 | ON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | PAUSE: Know your child; some content may not be right for some kids. |
 | OFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | NOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids any age. |
Pet Sematary
- Review Date: September 12, 2008
- R
- Genre: Horror
- 1989
Common Sense Media says
Stephen King shocker a grim, R-rated Goosebumps.
Parents say
QUALITY
Kids say
QUALITY
What parents need to know
Parents need to know that this movie plays on worst fears and grief over death, of both pets and children. Toddlers, animals, and adults get killed violently -- via murder, suicide, and a traffic accident. There is grotesque imagery in the contorted physiognomy of a victim of spinal meningitis; her illness makes her monstrous and vile, which some critics felt was over-the-line cruel. Kids may be tempted by the sequel, Pet Sematary 2; it's decidedly inferior and adds tacky nudity and tastelessness this one avoids.
What's the story?
Young doctor Louis Creed (Dale Midkiff) moves with his family to rural Maine, ominously near a dangerous, truck-traveled highway. After his daughter's beloved tomcat is killed in a hit-and-run, an elderly neighbor informs Louis of an incredible local secret. Hidden near the town's pet cemetery lies an ancient Indian burial ground with paranormal powers; the deadburied in its stony soil actually come back to life. Even with warnings from the ghost of one of his patients, Louis resurrects the cat -- but the once-friendly feline is hostile and menacing. Despite this disappointing result, another wrenching family tragedy leads the tormented Louis back to the burial ground. Again and again.
Is it any good?
This isn't the worst adaptation of a Stephen King book ever made, but considering how bad others are that isn't a compliment you'd want for your tombstone. Without the writer's sympathetic, explanatory prose filling in the back story and motivations (and Stephen King as a scriptwriter has never been as strong as Stephen King the novelist), the plotline plods from one rather cheap shock to another, some of them just arbitrary nastiness that have little to do with anything (like a sickly woman suddenly deciding to hang herself).
As a basic, icky, unvarnished scare show PET SEMATARY renders some of the creepiness effectively in Halloween-spookhouse fashion. The angle about undead pets and kids has something of the Goosebumps vibe, and sex and nudity are absent. You can't say any of that about the vile sequel Pet Sematary 2, which carries over none of the characters from this feature, just the burial ground.
What families can talk about
Families can talk about the characters' motivations. Should a grieving person try to bring a loved one back, at any cost? A reading of the novel provides more discussion material on this. Does a horror movie format deal with this difficult topic effectively? Why or why not?
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AGE
Not appropiate 13 and under, iffy for 14, appropiate for 16 or 17.
Pretty violent.
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AGE
Great Stephen King movie!
Good movie, follows the book very well, and is really scary!
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AGE
Grisly and dull. Not for kids.
Pet Semetary, like many people probably know, is based off a Stephen King Novel, and a very famous on at that. Now, in my opinion, I think that that the book is far superior than the movie, as the case often is. Also, it is a fairly intense movie, and is not appropriate for younger teens because of frequent bloody violence involving animals, children and more, frequent casual drinking and smoking, and infrequent profanity including at least 1 F-word. It just isn't nearly as well made as the book, but surprisingly it still manages to conjure up a decent amount of scares, all its own.
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AGE
Perfect for teens
Well i wouldnt recomend it to kids under 13 because of zelda i think its a great movie but i didnt see it all cus of zelda.
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AGE
Book is better...
I was 12 when I read this... It was a bit scary. I stupidly finished it late at night, it was 1 in the morning. The movie isn't as good.... But the book is really good :) Book is definitely better. But now I will honestly say it has scared me into not burrying any pet.
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AGE
WHOO
It is very hilarious! i laughed through the whole thing! Very funny! good for children!
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AGE
Grim response to King's excellent novel.
"Pet Sematary" is extremely grim. It has depressing topics such, suicide, grief of pets and loved ones. I love the novel, but I was extremely shocked at some of disturbing images displayed in the movie. It is not a movie for kids. It creates goosebumps, and possibly some nightmares. Please, exercise my review seriously. My Suggested MPAA Rating, R: Disturbing images/violence, thematic material, and language
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AGE
i love this movie
awesome movie. awesome stephen king work.
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| Studio: | Paramount Pictures |
| Director: | Mary Lambert |
| Cast: | Dale Midkiff, Denise Crosby, Fred Gwynne |
| Genre: | Horror |
| Run time: | 103 minutes |
| Theatrical release date: | April 28, 1989 |
| DVD release date: | September 26, 2006 |
| MPAA rating: | R |
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