Pet Sematary: Bloodlines – Blu-Ray Review

Arriving on Blu-ray this week is Pet Sematary: Bloodlines, the Paramount+ prequel to the 2019 remake, based on the novel by Stephen King. Admittedly, I was not a fan of the 2019 film and while director Lindsey Anderson Beer’s prequel isn’t much better, I found it much more entertaining.

Bloodlines is set in 1969, 50 years prior to the events of the first film. Jud Crandall (Jackson White) is looking forward to getting out of his small hometown of Ludlow with his girlfriend Norma (Natalie Alyn Lynd). The young couple’s journey is put on pause after Norma is attacked by a dog on the road. It turns out that dog belongs to Jud’s childhood friend Timmy Baterman (Jack Mulhern) and his father Bill (David Duchovny). Timmy was killed in the Vietnam war and shipped back in a box, which Bill decided to burry in the supernatural Indian burial ground. It doesn’t take long for undead Timmy to appear and that’s when people in Ludlow start dying in truly violent ways. Jud and Norma are joined by their friends Manny and Donna Rivers (Forrest Goodluck and Isabella LaBlanc respectively) to face the evil that has come upon their hometown.

Pet Sematary: Bloodlines is well-paced and runs just under 90 minutes. At times the lack-of-budget is quite noticeable, especially when it comes to some of the visual effects. Thankfully, we are given a more than qualified supporting cast that includes veterans like Henry Thomas and Pam Grier. While it’s not very scary, it does have its moments. If you liked the 2019 remake, you may actually dig the prequel.

Bonus Features:

• Origins—Explore sinister origins and haunting secrets alongside David Duchovny and the cast of Pet Sematary.
• Fresh Blood— Watch as new talent embraces the Pet Sematary legacy.
• Death’s Design— Unearth the chilling secrets and hidden Easter eggs that breathe life into Pet Sematary’s terrifying designs.
• Method to the Madness— Go behind the scenes with Jack Mulhern and Isabella LeBlanc, who share how they prepped for their roles, including bonding with four-legged co-stars.
• War Comes Home— Enter the chilling realm of Pet Sematary as filmmakers and cast dissect the final scene, revealing the innovative technology behind its terrifying realization.

By: Marc Ferman