Pet Sematary Review: Isn’t This Really A Cautionary Tale For Property Buyers?  

Pet Sematary (NC16)

Starring Jason Clarke, Amy Seimetz, John Lithgow

Directed by Kevin Kölsch & Dennis Widmyer

Jason Clarke plays a big city doc who relocates to the countryside with his wife and two kids. While he’s a dedicated healer and devoted family man, he knows diddly squat about buying property.

Because if he did, he wouldn’t have bought a house that’s next to an accident-prone road frequented by cargo trucks. And if he’d done his homework, he would’ve known about the nearby ancient Native American graveyard with perverse resurrection powers.

Naturally, tragedy strikes, forcing the good doc to make some bad decisions. The supernatural chiller is based on Stephen King’s 1983 novel, which was made into a movie 30 years ago.

That version, which is on Netflix, isn’t too bad, as is this one: it has a great cast (including John Lithgow as the newcomers’ avuncular neighbour) and creepy and imaginative touches.

It wrestles with stirring themes of guilt and grief (how do we break the news to the children about the concept of death?) before descending into gruesome chaos with the undead. All of which could’ve been easily avoided had our hero exercised prudence in his real estate venture. Have a think. (3/5 stars)