Pet Sematary Synopsis & Review: Plot Summary

🎯 Quick Overview

😅 Plot Summary – Badly Explained

A family moves to Maine where the dad uses a cursed graveyard to bring back dead things, and everything goes hilariously wrong… or terrifyingly, depending on your sense of humor.

🍿 Pet Sematary: Detailed Plot Synopsis

A Family Moves to Ludlow

Dr. Louis Creed relocates his family – wife Rachel, daughter Ellie, and toddler Gage – from Chicago to rural Maine. Their new home is near a busy road and has a ‘pet sematary’ in the woods behind it. They befriend their neighbor Jud Crandall, who warns them about the dangers of the road and introduces them to the pet cemetery.

The Pet Sematary and Beyond

After Ellie’s cat, Church, is killed by a truck, Jud leads Louis to an ancient Micmac burial ground beyond the pet cemetery. He explains that animals buried there sometimes return. Louis, grieving for his daughter’s loss, buries Church in the Micmac ground. Church returns, but is changed, becoming aggressive and malevolent. Louis learns that ‘sometimes, dead is better.’

Tragedy Strikes Again

Tragedy strikes the Creed family again when Gage is hit by a truck and killed. Overwhelmed with grief, Louis, against Jud’s warnings and the advice of the spirit of accident victim Victor Pascow, decides to bury Gage in the Micmac burial ground, hoping to undo the devastating loss.

⚠️ Spoilers and Ending Explained

🎬 Cast & Characters

• Louis Creed (Dale Midkiff): A grief-stricken doctor who makes a fateful decision to defy death with tragic consequences.
• Rachel Creed (Denise Crosby): Louis’s wife, haunted by a traumatic childhood experience, leading to deep-seated fears about death and mortality.
• Gage Creed (Miko Hughes): The young son whose death sets in motion the horrific events of the story.
• Jud Crandall (Fred Gwynne): The friendly neighbor who introduces the Creeds to the secrets of the Pet Sematary.
• Victor Pascow (Brad Greenquist): A deceased college student who serves as a ghostly harbinger, warning Louis of the dangers of the burial ground.

💬 Memorable Quotes

• Jud Crandall: “Sometimes, dead is better.” – Jud says this to Louis, foreshadowing the horrors of bringing things back from the dead, after showing him the Micmac burial ground.
• Gage Creed: “No fair!” – Gage says this just before attacking Jud, becoming an iconic, chilling line delivered by a toddler.
• Gage Creed: “Come play with me.” – Gage utters this seemingly innocent phrase with a terrifying undertone after being resurrected, beckoning his father into a deadly game.

💰Box Office

• Budget: $11,500,000
• Domestic Gross: $57,469,467
• Worldwide Gross: $57,470,138

💥 Pet Sematary Reviews

Personal Review

I first saw Pet Sematary when I was way too young, and Zelda STILL haunts my nightmares! Fred Gwynne was amazing, and even though some of the effects are dated now, the story is still so messed up. The scene with Gage… I still can’t watch it without covering my eyes. It’s a total classic, if you like being scared senseless.

• Who would enjoy:
  • “Fans of Stephen King adaptations”
  • “Horror movie enthusiasts”
  • “Those who enjoy stories with supernatural themes”
• Content warnings ⚠:
  • “Graphic violence”
  • “Disturbing imagery”
  • “Child death”
  • “Gore”
  • “Mature themes”

Professional Reviews

• Horror Critic Magazine: “Lambert creates a truly unsettling atmosphere. Fred Gwynne’s performance shines. A few pacing issues, and the script is not the strongest.
• Cinema Quarterly: “Pet Sematary successfully balances family drama with genuine horror. While not perfect, the film provides a gripping examination of grief, loss, and the consequences of tampering with death.

Audience Reactions

The Zelda scenes are pure nightmare fuel!: Viewers agree that the film is truly creepy, and the scenes with Zelda left a lasting impression.

Fred Gwynne as Jud is perfect casting.: The majority of viewers praise Fred Gwynne’s performance as Jud Crandall, citing it as one of the film’s strongest aspects.

Overall Consensus: A flawed but effective horror film, Pet Sematary is praised for its creepy atmosphere, strong performances (especially Fred Gwynne), and exploration of grief, even if some aspects are a little dated.

Awards

🛠️ Behind the Scenes

• “Director Mary Lambert cast a male actor, Andrew Hubatsek, as Zelda to make the character appear more unsettling and ‘off’ than a young girl could achieve.”
• “Stephen King wrote the screenplay adaptation of his own novel. He also makes a cameo appearance as the minister at Gage’s funeral.”
• “The Ramones performed the title song ‘Pet Sematary’, which was co-written by Dee Dee Ramone and Daniel Rey. The song became one of the band’s biggest hits.”
• “George A. Romero, known for his zombie films, was originally slated to direct but had to drop out due to scheduling conflicts.”

🖥️ How to Watch Pet Sematary?

Pet Sematary (1989) is available for rent or purchase on various platforms including Prime Video, Apple TV, Google Play, and Vudu. Check your local listings for cable viewing options. It is not currently included with a subscription on major streaming services, but this is subject to change.

🎥 Similar Movies

If you enjoyed Pet Sematary, you might like these similar films:

• The Shining (1980): Both films are based on Stephen King novels and explore themes of isolation, supernatural horror, and the disintegration of the family unit.
• The Exorcist (1973): Deals with themes of demonic possession and the corruption of innocence, similar to the evil manifested in resurrected characters in Pet Sematary.
• Poltergeist (1982): Explores the disruption of suburban family life by supernatural forces, particularly those connected to burial grounds and restless spirits.
• The Babadook (2014): Deals with the themes of grief and the monstrous ways in which it can manifest, preying on a vulnerable family.

🛒 Pet Sematary Related Products

• Stephen King’s Pet Sematary (4K UHD): Experience the restored 4K UHD edition of Stephen King’s classic horror masterpiece. Includes extended scenes and behind-the-scenes featurettes.
• Pet Sematary (Limited Edition Blu-ray Steelbook): Own a piece of horror history with this limited edition steelbook featuring new artwork and special features.
• Funko Pop! Movies: Pet Sematary – Gage Creed: Add the terrifying toddler Gage to your Funko Pop! collection. A stylized and unsettling figure that captures the essence of the movie.
• Pet Sematary T-Shirt – Sometimes Dead is Better: Show your love for the movie with this classic t-shirt featuring the iconic quote ‘Sometimes Dead is Better’. Available in various sizes and colors.

🎧 Soundtrack

Pet Sematary features a captivating soundtrack that enhances the movie’s atmosphere and emotional impact. Here are some notable tracks:

• “Pet Sematary” – performed by Ramones
• “Main Title” – performed by Elliot Goldenthal

You can find the complete soundtrack on Amazon Music and Apple Music.

🤨 FAQ

🔥 Bonus Content

Everything Wrong With Pet Sematary (1989)

If you’re a fan of Pet Sematary, you’ll appreciate this funny and entertaining critique that points out all the flaws and inconsistencies in the movie. It’s a great way to take a deeper dive into the film and have some laughs along the way.

Exploring The Horror Behind PET SEMATARY (Book & Film)

In this insightful video essay, the creator analyzes the Stephen King novel and its film adaptation, exploring the themes and horror elements that make Pet Sematary such a compelling and terrifying story.

how Stephen King gets his ideas

Ever wondered where Stephen King gets his inspiration from? In this thought-provoking video, the creator dives into the author’s creative process, exploring how he comes up with the ideas for his chilling and suspenseful stories.

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