Rating summary

Movie		2.0
Video		3.5
Audio		4.5
Extras		5.0
Overall		4.0

Pet Sematary Two Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Brian Orndorf February 11, 2020

An adaptation of a Stephen King novel, 1989’s “Pet Sematary” (scripted by the author) had a defined beginning, middle, and end. There was little room for a sequel, but the movie ended up a surprise hit for Paramount Picture, who craved a return to Ludlow, Maine, hoping to scoop up some easy sequel bucks. 1992’s “Pet Sematary Two” (identified as “Pet Sematary II” in the film) isn’t blessed with the return of King to help keep the story on track. Actually, King took is name off the feature, and it’s easy to understand why, with returning helmer Mary Lambert trying to make her own bloody mess with the brand name, eschewing franchise intensity to fool around with a semi-comedic tone for a premise that doesn’t trigger many laughs. Lambert doesn’t really have a creative direction with “Pet Sematary Two,” showing little control over tone, performance, and message as she tanks the sequel, almost on purpose.

After witnessing the electrocution death of his mother, beloved movie star Renee (Darlanne Fluegel), teen Jeff (Edward Furlong) has joined his father, veterinarian Chase (Anthony Edwards), in Ludlow, Maine, to help settle his grief. Facing trouble from bully Clyde (Jared Rushton), Jeff befriends Drew (Jason McGuire), an angry kid trapped under parental pressure applied by his stepfather, Gus (Clancy Brown), the town sheriff. When his beloved dog is shot by Gus, Drew takes the pooch to a special Native American burial ground that can bring back the dead, who return with slightly demonic traits. When such troublemaking escalates to the murder and reanimation of Gus, Jeff and Drew discover the true nightmare of the “Pet Sematary,” along with its potential to reunite Renee with the family she was so cruelly removed from.

It’s not that the first “Pet Sematary” was any great work of art, but Lambert managed to find the severity of the premise, treating the reanimation of the dead with the shock and horror it naturally inspired, juggling the pain of loss with horror movie traditions, keeping the feature unsettling. “Pet Sematary Two” doesn’t know how to revive such tonality, with screenwriter Richard Outten aiming to recycle the idea of the burial ground with new characters, only the stakes are much lower, finding Renee’s corpse only dealt with during the film’s climax. The rest of the effort offers scattershot characterization (Sarah Trigger play Marjorie, Chase’s housekeeper, who’s introduced as a major player in the story, only to be ignored for most of the picture) and animal horrors, with Lambert trying to one-up herself by tormenting dogs and rabbits. The screenplay offers a fine introduction with Renee’s death and Jeff’s troubled processing of such a loss, only to crudely switch over to the menace of Gus and his rage issues.

“Pet Sematary Two” is too silly to be considered cruel, but Lambert makes some questionable choices during the course of the film. She’s in love with Gus, permitting Brown to do whatever he wants with the character (including reviving Fred Gwynne’s broad Maine accent, and he’s the only own in town who has one), believing the abusive cop to be a tremendous source of laughs, even when he’s bullying his stepson and raping his wife. The panic of the material seems to be missing, as nobody notices the strangeness of animals and humans returning to life with gaping wounds, treating obvious gore with bizarre casualness, leaving the movie low on urgency. There’s violence to keep things going, and makeup effects are excellent, but Lambert often treats the production like a crummy Roger Corman endeavor, leaning into exploitative elements instead of rousing genre ones, skimping on terror to make a movie about teenage boys for teenage boys. The feature’s light on emotion and creative care, extending to intrusive soundtrack cuts that don’t fit the effort at all, while the score by Mark Governor is trying to sell a grim sense of feeling that Lambert is actively avoiding.

Pet Sematary Two Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Making its Blu-ray debut, "Pet Sematary Two" offers an AVC encoded image (1.85:1 aspect ratio) presentation. The disc is billed as a new "4K scan of the original camera negative," offering fans a reasonably clear look at the sequel. Detail varies throughout the viewing event, as some filtering has been applied to the scan, making certain shots adequately textured, while others are smoothed out, losing some feel for facial particulars. Makeup achievements are largely appreciable, retaining their gruesome construction. Town visits are dimensional, with decoration and deterioration to showcase. Costuming has fibrous moments. Colors are direct, supporting the autumnal mood of the feature, leading with earth tones for outfits and outdoors, while brighter hues emerge with stylistics, with Lambert bathing scenes in blue and orange. Skintones are natural. Delineation is satisfactory. Source is in excellent condition.

Pet Sematary Two Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The 5.1 DTS-HD MA sound mix supplies a clear understanding of the somewhat odd performances choices found in the feature. Dialogue exchanges are sharp, with precise emotionality and balanced argumentative moments. Scoring delivers acoustic and synth-laded support, captured with revealing instrumentation. Surrounds do well with atmospherics, aiming for a more circular listening experience than a specific one, selling outdoor events and interior encounters. Sound effects are defined to satisfaction. Low-end isn't broad, but heavier hits of violence offering weight, as do soundtrack beats.

Pet Sematary Two Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Commentary features director Mary Lambert.

• "Young and Brooding" (13:32, HD) is an interview with Edward Furlong, who shows up clutching a lighter and periodically smoking, ready to discuss his time on "Pet Sematary Two." Furlong recounts his initial hiring for "Terminator 2," with casting director Mali Finn spotting him in the wild, sensing something special about the boy. Finding the profession a healthy "outlet," Furlong tried to embrace his work, but he couldn't escape the overwhelming nature of the job, with "Pet Sematary Two" only his third film. Co-stars are assessed, human and animal, and Georgia locations are recalled, which offered little fun for the young star. Special effects are detailed, including Furlong's lifelong dislike of sticky stage blood. The interviewee shares his impression of Mary Lambert and his somewhat icy relationship with her, and examines the feature's legacy, though Furlong seems more interested in talking about "Terminator 2."

• "Playing Over the Top" (21:00, HD) is a conversation with actor Clancy Brown, who recalls his Midwestern upbringing, with stage work evolving into movie jobs, beginning with 1983's "Bad Boys." There's some coverage of casting success, including "Buckaroo Banzai," with Brown developing his career. The interviewee shares his initial enthusiasm for the "Pet Sematary Two" script, describing it as "subversive," also exploring his mission to create a character for the sequel, with Lambert okay with Brown doing "something silly" with the part. Co-stars are assessed and special effects are explored, with Brown sharing that such cruel violence wouldn't fly in today's marketplace. As assessment of the picture's legacy is offered, but fans might be most excited by Brown's use of his Mr. Krabs voice (from "SpongeBob SquarePants") to say goodbye to the viewing audience.

• "My First Film" (24:23, HD) reunites with Jason McGuire, who portrays young Drew in "Pet Sematary Two." A Georgia native, McGuire held acting interests as a child, winning an audition for the horror sequel, which turned into his first professional job. McGuire shares his memories from his first day on the set, dealing with lights and speedy crew members, and he recalls his co-stars, paralyzed while in the presence of Anthony Edwards and Clancy Brown. Stunt work and animal interactions are shared, but McGuire goes deep into post-"Pet Sematary Two" career ambitions, working on "Leap of Faith" and "Forrest Gump" before pulling out of the business due to education issues and maturity. McGuire shares his thoughts on the legacy of the picture, labeling it a "guilty pleasure."

• "A Thousand Dollar Bet" (15:51, HD) sits down with special makeup effects creator Steve Johnson, who shares his love of Stephen King and all his work, but understands why the author took his name off of "Pet Sematary Two." Johnson is always a hoot, and this interview is no different, going into the production time period, where he was working to build his own company, suddenly faced with three jobs at the same time, flying around the country to work on "Freaked," "Innocent Blood," and "Pet Sematary Two." Such multitasking upset Clancy Brown, who bet Johnson $1000 that the sequel would open bigger than John Landis's vampire comedy. The interviewee walks through production challenges and creations (including an animatronic dog), and admits he doesn't see his own movies.

• "Orchestrated Grunge" (29:32, HD) discusses the score of "Pet Sematary Two" with composer Mark Governor, who recounts his early love of music and movies, leading to first jobs with Roger Corman. Working with Lambert, Governor was tasked with creating a rock score for the feature, massaging different sounds (including a coyote howl) into the work, endeavoring to come up with something unique for the genre. Creative intent eventually slammed into bad test screenings, and Governor was asked to change the score. Talk of the film's critical reception is shared, along with a revival of fan interest in "Pet Sematary Two," allowing Governor to finally release a CD of his work.

• And a Theatrical Trailer (1:33, SD) is included.

Pet Sematary Two Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

"Pet Sematary Two" is utterly bizarre, reach the height of "huh?" with an "in memoriam" conclusion that recaps all the lives lost during the movie, with Lambert suddenly in a mournful mood after making light of horrible death for the previous 100 minutes. Some technical achievements are enjoyable, making the effort interesting to watch at times, but as an offering of storytelling and series consistency, "Pet Sematary Two" doesn't know what it wants to do or what it wants to be.