Pet Sematary * * *

      Well, at least no one is saying "Just go see the original".  In fact most folk seem to reckon this one is better.  Never having read a Stephen King novel, I can't say which is more faithful to the book, but I don't suppose that matters much.  The question is, does it work as a film?   
       This new one is pretty good, but as per the first Pet Sematary (1989) I don't think the plot is that strong.  It's basically just zombiesm.

      The acting is mostly good, with characters taking the situation and the dilemma seriously; though  the actress playing the Mum was virtually incomprehensible half the time: I felt like saying, "Stop crying, I can't make out a word you're saying!"

Cat your tongue? Yes and the rest.

       I liked the religious v nature theme, and the human ability or inability to accept death.  The exploration of grief was interesting too, along with the burial rituals that children have for their pets. If they'd explored this a little more I'd have been happier, but that would have probably made for a different film, and I'm not sure the rest of the audience would have appreciated it: They were mostly teenagers who were there for the thrills and the spills, and on that score I guess they got a reasonable serving.

       The story is about a young family tired of the city life. They take an idyllic home just outside a small town.  The only downside is the trucks tend to hurl through at breakneck speed, killing all too many of the pets that wander on to the highway.  Pretty soon you can add "Church" the family cat to the list.

      There is a pet cemetery (misspelled as "sematary" by the children) where people bury their deceased pets.   Their neighbor, an elderly man who has always lived in the area, tells Dad of another cemetery.  Those that are buried there, tend to come back. Why not bury Church there? Lo and behold they find it works and "Church" comes back.  But Church isn't quite the friendly little puddy-wuddy he used to be. He now has a temperament rather like my own cat before breakfast.

       So you can imagine how it would be if a human was to be buried there.  After suffering a terrible loss the family take advantage of this mystical burial ground.  Then it's on to the part of the film where the gasps of shock and the squeals are heard, whilst some audience members suddenly feel a need to go to the bathroom leaving their date to sit out the scene alone.  (Gee! There's not much chivalry among young men in today's world).  I stuck it out and I was all by myself! - as usual.

      Actually it's not the scariest movie I've seen.  It's just your usual bump and shock followed by Ewww!    A little more mystery would have been appreciated. Though I liked the ending where the family is one step from being reunited in a whole new way, I thought that was good.