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Pet Sematary
1989 103 min United States of America R 18+
★6.3
Horror
Director: Mary Lambert
🎭 Based on
«Pet Sematary»
byStephen King
Trailers
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EN
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Description
After the Creed family's cat is accidentally killed, a friendly neighbor advises its burial in a mysterious nearby cemetery.
Budget:
$11.5M
US Gross:
$57.47M
Worldwide:
$57.5M
Starring
Dale Midkiff
Actor
Denise Crosby
Actor
Fred Gwynne
Actor
Awards
Saturn Awards 1991
— Best Horror Film
Razzie Awards 1990
— Worst Song
Key opinion
Pet Sematary (1989) is widely regarded as a faithful and atmospheric adaptation of Stephen King's novel, praised for its psychological tension and ability to evoke genuine dread despite limited special effects. While audiences and critics frequently laud Fred Gwynne’s performance and the film's thematic exploration of grief, the lead performance and the uneven pacing remain significant points of contention.
| Acting | Fred Gwynne’s performance as Jud Crandall is a standout, providing a vivid and convincing grounding for the film's supernatural events. | |
| Theme | The film succeeds as a thematic exploration of grief and mortality, effectively capturing the dark, dread-filled spirit of Stephen King's source material. | |
| Direction | Mary Lambert’s direction relies on psychological pressure and suspense rather than excessive gore, creating a lingering sense of unease. | |
| Adaptation | The screenplay is viewed through a polarized lens: some appreciate its faithful, eerie tone, while others criticize it as truncated and hollow due to the omission of key book lore and character arcs. | |
| Acting | The lead performance by Dale Midkiff is widely criticized as flat and lifeless, failing to anchor the film's emotional stakes for many viewers. | |
| Pacing | The film's pacing divides opinion, with some finding its even, steady tempo engaging and others perceiving it as lacking in significant peaks or structural depth. |