Plot: What’s it about?
After the death of his mother, Jeff Matthews (Edward Furlong) was moved to Ludlow, Maine with his father Chase (Anthony Edwards). His father hopes for a new start of sorts, perhaps for both of them, but of course, Ludlow’s second chances don’t always turn out well. Jeff finds his new home to be miserable, as he is an outsider in school and gets harassed by the other kids in his neighborhood. But he soon makes a friend in Drew Gilbert (Jason McGuire), who is also an outsider and is dealing with his abusive father, Gus (Clancy Brown). As the two get to know each other, they share more about themselves, Drew about his dad and Jeff about his mother, which helps them both to cope with their issues. But when Gus shoots Drew’s beloved dog, things take a turn for the dark side, as the two youths bury the canine on Indian burial grounds. The place is rumored to have mystical powers, but as we already know, those rumors are solid truth. Can Jeff and Drew somehow survive the evil that is soon unleashed?
The first Pet Sematary was no masterpiece of horror, but even so a sequel was made, for some unknown reason. But it has a lot of positive elements involved, such as staying true to the original, a decent cast, and a returning director, so all is not lost with Pet Sematary Two. In truth, I like the added humor found in this flick, as well as Edward Furlong’s performance and the entire film is decent, I just expected more from this sequel. The premise is halfway decent and things start off well enough, but the writing quickly spirals into substandard form. The story is rehashed of course, with mediocre writing that is always predictable, including the let down of a finale. But the cast manages to keep the material afloat most of the time, or at the very least tolerable. The premise is halfway decent and things start off well enough, but the writing quickly spirals into substandard form. So if you’re a real fan of the original and want to see more, then give Pet Sematary Two a rental, but don’t expect much from this one. As usual, Paramount has stiffed the consumer and included only a trailer, which makes it hard to recommend this as a purchase to anyone.
His career has been troubled more often than not, but when he wants to, Edward Furlong can do some terrific work. I wouldn’t say this is his finest hour on screen, but Furlong proves his worth in the end, making the best out of some weak material. He is given some lame lines and a paper thin character, but Furlong makes it work well enough. I think it was a wise choice to bring Furlong in on this film, as he and the other cast members make this worth seeing, not the poor writing or even decent direction involved. Other films with Furlong include American History X, Brainscan, Terminator 2: Judgment Day, Pecker, Detroit Rock City, and Animal Factory. The cast also includes Anthony Edwards (Revenge of the Nerds, The Client), Clancy Brown (The Hurricane, The Shawshank Redemption), Sarah Trigger (Bill & Ted’s Bogus Journey, Destiny Turns on the Radio), and Jared Rushton (Overboard, Lady in White).
Video: How does it look?
Pet Sematary Two is presented in a 1.85:1 anamorphic widescreen transfer. This is a nice, clean overall visual presentation, but some light to moderate grain lessens the impact to an extent. I’ve seen this film on television and various home video renditions and it has never looked this good, however. The grain is sometimes a slight distraction, but nothing too serious and as such, I won’t be too harsh with my score in this area. The colors look natural, but bright and flesh tones seem natural, while contrast is stark at all times, even with grain present. In the end, this is a solid visual treatment from Paramount, even if it doesn’t rank close to their finest releases.
Audio: How does it sound?
This release uses a Dolby Digital 5.1 option that provides a solid experience, but won’t replace your current home theater showcase disc. The vocals are rich and clean in this mix, while the music also sounds good, no errors there. The surrounds are used at times, but not too often, as this mix is based more in the front channels. It all works out rather well however, as it has a natural overall presence. I was a little let down at times however, as some potential for subtle touches was missed, which could have enhanced the eerie atmosphere. Even so, this is a more than solid track and it should please fans, which is what counts. This disc also includes a 2.0 surround option, French language track, and English subtitles.
Supplements: What are the extras?
This disc includes the film’s theatrical trailer.
