The 2019 remake of Pet Sematary seems unlikely to eclipse the original 1989 adaptation in history, but there's a particular thing it does much better. While Stephen King's work has been adapted into films since the 1970s, we've now reached the odd point where some of his older books are being adapted for the second, or sometimes third times. In a way, it's a testament to the staying power of King's writing, as audiences don't seem to have lost interest in seeing his stories told and retold onscreen.
IT, Carrie, Salem's Lot, and The Shining have all been adapted more than once, either as feature films or TV miniseries. In 2019, Pet Sematary got the movie treatment for the second time, to a fairly positive reaction. It performed well at the box office, and actually earned better reviews than the 1989 version from critics, although neither adaptation is exactly a critical darling. Still, within the horror community, there are some who believe the 2019 rendition is a better movie, if not a better adaptation, since it makes big changes to the book.
For his part, King loved the altered take on Pet Sematary, and appreciated that the filmmakers tried to do something new with the story. That said, almost one year after the remake's release, all signs point to the 1989 movie remaining the more beloved adaptation. Either way, there's one thing Pet Sematary 2019 is head and shoulders better at.
Pet Sematary’s Remake Did ONE Thing Better Than the Original
Whatever one thinks of the many massive changes made to Pet Sematary for its 2019 movie adaptation, there's one thing the remake does so, so much better than the 1989 movie, and that's the acting. While Miko Hughes is really good for such a young child, and Fred Gwynne is quite likeable as Jud Crandall, lead actor Dale Midkiff fails to make Louis Creed a compelling protagonist. His range of emotions is extremely limited, which isn't great when Louis is tasked with going through just about every possible feeling over the course of the film. Jason Clarke's performance as Louis is everything Midkiff's fails to be, and the viewer can't help but feel for him despite his continued mistakes.
Then there's Rachel Creed, who gets a similarly bland performance from Denise Crosby in the 1989 film. Granted, Rachel is given more to do in the 2019 movie, but Crosby's Rachel isn't particularly likeable or compelling. Conversely, Amy Seimetz is right on Clarke's level as his wife, and shines in her scenes with evil zombie Ellie. Speaking of which, Ellie actress Jete Laurence is also more than up to the task of filling the killer kid role, and John Lithgow does great at playing a more sinister rendition of Jud, which isn't surprising, as he's great in everything. Pet Sematary fans may still flock to the 1989 version, but the remake has better performances all around.