Pet Sematary, 2019

Kevin Kölsch and Dennis Widmyer wrote and directed one of my favorite horror movies ever, Starry Eyes, so I got excited knowing the duo was responsible for directing the new remake of the King and Mary Lambert classic Pet Sematary. I hadn’t seen the 1989 film since I was a kid, so I rewatched that first. Overall, it was the entertaining, gritty, and somewhat odd film I remembered it to be. Kölsch and Widmyer’s remake keeps it fresh and surprising with some slight story alterations and a few more jump scares. However, some of the grit and the dread of the original film is lost in the glossy remake. Watching these films back to back, the power and creep-factor of those original practical effects is undeniable, especially with the disfigured sister and the wise, ghost boy. I also missed the charisma of Fred Gwynne as Jud in the original film. He’s the best character! In sum, the new film is severely middle of the road, and even though the original was no masterpiece, it retains enough spirit and fun to make it easily rewatchable. I won’t give up on Kölsch and Widmyer, however. Starry Eyes leads me to believe these two are capable of good things in the future. This goes without saying, but if you haven’t yet seen Starry Eyes, go do that now.