Book Review - Pet Sematary by Stephen King

Title: Pet Sematary
Author: Stephen King
Genre: Horror
Published: 1983
 
Description: The House looked right, felt right to Dr. Louis Creed.
 
Rambling, old, unsmart and comfortable. A place where the family could settle; the children grow and play and explore. The rolling hills and meadows of Maine seemed a world away from the fume-choked dangers of Chicago.
 
Only the occasional big truck out on the two-lane highway, grinding up through the gears, hammering down the long gradients, growled out an intrusive threat.
 
But behind the house and far away from the road: that was safe. Just a carefully cleared path up into the woods where generations of local children have processed with the solemn innocence of the young, taking with them their dear departed pets for burial.
 
A sad place maybe, but safe. Surely a safe place. Not a place to seep into your dreams, to wake you, sweating with fear and foreboding.
 
Review: Did I just read my new favorite Stephen King book?  A terrifying epic about the limits of human grief. “Pet Sematary” is an absolute masterpiece. After closing that very last page, I can only conclude one thing: this is officially my favorite Stephen King novel. Over the years I have devoured many of King’s books, but this particular story grabbed me by the throat from the very first chapter and never lets go. It’s dark and compelling and will haunt your mind for days afterwards.
 
The story follows the young, successful doctor Louis Creed. He moves with his wife Rachel and two young children Ellie and Gage, and the family cat Church to the seemingly idyllic countryside of Maine. Their fresh start seems perfect, but appearances can be deceiving. They soon befriend their elderly neighbor, Jud Crandall, who takes them to a mysterious pet cemetery deep in the woods: the “Pet Sematary”.
 
What begins as a melancholic place where local children commemorate their deceased pets, however, turns out to be a dark façade. Deeper in the woods lies an ancient Mi’kmaq Indian burial ground that is possessed by a malevolent, supernatural force. The ground there is literally and figuratively acidic: whatever is buried there returns from the dead. But they never return exactly the same. When tragedy strikes the Creed family without mercy, Louis is driven by intense grief to defy the laws of nature. He makes a fatal decision with horrific irreversible consequences.
 
I can say with complete conviction that this is one of the scariest books I’ve ever read in my entire life. King doesn’t build tension with the cheap shock tactics of supernatural jump scares, but with a deep suffocating psychological terror that slowly creeps under your skin. From the very first page, the atmosphere is stifling, ominous, and uncomfortable. As a reader, you sense the impending catastrophe, but you’re just as powerless as the characters themselves. The climax is so intense and terrifying that I simply couldn’t put it down, despite the chills running down my spine. The last 100 pages were top tier.
 
What truly elevates this book to the level of a literary masterpiece is its emotional and philosophical depth. Pure grief is the central, most important theme of this story. King dissects the human psyche to the bone and painfully reveals just how blinding, destructive, and isolating intense grief can be. The book poses the chilling question: How far would you go to get a lost loved one back? It explores the universal fear of death and our inability to let go. The conclusion is brutally harsh: sometimes death really is better. “Pet Sematary” undoubtedly has one of the darkest and most hopeless endings Stephen King has ever written.
 
It’s dark, emotionally draining, psychologically complex, and terrifyingly relatable. It’s Stephen King at the absolute peak of his power. An absolute must-read for anyone who loves horror of the very highest caliber. I can’t believe it took me so long to read it.
 
Rating: 5/ 5
 

Netflix Friday - Volume 87

Some Netflix film tips for the weekend! And there is something for everyone, since I picked a movie for all the different genres.
 

Action: American Assassin (2017)
After the death of his girlfriend at the hands of terrorists, Mitch Rapp (Dylan O’Brien) is drawn into the world of counterterrorism, mentored by tough-as-nails former U.S. Navy S.E.A.L. Stan Hurley (Michael Keaton).
 

Drama: Saving Private Ryan (1998)
Following the Normandy Landing, a group of U.S. soldier go behind enemy lines to retrieve a paratrooper (Matt Damon) whose brothers have been killed in action.
 

Comedy: Last Action Hero (1993)
With the help of a magic ticker, a young movie fan (Austin O’Brien) is transported into the fictional world of his favorite action movie character (Arnold Schwarzenegger).
 

Animation: Happy Feet 2 (2011)
Mumble’s (Elijah Wood) son, Erik, is struggling to realize his talents in the Emperor Penguin world. Meanwhile, Mumble and his family and friends discover a new threat to their home. One that will take everyone working together to save them.
 

Romance: The 40-Year-Old Virgin (2005)
Goaded by his buddies, a nerdy guy (Steve Carell) who’s never “done the deed” only finds the pressure mounting when he meets a single mother (Catherine Keener)
 

Horror: Pet Sematary (2019)
Dr. Louise Creed (Jason Clarke) and his wife, Rachel (Amy Seimetz), relocate from Boston to rural Maine with their two young children. the couple soon discover a mysterious burial ground hidden deep in the woods near their new home.
 

Science Fiction: Spider-Man 2 (2004)
Peter Parker (Tobey Maguire) is best with troubles in his failing personal life as he battles a brilliant scientist named Doctor Otto Octavius (Alfred Molina)
 

Crime: Once Upon a Time in America (1984)
A former Prohibition-era Jewish gangster (Robert De Niro) returns to the Lower East Side of Manhattan 35 years later, where he must once again confront the gosts and regrets of his old life.
 

Thriller: The Good Liar (2019)
Consummate con man Toy Courtnay (Ian McKellen) has set his sights on his latest mark: the recently widowed Betty McLeish (Helen Mirren), worth millions. But this time, what should have been a simple swindle escalates into a cat-and-mouse game with the ultimate stakes.
 

Documentary: Joan Didion: the Center Will Not Hold (2017)
Literary icon Joan Didion reflects on her remarkable career and personal struggles in this intimate documentary.
 

Family: Tales of Beatrix Potter (1971)
Beatrix Potter’s most beloved characters spring to life in this live-action classic.

Netflix Friday - Volume 58

Some Netflix film tips for the weekend! And there is something for everyone, since I picked a movie for all the different genres.
 

Action: Shaft (2019)
JJ Shaft (Jessie T. Usher), a cyber security expert with a degree from MIT, enlists his family’s help to uncover the truth behind his best friend’s death.
 

Drama: Blue Miracle (2021)
To save their cash-strapped orphanage, a guardian and his kids partner with a washed-up boat captain (Dennis Quaid) for a chance to win a lucrative fishing competition.
 

Comedy: Tower Heist (2011)
When a group of hard-working guys find out they’ve fallen victim to their wealthy employer’s Ponzi scheme, they conspire to rob his high-rise residence.
 

Animation: The SpongBob SquarePants Movie (2004)
SpongeBob SquarePants takes leave from the town of Bikini Bottom in order to track down King Neptune’s stolen crown.
 

Romance: 13 Going On 30 (2004)
A girl makes a wish on her thirteenth birthday, and wakes up the next day as a thirty-year old woman (Jennifer Garner).
 

Horror: Pet Sematary (2019)
Dr. Louis Creed (Jason Clarke) and his wife, Rachel (Amy Seimetz), relocate from Boston to rural Maine with their two young children. The couple soon discover a mysterious burial ground hidden deep in the woods near their new home.
 

Science Fiction: The Discovery (2017)
Two years after the afterlife is scientifically proven, a man (Robert Redford) attempts to help a young woman (Rooney Mara) break away from her dark past.
 

Crime: Joker (2019)
In Gotham City, mentally troubled comedian Arthur Fleck (Joaquin Phoenix) is disregarded and mistreated by society. He then embarks on a downward spiral of revolution and bloody crime. This path brings him face-to-face with his alter-ego: the Joker.
 

Thriller: The Rainmaker (1997)
An underdog lawyer (Matt Damon) takes on a fraudulent insurance company.
 

Documentary: One of Us (2017)
Penetrating the insular world of New York’s Hasidic community, focusing on three individuals driven to break away despite threats of retaliation.
 

Family: Hugo (2011)
In 1931 Paris, an orphan living in the walls of a train station gets wrapped up in a mystery involving his late father and an automaton.

Movie Reviews - Pet Sematary

Director: Kevin Kölsch, Dennis Widmyer
Genre: Thriller/ Horror
Runtime: 101 minutes
Year: 2019
Starring: Jason Clarke, Amy Seimetz, John Lithgow

Description: Dr. Louis Creed (Jason Clarke) and his wife, Rachel (Amy Seimetz), relocate from Boston to rural Maine with their two young children. The couple soon discover a mysterious burial ground hidden deep in the woods near their new home.

Review: Louise Creed, his wife Rachel and their two kids decide to move to a small town in Maine. When their cat Church dies, neighbor Judd Crandall tells Louise about a secret burial place. When Church returns, Louise and his family can’t explain it. But a tragedy turns the life of the Creed family upside down and the Pet Sematary is a scary place.
“Pet Sematary” is one of the darkest stories written by Stephen King, the master of horror. Some elements where so gruesome, the author doubted if he could publish the book. It’s perfect material for a horror film and the first attempt was in 1989. It was a good film, but it never captured tat dark atmosphere from the book.
The new adaptation from directors Kevin Kölsch and Dennis Widmyer is much better than it’s predecessor. The tension is build and we spend enough time with the character to relate to them and their traumatic experiences.
Jason Clarke was a good choice for the leas and John Lithgow is perfectly cast. It was actually the, for me, unknown Amy Seimetz who stole the show. Her performance is fantastic and I felt her fear.
The film is not terrifying, but it has some great shock and scare moments. It’s an effective horror film. The deeper thoughts and the existential fear is something that doesn’t completely manage to convince.
The ending gets mixed feeling. Some people hate it, some people love it. I’m in the last group. It’s a pretty abrupt ending, but I like the unhappy ending. It’s the type of ending this story needed.

Rating: 4/ 5