‘Pet Sematary’ wowed audiences at first screening

March 17, 2019

The upcoming Stephen King adaptation of Pet Sematary has screened and the first reviews indicate it’s seriously impressive.

The film aired for critics and fans at this year’s SXSW festival in Texas.

Check out what viewers had to say below.

There have been a lot of great Stephen King adaptations lately, but PET SEMATARY feels the most perfectly, specifically Stephen King. It’s just what I want out of this movie in every single way, and that includes SUPER scary. So crazy happy with it. #sxsw

— Meredith Borders (@xymarla) March 17, 2019

Lots (and lots) of thoughts on the new #PetSematary to come, but for now, what I will say is this: holy hell do I respect how bananas it gets in the third act. Absolutely not what I was expecting AT ALL.

— Heather Wixson (@thehorrorchick) March 17, 2019

Like the best King adaptations, PET SEMATARY isn’t 100% faithful to the text, but the spirit. This movie is BLEAK (but also surprisingly funny at times). And yes, the Ramones song played over the credits and I CHEERED.

— Chris Evangelista (@cevangelista413) March 17, 2019

#PetSematary delivers a solid sense of dread from start to finish. It earns its well-timed jump scares, and terrific sound design and gnarly effects add extra layers of creepy. I think King fans will dig it.
Move over Goose, it’s Church’s turn.#sxsw pic.twitter.com/jqkuLKOfWq

— Erik Davis (@ErikDavis) March 17, 2019

#PetSematary is *vicious* and I LOVED it. Super brutal visuals and was thrilled to see Widmyer & Kölsch fully embrace the deeply unsettling themes of mortality from the book. And WOW Jeté Laurence. They really pushed it with this adaptation & it worked for me – big time. ? #sxsw

— Perri Nemiroff (@PNemiroff) March 17, 2019

So, the new @petsematarymov is GREAT. A worthy adaptation of one of King’s darkest, most difficult books. Makes a few changes, some that work very well, but some small things I missed. However, some MAJOR beats really hit (including one I feared they wouldn’t do… BUT THEY DID!) pic.twitter.com/HEcBRcljkL

— Sean O’Connell (@Sean_OConnell) March 17, 2019

Was one of the luck ones to see #petsematary tonight. What a thrilling movie. Just wait until the third act! You’ll be shaken to your core. The actors were amazing. Hats off to Jete Laurence and the rest of the awesome cast, and of course Alyssa Brooke Levine as Zelda.

— Warren Levine (@wlevine72) March 17, 2019

In case you haven’t seen it yet, check out the trailer for the film below.

If you are unfamiliar with the horror classic, read Paramount Pictures’ synopsis below:

“Based on the seminal horror novel by Stephen King, Pet Sematary follows Dr. Louis Creed, who, after relocating with his wife Rachel and their two young children from Boston to rural Maine, discovers a mysterious burial ground hidden deep in the woods near the family’s new home. When tragedy strikes, Louis turns to his unusual neighbor, Jud Crandall (Lithgow), setting off a perilous chain reaction that unleashes an unfathomable evil with horrific consequences.”
Pet Sematary hits theaters April 5.

Are you excited to see Pet Sematary? Sound off in the comments below!