The stratification of streaming content, divided up by individual studio, has resulted in an interesting phenomenon. It has led to the desperate search for new ways to attract subscribers, often resorting to mining old properties and turning them into something new. This tactic, however, has proven to be mostly unsuccessful, resulting in unwanted answers to unasked questions. Questions like: what if Gremlins were animated? What if we had a prequel to Grease’s pink ladies? What if we had a version of Fatal Attraction with Joshua Jackson? And what if Sex and the City was just terrible?
Unsurprisingly, most of these attempts have failed. The only exception is the bold continuation of Sex and the City, now redefined as a hate-watch fueled by wine. As the industry heads towards a contraction after a period of excessive growth, it is unlikely that we will see as many of these experiments in the future. This makes a film like Pet Sematary: Bloodlines feel even more outdated. It exists solely because it can, rather than for any real purpose.
Even the 2019 remake of Pet Sematary felt like a pointless endeavor. The remake only happened due to the renewed popularity of author Stephen King, following the success of 2017’s It: Chapter One, which became the highest-grossing horror film of all time, raking in $700 million worldwide.
Now, just in time for another Halloween season, Paramount+ is attempting to squeeze more blood out of the Pet Sematary franchise with a prequel that nobody asked for. Set in the 1960s in the cursed town of Ludlow, Maine, the film follows a young man named Jud, who is trying to leave town with his girlfriend. However, circumstances conspire to keep them there, leading them to a cemetery full of dark secrets. This prequel attempts to fill in gaps in the story, going all the way back to the 1670s and touching on topics like colonialism and stolen land, before flashing forward to the Vietnam War.
The film is competently acted and directed, with some effectively visceral moments of gore. However, it fails to provide a cohesive narrative and lacks suspense. The vague nods towards inherited trauma and political callousness are thrown aside in favor of a predictable quest-led final act. The film leaves the audience wondering why they are watching it, which is a question that should be given more priority, especially in a month filled with horror films.
Pet Sematary: Bloodlines will be available on Paramount+ on October 6th.
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