Pet Sematary: Bloodlines

Great cast, I just wish Samantha Mathis had more of a role. A few good, creepy moments. Unfortunately, by the third act of the movie, some of the scenes/scenarios became completely absurd. There were the typical tropes of people doing incredibly stupid things-but it's a horror movie, so that's expected. Yelling at the TV doesn't help. I tried. The idiots died anyway. I found myself rolling my eyes more than anything else. The undead could seemingly teleport and do superman type of stuff. Sometimes people say a movie might have been better had they edited out 20-30 minutes. Not this movie. This was very tightly edited and could have used a bit more exposition. Just being familiar with the Pet Sematary story helped fill-in some of the blanks. Really wanted to like this. Given the caliber of the cast, I think a lot of people were rooting for this movie. Glad I saw it, just wouldn't watch it again.

I approached this movie with some trepidation. Being a life long Stephen King fan, his movies had suffered badly from appalling, cash in sequels. A Return To Salem's Lot is a classic example.

But taken on it's own merits, I actually enjoyed this. It was generally well acted, the story was interesting, if not original. I disagree that the characters were unlikeable, I found my self really rooting for the people. I liked the pace that the story unfolded, revealing the history and background in satisfying doses. Also, it did not focus on the "Semetary" too much. Although building on the Pet Sematary mythos, it does stand as separate to the main franchise. SO if you view it with this in mind, I think you will enjoy.

Quick review: I had really hoped I was going to enjoy 'Pet Sematary: Bloodlines', however very early on in the film I knew I was going to struggle with it. The reason? I could not find a single character who was likeable or charismatic enough to care about. Without that being there it is so hard to stay invested and care about the outcome of the film.

There are a lot of cheap jump-scares in this film. People and trucks just appear out of nowhere and we get a loud jolt of music with them. Otherwise though, the film really doesn't have a way to scare you. I was a bit let down by this one. I didn't expect a masterpiece, but I expected more than we got. 4/10.

Pet Sematary: Bloodlines managed to impress me, despite its lacklustre reception among the general public and its direct-to-tv or streaming release.

Make no mistake however, Pet Sematary: Bloodlines maintains an honest Stephen King vibe reminiscent of 80s-90s classics like "Stand by Me," "IT," or even a slight ambiance of the original Pet Sematary.

Adapting a story with established foundations is always a challenge, requiring a delicate balance of relevance, novelty, and faithfulness to the source material. In this regard, Pet Sematary: Bloodlines hits the mark rather admirably.

While not a masterpiece, the film deserves recognition for several reasons. The cinematography feels both vintage and fresh. Additionally, the cast includes well-known but somewhat forgotten actors like David Duchovny (X-Files, Californication) and Henry Thomas, (E. T, Legends of the Fall) evoking a sense of nostalgia reminiscent of films from that era.

The acting is solid overall, with Natalie Alyn Lind impressing me immensely and Jackson White delivering commendable performances. Although White's portrayal didn't captivate me as much, he still stood out as unique and likable character.

However, Pet Sematary: Bloodlines does fall short in some key areas. The kills are relatively tame, the suspense feels subdued, and the characters, while possessing personality, lack significant depth. Additionally, the ending feels rushed and somewhat cheap, detracting some chemistry and memorability from the overall viewing experience.

Despite these flaws, Pet Sematary: Bloodlines exceeded my expectations. While it may not offer many surprises due to its familiar story and lack of surprises, it still holds up as a solid stand-alone film. Surprisingly, I wouldn't hesitate to re-watch the film, as it provided me with a thoroughly entertaining experience.

6/10.

Pet Sematary: Bloodlines (2023)

Henry Thomas, David Duchovny, Samantha Mathis, Pam Grier... What a waste of a good cast. Jackson White was also good as a young Jud, kind of reminded me of a young Matt Dillon.

But none of them can save this prequel. It adds almost nothing to the original story and it just drags slowly and aimlessly. It tells the story of Timmy, who came back from the war - the story Jud tells briefly in the original movie - but everything seems to be a bit off and it's pretty pointless.

Better watch the original classic or even the remake which actually wasn't bad.

4/10 Skip it.