Pet Sematary 4K Ultra HD

"Pet Sematary" is the chilling new adaptation based on the novel by Stephen King. After the Creed family relocates from Boston to rural Maine, they soon discover an ancient burial ground hidden deep in the woods near their new home. When tragedy strikes, the grief-stricken father is driven by the cemetery's sinister power, setting off a perilous chain of events that unleashes an unfathomable evil with horrific consequences. Some secrets are best left buried in this twisted thriller. (Gary Reber)

Special features include an alternate ending (HD 09:16); seven deleted and extended scenes (HD 14:13); the featurettes "Night Terrors––Family Haunting Visions" (HD 04:57), "The Tale Of Timmy Baterman" (HD 03:04) and "Beyond The Deadfall" (HD 01:22); and a Movies Anywhere digital code.

The 2.39:1 2160p HEVC/H.265 Ultra HD HDR10/Dolby Vision picture, reviewed on a Sony Bravia Z9D 4K Ultra HD HDR display, was photographed digitally in anamorphic Hawk Scope using Arri Alexa Mini and Arri Alexa SXT Plus camera systems and sourced from a 2K (not 4K) master Digital Intermediate format. Picture quality exhibits naturalness throughout, both in the greenery of the woods, the exterior of the Creed house and Judd's house, and their interiors. Realism is excellent. Hues are accurately rendered. Night scenes are nicely contrasted with lighting effects such as a fire pit, dusk atmospherics, and spot lighting in exteriors and interiors. The imagery often is dark but shadow delineation is excellent. HDR blacks are deep and the dead areas beyond the pet sematary are darkish brown, as in the trunks of the trees, and encased in a grayish mist. Lighting effects are never exaggerated. Fleshtones retain their naturalness throughout. Resolution is quite good with fine textural detail exhibited in every frame. This is a picture full of spooky imagery that delivers on terror. (Gary Reber)

The Dolby Atmos/Dolby TrueHD 7.1-channel soundtrack delivers haunting sound effects and atmospherics. The synthesizer music score has a strong presence throughout and seemingly floats to enhance the suspense and terror as the energy builds. Deep bass is not only characteristic of the music but the passing Orinco tanker trucks that speed by the Creed property are intense sounding with enhanced .1 LFE sub-25 Hz rumblings. All manner of atmospherics create locational realism. Dialogue is effectively integrated spatially. Surround envelopment is virtually constant and often aggressive with directionalized sound effects.

The Immersive Sound element is comprised of the extension of the music, bells, wind, bird chirpings, a voice, spooky disruptive sounds, a machine sound, a woman's scream, a swish, and other minor sound effects. While these are effective, much more height layer sonics would have been desirable.

This is a well-crafted, spooky-sounding holosonic® spherical surround soundtrack that excites and terrifies. (Gary Reber)