2019 has geared up for a year of revivals, with Disney favourites being reimagined and Hellboy once again taking to the screen, and Kevin Kölsch and Dennis Widmyer can't seem to let sleeping dogs - or any pets, for that matter - lie when it comes to their take on Stephen King's Pet Sematary.
The re-adaptation of the original 1989 film proves it's not for the faint-hearted as it follows Dr Louis Creed (Jason Clarke), his wife Rachel (Amy Seimetz) and their two young children after they move from big city Boston to Maine's countryside, unbeknownst to them that an eerie graveyard for pets looms on the edge of their new property.
Unfortunately Pet Sematary is another case of trailer-trumps-movie, with most of the shock factor being wiped out before it is even seen in cinemas. Nevertheless, audiences will be intrigued by Kölsch and Widmyer's saddening exploration of death and grief, as well as what it means to heal and move on.
Jason Clarke has become all too synonymous with mediocre reboots with flops like Terminator Genisys and the Wall Street sequel under his belt, but he surprises audiences with his portrayal of Louis, the hardworking father who houses a constant struggle to let go. He plays on the film's themes poignantly but still only skims the surface of what could have been a more-well rounded character. John Lithgow (Footloose, 3rd Rock from the Sun) is wasted talent as the friendly neighbour with a sinister secret but the character's liveliness echoes that of Louis and Rachel's daughter Ellie (Jeté Laurence). Regrettably the young actress is unconvincing in the role, especially when Ellie takes a turn for the worst at the midway mark.
Though it feels fresh and recalculated, Pet Sematary fails to fully immerse its viewers as a believable, solid horror flick. Some may not be familiar with King's original story, but this depiction is often predictable and plays too much into the shock-factor gore we've seen time and time again. Clocking in at only an hour and 40 minutes, it also begs the questions of why the directors didn't add the extra minutes to expand on an ending that will be sure to irritate some audiences.
If you're a fan of horror, this mixed bag might just be for you if you're not warned off by the cheap jump scares and predictability that Pet Sematary struggles to expunge.