Blu-ray Review: Mary Lambert’s ‘Pet Sematary’ Makes Fun Halloween Treat

CHICAGO – It’s that time of year. Waves of horror movies like “Sinister,” “Paranormal Activity 4,” and “Silent Hill: Revelation 3D” hit theaters while dozens more pepper the New Releases shelf, including a healthy mix of new straight-to-DVD titles and a few catalog horror flicks getting the Blu-ray upgrade for the first time. One of the works in the latter category that may have gone unnoticed is Mary Lambert’s adaptation of Stephen King’s “Pet Sematary,” a film that may be nearly a quarter-century old but still has some striking power.

Rating: 3.5/5.0

Sadly, the Paramount transfer for “Sematary” is a bit lackluster. The movie looks not unlike a standard DVD upconverted in your BD player. However, the movie is better than you remember. This is a timeless tale of how we should be careful what we ask for, especially when we’re messing with the forces of nature. Lambert delivered a film with some definite flaws but one that’s also not often enough in the conversation when people talk about the best King adaptations. This is one of them.

Pet Sematary was released on Blu-ray and DVD on October 2, 2012
Photo credit: Paramount

Synopsis:
After moving to an idyllic home in the countryside, life seems perfect for the Creed family…but not for long. Louis and Rachel Creed and their two young children settle in to a house that sits next to a pet cemetery — built on an ancient Indian burial ground. Their mysterious new neighbor, Jud Crandall (FRED GWYNNE), hides the cemetery’s darkest secret…until a family tragedy brings the secret to life. Now, an unthinkable evil is about to be resurrected.

Special Features:
o Commentary by Director Mary Lambert
o Stephen King Territory
o The Characters
o Filming the Horror

By BRIAN TALLERICO Content Director HollywoodChicago.com brian@hollywoodchicago.com