thanks to the changes made to the story, because now you’re desperate to see where these twists and turns are going to take you and well, this is one I highly recommend you see as soon as possible. Simply due to the fact that this one will genuinely unsettle and disturb you, to the point where you don’t feel right walking out of the theater and you really cannot ask for much more from a horror film.

---