The 2019 adaptation ofStephen King’s terrifying classic,Pet Sematary, has found a new streaming home. Fans of the highly criticized remake are probably hoping the film goes through re-evaluation upon burial inTubi’s free streaming library. The Stephen King movie has been added to Tubi’s catalog alongside horror features likeParanormal Activity: The Ghost Dimension,The Nun, and 2016’s sequelBlair Witch.
Pet Sematarytells the story of the Creed family, as they move to the small town of Ludlow, Maine. The house is dreamy, except for its surroundings. Not onlydo trucks roarpast their home, but there’s also an eerie cemetery in the nearby woods tied to local legends. Louis Creed forms a bond with their neighbor, Jud, who reveals the terrifying truth about the burial ground. Per the Rotten Tomatoes synopsis of the film:
Dr. Louis Creed and his wife, Rachel, relocate from Boston to rural Maine with their two young children. The couple soon discover a mysterious burial ground hidden deep in the woods near their new home. When tragedy strikes, Louis turns to his neighbor Jud Crandall, setting off a perilous chain reaction that unleashes an unspeakable evil with horrific consequences.
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Pet Sematarywas directed by Kevin Kölsch and Dennis Widmyer, the duo behind the indie horror gemStarry Eyes. It stars Jason Clarke, Amy Seimetz, and John Lithgow. It introduced young star Jeté Laurence as Ellie Creed in what’s undoubtedlythe best performancein the film.
WhenPet Sematarywas released, the film did not have a great reception by critics and audiences. It managed to pass the $100 million barrier at the box office, ultimately grossing $113 million from a $21 million production budget. Critics were not exactly ecstatic about the film, and today, the remake boasts a 57% critics' score on Rotten Tomatoes, with the audience score sitting much lower at 33%.
Did the 2019 Version of ‘Pet Sematary’ Deserve So Much Hate, and Should It Be Re-Evaluated?
The following article contains spoilers for 2019’s Pet Sematary.
SayingPet Sematarygot a bad rap is an understatement. Even before the film was released, it was highly criticized because of two things: the trailer basically revealed the film’s twist, and this twist was based ona major changefrom the original novel and the 1989 movie version. The change was that the truck doesn’t kill Gage, Louis' youngest son, but actually Ellie, Gage’s older sister.
There was resistance to this major change. For many, it was the nail that sealed the coffin and the prejudice was set. However,even King approvedthis change to the original story, which does not change much about the story. The Creeds fall down the rabbit hole all the same, andPet Semataryis still as chilling as always.
Pet Sematarydidn’t deserve the backlash it received. In retrospect, you will find it a better experience than you remember if you have the chance to lower your expectations and forget the 1989 adaptation for a while. It should be re-evaluated and now that it’s streaming free, it seems like the perfect opportunity to circle back on the underrated adaptation withthe scariest catyou can think of.
Source:Tubi
Pet Sematary
