If we’ve learned anything from Stephen King’s Pet Sematary, it’s that burying someone in an ancient Native American burial ground is a sure-fire way to bring them back. That’s old news, so what could Pet Sematary II bring to the table? How about a deeper look into the “lives” of the freshly harvested undead.
Sometimes, it’s just best to say no when “bring your kid to work day” rolls around. Then again, not many parents worry about dying on the job in front of their ‘tweens. Unfortunately, when horror actress mom, Renee Hallow (Darlanne Fluegel Once Upon a Time in America) brings her son Jeff (Edward Furlong Terminator II) to the set of one of her zombie movies, she does just that. After his mother’s violent demise, Jeff and his dad Chase Matthews (Anthony Edwards ER) move to a small town in Maine; one that we’ve become quite acquainted with not too long ago.
While this movie shares a director with Pet Sematary, Mary Lambert, the screenplay was not written by King, but by Richard Outten (Last Rites). Some of the places, names, and tales are the same in both movies, but beyond that, Pet Sematary II is of far different breeding than its predecessor. Instead of being emotionally gripping Pet Sematary II will be more likely to make you laugh than cry.
Where King chooses to focus on the human condition and the depth of grief, Outten brings in a dark humor when investigating how these self-reaped human crops return to their everyday lives. Another aspect of Pet Sematary II not found in the original is the excessive gore. Of course, there are cringe-worthy parts in Pet Sematary, but nothing as severely perturbing as what you see in Pet Sematary II.
Die-hard fans of the original Pet Sematary may find this sequel to be too campy and gory, but that doesn't mean you shouldn’t give it a try. Horror fans should be able to find something enjoyable about this movie, be it campiness, humor, shock, or gore. This film cannot and should not be compared to the classic that is Stephen King’s Pet Sematary. Instead, I challenge you to take this movie on its own merit as a horror film; you just might find yourself liking it.
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