The original Pet Sematary (1989) might not be perfect, but it definitely has its moments. Based on one of Stephen King’s darkest and most unsettling novels, the film manages to capture a lot of the story’s bleak atmosphere and twisted emotional core. It’s a slow burn, but the payoff is brutal—especially in the second half. Fred Gwynne is fantastic as Jud Crandall, and the scenes involving Gage are genuinely disturbing, even to this day. The tone is uneven at times, and some of the acting can feel a bit off, but when it hits, it hits hard. It’s a solid King adaptation with a strong final act and a heavy sense of dread.
Then came the 2019 remake—and somehow, it manages to be both flashier and duller at the same time. Visually, it looks slicker, and the cast is decent (John Lithgow as Jud was a smart choice), but the heart just isn’t there. The emotional weight of the original is traded in for cheap jump scares and a “twist” that doesn’t really add anything. It rushes through key story beats and still manages to feel slow. By the time it reaches the finale, it feels more like a formulaic studio horror than a tragic supernatural tale about grief and loss.
The remake had potential—Pet Sematary is exactly the kind of story that could benefit from a fresh, thoughtful retelling—but it ends up being mostly forgettable. The original might be rough around the edges, but it had soul.
Winner: Pet Sematary (1989) (7/10)
Remake: Pet Sematary (2019) (5/10)
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