Fantastic Fest 2023 – After the lackluster 2019 Pet Semetary remake, horror fans and Stephen King readers especially may be leery of another film set in that universe. However, Pet Semetary: Bloodlines is a stronger entry than the remake for several reasons. It focuses much more on characterization and setting, while featuring strong performances, especially from David Duchovny and leading man Jackson White, who plays a young Jud Crandall. In fact, this prequel may be the biggest surprise of spooky season, if audiences burned by the remake are willing to give it a chance.

Set in 1969, the story focuses on that sliver in King’s novel when Jud explains to Louis why dead is indeed better and why he shouldn’t bury anything in that sour ground. On the one hand, this is very much Jud’s story, but it’s also a film about the town of Ludlow itself and all of its heinous secrets. The movie opens with Duchovny’s character Bill burying something, accompanied by his mangy dog who just seems off. We all know where the story goes from here. It’s revealed fairly quickly that Bill buried his son Timmy (Jack Mulhern) in that ground after he died in Vietnam. Bill couldn’t stand losing his only child, even if he knew better than to muck around in the land just beyond the pet semetary. When Timmy comes back, he starts targeting others because the ground wants to feed and feed and is even described as hellmouth at one point.

We also learn that Jud was good friends with Timmy, along with Manny (Forrest Goodluck). However, on the cusp of adulthood, their paths diverge. Initially, Jud plans to join the Peace Corps and flee Ludlow with his future wife, Norma (Natalie Alyn Lind). Manny, meanwhile, considers going to Buffalo with his sister, Donna (Isabella LaBlanc), a talented artist who’s been offered a gallery show. So much of this film deals with home and what it means to leave home or feel trapped. Because of this, Timmy, Manny, and Jud’s stories intertwine. Some of these characters, like Jud, have opportunities afforded to them by their race and class, while others do not. Timmy’s number was called, and he had to go to ‘Nam, while Jud’s family connections kept him out of the war. The script, written by director Lindsey Anderson Beer and Jeff Buhler, plays up small town politics quite well. Bill points out more than once that Timmy never had Jud’s connections. Duchovny does a stellar job playing a weary working-class guy who harbors resentment due to his son’s fate.

Meanwhile, unlike the remake, Ludlow actually feels like a character in this prequel with a fully realized backstory and history. There are some big liberties taken regarding the land and the supernatural aspects to it, but the backstory intrigues. Even if characters try to leave, the town has a way of calling them back. Meanwhile, the frequent shots of 18-wheelers roaring down the highway are a nice nod to King’s novel and Mary Lambert’s initial 1989 film.

The first half of the film is especially gripping. By the second half, as Timmy murders and then reanimates others, it veers into both slasher and zombie territory. There are aspects of the corpses that are downright creepy. For instance, when Timmy stalks his prey, you can hear his bones creak. While there are some solid scares here, the first half remains the strongest because it focuses much more on characterization over cheap thrills.

Pet Semetary: Bloodlines is bolstered by assured performances and rich storytelling. It deserves a chance. Even though we know this universe, the narrative feels fresh.

After premiering at Fantastic Fest, the film will stream exclusively on Paramount+ on October 6.

7.5 Out of 10