FANTASTIC FEST: ‘Pet Sematary: Bloodlines’ Adds Lore To A Legacy

Mary Lambert’s Pet Sematary is a film I revisit often, and marks one of the very few times a woman has been allowed to take on one of Stephen King’s works. Now, debut director Lindsey Anderson Beer adds her name to that list with Pet Sematary: Bloodlines, with Jeff Buhler sharing a writing credit with Anderson Beer.

Set in 1969 under the pressures and grief of Vietnam, Pet Sematary takes audiences to Ludlow and a young Jud Crandall. With dreams of leaving the small town, Jud’s plans are cut short when the town’s terrifying secret and his family’s place in it are revealed when a man grieving the loss of his son in Vietnam heads to the sour earth and refuses to think that dead is better.

What starts as one act of grief begins a chain of events that makes a the youth of Ludlow tackle their family’s dark history that keeps them connected to Ludlow for good. With the help of his childhood friend Manny and Manny’s sister Donna, they band together to fight the ancient evil that has gripped Ludlow since its founding, which once unearthed has the power to destroy everything.

Filling in the past, Pet Sematary: Bloodline is based on the untold chapter from Pet Sematary, Stephen King’s novel. It offers up answers for fans who have wanted a deeper dive into the lore of Ludlow and the sour earth below. With a cast of fantastic talent including Forrest Goodluck, Jackson White, Isabella Star LaBlanc, Henry Thomas, David Duchovny, Pam Grier, Jack Mulhern, and Samantha Mathis, the film attempts to break the prequel curse of stuffing in too much information for an audience that is tied to an original work. That said, it mostly succeeds, taking big swings to move the story of individual grief into one about community, consequences, and bearing the sins of history.

Pet Sematary: Bloodlines is far from perfect, but for those who are deeply in love with the mythos of Ludlow and the world that exists in the King novel and film, this is a must-watch. I find myself in that second camp, forgiving some pacing elements and a packed cast because of how much lore the film builds for Pet Sematary, primarily by situating the existence of Ludlow as penance for the colonizing of the land.

Additionally, this film allows Indigenous characters to not only be present in the story but have an important impact on it. They’re not just purveyors of knowledge to save white people from themselves but are a part of the community in a real and important way.

In fact, Manny, played by Forrest Goodluck, is the most dynamic character of the film with the most intimate relationships on display. His relationships with his sister and with his best friend Jud are paramount to the success of the narrative. Thoughtfully written and more than a stereotype, Manny stands as my favorite of the film, first and foremost. In fact, despite the marketing pushing Jud as the center of the film, especially since he connects the prequel to the original (or the 2019 film), Manny is squarely the heart of the film.

The audience is given more chances to feel what he feels and experience Ludlow from his perspective. Audiences experience deep loss through him as well,l which makes Pet Sematary’s constant of grief ring true for those watching. Manny has the toughest choices to make in the film, and through that, he embodies the viewer wholeheartedly. Even when Jud is the focus of the scenes, he is made better by his deep connection to Manny and the tender moments the two share.

For the violence we see in the film, some moments feel too bombastic in a film that previously went for smaller more intimate moments. That said, it does deliver some jarring moments that make it a good horror entry for the start of spooky season from distributor Paramount+. The only downside is the meaning that comes from the kills is lost in a spree, losing moments of closeness that were developed previously in the film.

While some additions to the lore don’t land perfectly, the film will have a lot to offer for those viewers deeply invested in the property, specifically looking to see the curse at play from beginning to end. But even if you lack that investment, the film offers up a fine horror outing for a Friday night on the couch with a bowl of popcorn.

Still, one thing is undeniable: writer-director Lindsey Anderson Beer deeply cares about Pet Sematary, about Ludlow, and about presenting a new audience with a story on grief that can meet them where they are positioning them into something larger.

Pet Sematary: Bloodlines screened as a part of the Fantastic Fest 2023 program and premieres globally on Paramount+ October 8, 2023.