Cast overview, first billed only: | |||
Edward Furlong | ... | Jeff Matthews | |
Anthony Edwards | ... | Chase Matthews | |
Clancy Brown | ... | Gus Gilbert | |
Jared Rushton | ... | Clyde Parker | |
Darlanne Fluegel | ... | Renee Hallow | |
Jason McGuire | ... | Drew Gilbert | |
Sarah Trigger | ... | Marjorie Hargrove | |
Lisa Waltz | ... | Amanda Gilbert | |
Jim Peck | ... | Quentin Yolander | |
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Len Hunt | ... | Director |
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Reid Binion | ... | Brad |
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David Ratajczak | ... | Stevie |
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Lucius Houghton | ... | Puppeteer |
Wilbur Fitzgerald | ... | First Assistant Director | |
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Elizabeth Ziegler | ... | Steadicam Operator |
After the horrible electrocution of his divorced mother in a freakish film-set accident, the troubled thirteen-year-old boy, Jeff Matthews, and his father, Chase, move to his hometown of Ludlow, Maine, to make a fresh start. However, as Jeff struggles to leave the bad memories behind him, his only friend, Drew Gilbert, tells him about the ancient Indian burial site with the otherworldly reanimating powers, intent on testing it on his loyal dog, Zowie. Indeed, the myth is real; nevertheless, what would happen if Jeff buried his beloved mother's dead body in the graveyard's stony soil? Can the dead truly return from the grave? Written by Nick Riganas
Some of the scathing reviews from those who preferred the original PET SEMATARY rather than this sequel, are misleading, no matter how well-intentioned these viewers were. This horror film, full of the kind of touches evident in any Stephen King story, is really much better than these reviews would have you believe.
The premise, of course, is a silly one--that burying dead animals or human beings in a specially cursed Indian sematary will bring them back to life, deadlier than ever in evil intent. But once you get beyond that, there's enough fright and scares invoked by the script and by the clever direction of Mary Lambert, particularly in sequences involving Clancy Brown. His return from the grave is marked by some really scary and howlingly funny moments that give the film a sense of life it otherwise would have lacked.
She has also directed her two youthful protagonists, Edward Furlong and Jason McGuire, in such a manner that she gets skillful performances from them. Furlong has a glowing presence that fits the material beautifully and McGuire has a naturalness that is refreshing and real.
And the story actually covers a lot of ground, everything from bad parenting to bullying from one's peers and lots of revenge motifs that lead to some truly harrowing moments. Alas, it's true that much of the action has a mean-spirited slant but all of it is somewhat softened by touches of real humor.
Worth a look if you enjoyed the first PET SEMATARY.