Pet Sematary (2019)

You can read our full thoughts on Pet Sematary in our review of the 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray HERE.

Vital Disc Stats: The Blu-ray

Paramount Home Entertainment brings Pet Sematary (2019) to Blu-ray as a two-disc combo pack with a flyer code for a Digital Copy. The Region Free, BD50 disc sits opposite a DVD-9 copy inside a blue, eco-cutout case with a sleek, glossy slipcover. After a couple of skippable promos, the screen changes to the usual menu with options along the bottom of the screen, full-motion clips and music playing in the background.

The horror remake debuts on Blu-ray with a gorgeous 1080p/AVC MPEG-4 encode, showcasing sharp definition for a majority of the film's runtime. Aside from a few mildly softer sections scattered about, likely due to the style of the photography, the fine lines and threading of clothing are razor-sharp, each leaf and blade of grass in the surrounding foliage is distinct, and the grain in the wood is highly detailed. Background information is plainly visible, exposing every nook and cranny inside both houses, and facial complexions appear natural and healthy, revealing the tiniest wrinkle, pore and negligible blemish in the entire cast. 

Laurie Rose's cinematography comes with a moderately subdued contrast and brightness balance, complementing the story with an intentionally grayish and rather neutral appeal. Despite that, the action is fairly bright with crisp, spot-on whites. A couple of poorly-lit interiors and nighttime sequences can seem murky and flat but on the whole, black levels are true and inky with strong shadow detailing within the darkest corners. Presented in its original 2.39:1 aspect ratio, the overall color palette appears to be somewhat affected by the filmmakers' visual design, but primaries remain richly saturated with reds, in particular, looking singularly eye-catching while secondary hues are accurately rendered with an appreciable variation. (HD Video Rating: 86/100)

Pet Sematary also makes its way home with the same creepily demo-worthy Dolby Atmos soundtrack as its Ultra HD counterpart. For a more in-depth take on the audio quality, you can read our review of the 4K Ultra HD HERE. (Dolby Atmos Audio Rating: 96/100)

• Beyond the Deadfall (HD): A set of four featurettes looking into various aspects of the production, such as adapting the original novel for contemporary audiences, the production design and shooting locations, the casting and characters, and interview discussions on the plot's themes.
• Chapter One: Resurrection (17 min)
• Chapter Two: The Final Resting Place (13 min)
• Chapter Three: The Road to Sorrow (14 min)
• Chapter Four: Death Comes Home (18 min)
• Alternate Ending (HD, 9 min)
• Night Terrors (HD, 5 min)
• The Tale of Timmy Baterman (HD, 3 min)
• Deleted and Extended Scenes (HD, 17 min)
• Daddy's Nervous Too 
• Your Kids are Lucky 
• I Wanted Her to Die 
• She Didn't Come Back the Same 
• It's Not Real 
• I'm Leaving in the Morning 
• Did You Miss Me Judson? 

A mix of a contemporary adaptation of the classic Stephen King novel and a remake of the 1989 horror film, Pet Sematary ultimately fails to produce any genuine scares or engage audiences with sincere characters worth sympathizing for. Despite the production coming with a few admirable aspects, this horror feature is dead on arrival. The film haunts Blu-ray with a gorgeous HD video and an exceptional, demo-worthy Dolby Atmos presentation. With a decent set of bonus features, the overall package is nonetheless worth a look for fans.