Pet Sematary 2 (Arrow Recommends – Halloween Watch!)

Last Updated on July 30, 2021

"Arrow Recommends is a column that has my sorry ass advise older movies to your royal asses. I will be flexible in terms of genres i.e. I will cover whatever the bleep I want. For now, it will be the way to keep my voice on the site."

PLOT: After the death of his mother, 13 years old Jeff (Edward Furlong) moves to Ludlow Maine with his beard abusing Dad (Anthony Edwards) to get 'away from shite". But quicker than you can say Ketchup overload, folks start dying, are buried in the Micmac burial ground to then back to life as stark raving, blood thirsty, anarchist ghouls. Party time!

“ No Brain, no pain… think about it. " – Gus

LOWDOWN: I’ve covered PET SEMATARY 2 (WATCH IT HERE) before on AITH HERE when it was first released in cinemas in 1992. But being that it’s the Halloween season, I suddenly got the urge to tap it again to see if I can recommend it to y’all in terms of tackling during your spooky special night. I didn’t re-read my initial thoughts, so after I’m done pea soup vomiting this drivel your way, I’ll circle back to see if my take on the film has changed since way back then.

I do remember that at the time I was turned off a pinch by the different tone this sequel pimped out and its wild approach to its narrative when compared to the slow-burn "Stephen King approved" original (he asked his name be removed from this sequel before its release btw4. Less psychological and more of a no holds barred wild ride. Today though, I esteemed the fresh angle they took. If they had taken the psychological route once again it would have been more of the same but with kids.

By taking a polar opposite angle, this follow-up stood on its own two knives for better and for worse. With the rules of the franchise established in the first film, Part 2 wasted no time in setting up its diabolical plot and its characters destined to be thrown in the Sematary Blender. And with its clipped pace, razor editing, Mary Lambert’s stylish/moody visuals, endearing Halloween Season setting and engaging soundtrack (Jesus & Mary Chain, Ramones, and my fav “Shit List” by L7), it almost felt like they created this one specially to be watched on Halloween night. Thing was nobody ever picked up on it. Hopefully they will now.

Add to all that a bold and engaging performance by the great Clancy Brown (I loved how he tried to humanize what was on paper a mucho despicable character), some whacked out dream sequences that will have you in unintentional stitches (Boobs with a dog head…why not?) and some slick nods to the original film and you get a taunt, grisly and audio/visual assault on the macabre senses. So what holding me back in terms of giving it more love?

1- It didn’’t stick to its own rules (You have to bury your own for them to come back remember?). 2- Edward Furlong was still in his “I can’t act for shit stage” (he got it together at Little Odessa IMO). 3- The last act felt rushed (much like Furlong’s slapdash character arc) and Furlong’s subpar acting (walking slow with a goofy and groan inducing sinister smile) lessened the impact of the finale.    Moreover, it grated me that NOBODY noticed that the dog’s eyes were glowing. Wake up people! All that bloodshed could have been avoided there and then if you weren’t so f-ing blind.

With that stabbed, eviscerated and slapped on the grill, PET SEMATARY 2 does make for an ideal HALLOWEEN NIGHT party watch. I’d put it on in the middle of the night when everybody is toasted with low attention spans and in the mood for a hefty serving of gore, an out of line attitude and giggles.

As the end credits rolled, I felt a 6 on 10. But the more I thought about it afterwards, I respected the big bulldog balls this gore-coaster showcased way too much. So you know what "eses"? 7 on mother*cking 10!