Pet Sematary Remake

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Dana Jean

Dirty Pirate Hooker, The Return
Moderator
Apr 11, 2006
53,634
236,697
The High Seas
I agree with Dana Jean. Miles better than the original adaptation. Aside from the change we all know about, it's more faithful to the book. The end was very sinister. Great atmosphere. But please, leave it alone now.
And what they did to Gage in this new movie was much more terrifying to me than the original. And the book Gage, the first movie Gage was damn terrifying
 

jdt827

Member
Jan 30, 2019
20
93
33
I was disappointed with the new movie. I was disappointed with a few key things:
1. Louise and Jud's relationship was very developed in the book but not at all in the new movie. In the book and in the 89 movie, they captured the father-like portrayal of Jud. The new movie depicts jud as a lonely hermit who is mildly welcomed as a neighbor.
2. I'm fine with the kid switch but the directing the audience to Gage in movie is a moot point when we know it's Ellie from the spoiler-y trailer.
3. Gage is totally a non-character in the new movie. Has no purpose other than that last shots cheap scare.
4. The ending was okay but rushed and ineffective.
5. I applaud their balls to include Zelda after the effective version in 89, but they were afraid to do anything with her than tease a few cheap scares.
6. Pascow was pointless entirely.

However, overall it's an OKAY movie. Not a memorable one.
 

fushingfeef

Finally Uber!
Aug 14, 2009
10,194
21,965
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
(This review is general so as to avoid spoilers. These are just my opinions and impressions. If you want to go into the movie totally unprejudiced, don't read further.)

I saw the movie last night and enjoyed it. To be sure, there are differences between the book and the first version of the movie but overall I thought it worked. A lot of my misgivings about the previews didn't prove to be an issue. I could nitpick but in general I'd say this is a good SK movie.

This new version is a lot less "horror fun" than the 80's version (for which I am admittedly nostalgic) and it takes time to get going at first, but moves pretty fast once it does. It also explores in a greater depth the mythology surrounding the burial place, and the personality of the undead evolves (or should I say unravels) over a few more scenes.

I did miss the bonding between Judd and Louis; it just isn't really a part of this movie, which is a shame. We don't even get to see on screen the first time Judd and Louis meet. Missed opportunity there. But they do a better job of developing Louis's relationship with his children than the first movie did. I also found the wife Rachel to be more sympathetic in her denial of death than in the first movie where she seemed to be more combative and argumentative than sympathetic. The flashback to Zelda scenes are shown in a new way that's a bit more gimmicky and felt like it was "movie service" more than story service.

All of the performances were very good here, especially the girl playing Ellie Creed, but really everyone does a great job. John Lithgow finds his own less Mainey version of Judd and inhabits him well. The character Louis is still a bit passively guided by the hands of fate and devoid of conscience, but that issue goes all the way back to the original source material, in my opinion. He is motivated to see his child alive again, and little else. The actor did the best he could though.

Time will tell which version I'll gravitate towards in future viewings. Both offer different experiences under the same story structure.

Our theater was giving away these awesome Pet Sematary posters with the purchase of a ticket! Get 'em while they last.
20190409-155359.jpg
 

king family fan

Prolific member
Jul 19, 2010
33,133
117,741
south
(This review is general so as to avoid spoilers. These are just my opinions and impressions. If you want to go into the movie totally unprejudiced, don't read further.)

I saw the movie last night and enjoyed it. To be sure, there are differences between the book and the first version of the movie but overall I thought it worked. A lot of my misgivings about the previews didn't prove to be an issue. I could nitpick but in general I'd say this is a good SK movie.

This new version is a lot less "horror fun" than the 80's version (for which I am admittedly nostalgic) and it takes time to get going at first, but moves pretty fast once it does. It also explores in a greater depth the mythology surrounding the burial place, and the personality of the undead evolves (or should I say unravels) over a few more scenes.

I did miss the bonding between Judd and Louis; it just isn't really a part of this movie, which is a shame. We don't even get to see on screen the first time Judd and Louis meet. Missed opportunity there. But they do a better job of developing Louis's relationship with his children than the first movie did. I also found the wife Rachel to be more sympathetic in her denial of death than in the first movie where she seemed to be more combative and argumentative than sympathetic. The flashback to Zelda scenes are shown in a new way that's a bit more gimmicky and felt like it was "movie service" more than story service.

All of the performances were very good here, especially the girl playing Ellie Creed, but really everyone does a great job. John Lithgow finds his own less Mainey version of Judd and inhabits him well. The character Louis is still a bit passively guided by the hands of fate and devoid of conscience, but that issue goes all the way back to the original source material, in my opinion. He is motivated to see his child alive again, and little else. The actor did the best he could though.

Time will tell which version I'll gravitate towards in future viewings. Both offer different experiences under the same story structure.

Our theater was giving away these awesome Pet Sematary posters with the purchase of a ticket! Get 'em while they last.
20190409-155359.jpg
ours did not give out anything but those are cool.
 

GNTLGNT

The idiot is IN
Jun 15, 2007
87,651
358,754
62
Cambridge, Ohio
(This review is general so as to avoid spoilers. These are just my opinions and impressions. If you want to go into the movie totally unprejudiced, don't read further.)

I saw the movie last night and enjoyed it. To be sure, there are differences between the book and the first version of the movie but overall I thought it worked. A lot of my misgivings about the previews didn't prove to be an issue. I could nitpick but in general I'd say this is a good SK movie.

This new version is a lot less "horror fun" than the 80's version (for which I am admittedly nostalgic) and it takes time to get going at first, but moves pretty fast once it does. It also explores in a greater depth the mythology surrounding the burial place, and the personality of the undead evolves (or should I say unravels) over a few more scenes.

I did miss the bonding between Judd and Louis; it just isn't really a part of this movie, which is a shame. We don't even get to see on screen the first time Judd and Louis meet. Missed opportunity there. But they do a better job of developing Louis's relationship with his children than the first movie did. I also found the wife Rachel to be more sympathetic in her denial of death than in the first movie where she seemed to be more combative and argumentative than sympathetic. The flashback to Zelda scenes are shown in a new way that's a bit more gimmicky and felt like it was "movie service" more than story service.

All of the performances were very good here, especially the girl playing Ellie Creed, but really everyone does a great job. John Lithgow finds his own less Mainey version of Judd and inhabits him well. The character Louis is still a bit passively guided by the hands of fate and devoid of conscience, but that issue goes all the way back to the original source material, in my opinion. He is motivated to see his child alive again, and little else. The actor did the best he could though.

Time will tell which version I'll gravitate towards in future viewings. Both offer different experiences under the same story structure.

Our theater was giving away these awesome Pet Sematary posters with the purchase of a ticket! Get 'em while they last.
20190409-155359.jpg
....poster puts me in mind of one of Steve's old book covers, back in the day Bob......
 

Sctt033

New Member
Apr 9, 2019
1
6
38
As I understood ressurected ellie says it's all darkness but then later she goes on to say shes tortured and is there with other people. Do the creeds go to hell no matter what? I'm sure Louis did for his atheist views but what of the others the mom, gage etc
 

Neesy

#1 fan (Annie Wilkes cousin) 1st cousin Mom's side
May 24, 2012
61,289
239,271
Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
As I understood ressurected ellie says it's all darkness but then later she goes on to say shes tortured and is there with other people. Do the creeds go to hell no matter what? I'm sure Louis did for his atheist views but what of the others the mom, gage etc
11-22-63 Welcome.JPG

I saw the movie and I enjoyed it (thought the ending was pretty creepy and scary).

Welcome to SKMB!
:cheerful:
 

Hill lover35

Well-Known Member
Jan 8, 2017
3,717
20,019
42
Alberta canada
I was disappointed with the new movie. I was disappointed with a few key things:
1. Louise and Jud's relationship was very developed in the book but not at all in the new movie. In the book and in the 89 movie, they captured the father-like portrayal of Jud. The new movie depicts jud as a lonely hermit who is mildly welcomed as a neighbor.
2. I'm fine with the kid switch but the directing the audience to Gage in movie is a moot point when we know it's Ellie from the spoiler-y trailer.
3. Gage is totally a non-character in the new movie. Has no purpose other than that last shots cheap scare.
4. The ending was okay but rushed and ineffective.
5. I applaud their balls to include Zelda after the effective version in 89, but they were afraid to do anything with her than tease a few cheap scares.
6. Pascow was pointless entirely.

However, overall it's an OKAY movie. Not a memorable one.

Yeh I liked the new movie, and have read the book, I have yet to watch the original movie but I agree with your comments I missed the interaction with both of the kids that was in the book I wish Ellie was like 5 or 6 and gage was just gage.
 

jdt827

Member
Jan 30, 2019
20
93
33
As I understood ressurected ellie says it's all darkness but then later she goes on to say shes tortured and is there with other people. Do the creeds go to hell no matter what? I'm sure Louis did for his atheist views but what of the others the mom, gage etc
I love this question because I didn't give it the same thought you did so you're making me think :)

I think if there is darkness, there is light. And misery loves company. I think naturally, dead Ellie wouldn't even know there is a light but if she did, she wouldn't tell them about it. The dead are so motivated to kill and bury in Pet Sematary because they want their souls. Otherwise, they could just kill and let that be it... but maybe they don't only kill because they know they are good and could go to heaven.