Halloween obliges, here comes the DTV adaptations of Stephen King and his novel Simetierre does not escape the rule, this time for Paramount+. But what is this umpteenth adaptation of the 1983 book worth?
Shovel shape(s)
Everyone knows the story of Simetierre, King's book adapted by Mary Lambert (1989) of which one eponymous remake was released in 2019. The story of the Creed family, extricating itself from the streets of Chicago to find tranquillity in the state of Maine, more precisely in the small town of Ludlow. Living in their new home, the father of the family, Louis Creed, discovers that their house adjoins an old animal cemetery. A place used by generations and generations, until today as evidenced by the presence of a poorly spelled panel « Simetierre » (« Pet Sematary » in VO).
When the family cat ends up crushed under the wheels of a truck shortly after they move in, the father, chamboulée, will ask their neighbour, Jud Crandall. This one will show Louis an ancient Indian cemetery, lost above their houses, and advise him to bury the cat in these sacred lands. The next day, the feline bursts into their villa as if nothing were happening. But an evil gear seems to be set in motion...
If the adaptation of Mary Lambert has aged but remains above the lot (notably due to the presence of the inimitable Fred Gwynne at the casting), the 2019 one is not particularly innovative or rewarding. As is often the case, the book remains well above its filmic residues. The only notable adaptation is that made by punk rock band Ramones, in their song « Pet Sematary »commissioned by Stephen King himself, for the soundtrack of Mary Lambert's film.
Simetierre : the original story
But what was left to tell of the myth for a new film to come out Simetierre : The origins of evil (Pet Sematary: Bloodlines in VO? One origin story Come on!
Indeed, the young director Lindsey Anderson Beer proposed by this film to explore Jud Crandall's youth (Jackson White) in 1969. Escaped from the Vietnam War, he wanted to leave Ludlow town for good with his girlfriend, Norma (Natalie Alyn Lind). Yet the meeting of one of his former comrades returning from the war, Timmy (Jack Mulhern), will make him understand that something is wrong with Ludlow and that, definitely, death is sometimes preferable...
Film deader than alive?
At the casting level, the couple formed by Jackson White and Natalie Alyn Lind do the job and unhinderedly embody these two young idealists wishing to leave their bled from the bottom of the United States to join the Peace Corps (The Peace Corps, a US public agency). We also find the very nice Forrest Goodluck, embodying a childhood friend of Timmy and Jud, which we have recently seen in Sabotage (2023) in particular. And if it goes back a generation, their fathers are interpreted by David Duchovny (X-Files of course) and Henry Thomas (which is almost all of Mike Flanagan's projects including the upcoming Netflix series The Fall of Usher House).
Yet, the most important character character character characterization – and the most failed character character character character character characterization – is at Timmy's level. This young man, haunted by what he experienced during the war, is indeed the pivot of events that are about to break through Ludlow. Yet director Lindsey Beer seems to be in pain when it comes to giving her any substance... The unique characterization that it brings by the prism of trauma does not make it a being of flesh, nor does the painting that it sketch: a searcher Golum (we will discover it at the end of the film), exsangue, sometimes marming some names, which holds as much zombie as psychopath to intern.
Lighting to be buried (six feet underground)
Another black point, more technical, that of lighting. Simetierre: The Origins of Evil opens on a night scene featuring David Duchovny's character and immediately the disaster on the use of lighting is highlighted! A shipwreck that will be redundant throughout the feature film (internal scenes, underground scenes, night scenes, etc.), which even on small screen do not forgive. Worse, incursions that one guesses giallesques (like a night lit up in red) seem to be either a pretentious desire to do elbows to that part of the cinema, or a simple effect of style completely missed, according to.
And we could extend our list of grievances with the problems of cutting and editing the film (we constantly jump from one group of characters to another without ever allowing the spectator time to simmer in the new part of the story in which we plunge him), as well as at an end that we will not spoil but that remains frankly ridiculous.
Film to forget?
But despite all this... Maybe because the universe of Stephen King remains tangible despite the fact that it is very distant origin story, perhaps because diving in this remote bled from Maine is a pleasure to see, perhaps thanks to the few gore (cheap) but well felt incursions, Simetierre : The origins of evil remains at least pleasant to look at.
A Halloween movie to see between friends and with some cans, certainly frustrating but still doing the job. And hopefully, the opportunity to (re)dive into Stephen King's book, which is one of the most tasty in the American author's bibliography.
[...] Simetierre: At the origin of evil, death is sometimes preferable... by Mr Wilkes [...]