Stephen King knows how to craft a terrifying tale for the ages. He did exactly that with his 1983 novel Pet Sematary and he did it again when he penned the screenplay for Mary Lambert‘s 1989 feature film adaptation of the tome. Fans of Pet Sematary connect with the picture’s central themes about loss and the futility of trying to cheat death. Not to mention, the flick touches on childhood trauma in a way that scarred an entire generation of horror fans who saw this standout effort at an impressionable age. Despite everything the movie has going for it, critics saw little merit in the picture. That much is clearly evidenced by the film’s lackluster Rotten Tomatoes score.
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Despite its status as a fan-favorite horror film, Pet Sematary holds a less-than-stellar critical approval rating of just 56% on Rotten Tomatoes.
Pet Sematary Is a Standout ‘80s Horror Film Despite Its Abysmal Critical Reception
As you might remember, the ‘80s were a very different time for film criticism, a time before the internet — a time when there were fewer seats at the table. As it turns out, the critics who had a seat at the table were less tolerant of genre fare and often actively looked down on it. Plenty of film scholars of the time did exactly that when they weighed in on Pet Sematary, which is a real shame. If you go into the film looking for flaws, you’ll probably find them. However, if you go into the flick looking for what works, you’ll see that the picture gets far more right than wrong as it delivers a timeless message about the perils of loss.
Much like the novel, Pet Sematary follows Dr. Louis Creed (Dale Midkiff) and his family as they relocate to a remote part of Maine for a new job opportunity. When the family cat, Church, dies on a busy stretch of road near the Creeds’ new home, Louis and his spouse, Rachel (Denise Crosby), worry about the impact the loss will have on their children, Ellie (Blaze Berdahl) and Gage (Miko Hughes). Being a loving, albeit misguided, father, Louis makes the fateful decision to use an enchanted burial ground to reanimate Church. When Church returns to the world of the living, he’s nearly unrecognizable and nothing like the family pet they knew and loved. When young Gage tragically dies thereafter, Louis returns to the burial ground once again with decidedly dire consequences.
Some critics took issue with the fact that the film simplifies the depiction of Louis’s grief compared to what we see in the novel for the sake of brevity. However, we counter that it’s easy enough for the viewer to read between the lines. The portrayal of grief may not be quite as nuanced here, but the viewer can still easily understand why Louis does what he does. Even if we don’t get as much insight regarding his inner monologue, the character’s grief is still palpable.
Like King’s tome before it, the film deftly speaks to the toll that grief takes on us and the way that loss makes us lose touch with our better judgment, reverting us to an irrational and irresponsible place. Moreover, the picture touches on the inherent dangers of upsetting the natural balance of life and death, reminding us that, as tempting as it may be, no good can ever come of trying to play God.
Aside from compelling central themes, the film also features one of the most terrifying supporting characters in the ‘80s horror pantheon via Rachel’s sister, Zelda (Andrew Hubatsek). Zelda scarred an entire generation who grew up frightened by her unsettling appearance and guttural vocalizations, not to mention her tragic death. Her screen time is limited, but it delivers ample bang for the buck.
Aside from its very real potential to frighten, Zelda’s unsettling presence also adds some extra weight to the narrative, serving as a means to introduce Rachel’s complex feelings about death and giving the viewer a perspective on the damage she’s suffered as a result of repressing her trauma. That neatly ties back into the film’s core messaging about the destructive power of mismanaged grief, albeit from a different perspective.
While we can concede that Pet Sematary isn’t quite perfect, it’s still a powerful portrait of loss and a chilling effort that captures the essence of King’s novel. Despite the fact that many of the film’s fans consider it one of the most harrowingly effective horror pictures of the ‘80s, Pet Sematary remains woefully underappreciated by critics.
Do you side with fans or film scholars on Pet Sematary? Make sure to let us know in the comments section below.
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