Pet Sematary's Alternate Ending Is Better, And Spookier, Than The Original

The 2019 adaptation of Stephen King's Pet Sematary fared better than the 1989 version of the same name. And if you missed in theaters, don't worry because it's headed to Blu-ray and DVD on July 9. The home release is filled with special features including an alternate ending that is much more haunting than the theatrical release. Warning, there are spoilers ahead for the movie.

In the theatrical release, the movie ends with Louis, Rachel, and Ellie Creed all having died and been brought back to life by the supernatural cemetery deep inside the woods. It's revealed they've lit their house on fire, but the youngest son, Gage, is still alive and waiting in the car for his family. To his surprise, he sees the rest of his family alive, walking towards the car, holding a can of gasoline. While the audience never sees it, we're led to believe he's killed, then brought back to life in the cemetery.

That ending is fine, but there is a truly horrifying alternate ending on the home release of the film. So cut back to the cemetery, Ellie has dragged a dying Rachel there, but Louis is hesitant, so Ellie stabs him. Louis is about to kill her, but hesitates again, seeing Ellie as she was before dying. It then cuts to Louis reassuring Rachel, in an open grave, that everything will be ok as he and Ellie bury her. The final moments are Louis and Ellie walking toward the car, which Gage is in. However, a still living Louis gets him out of the car and takes him inside the house, where an undead Rachel walks in. The final shot is the family all reunited, with Gage crying in terror, while Louis has a troubled look on his face, as the camera zooms out.

It's a memorable and unsettling image, seeing Louis' face with a look of regret, while his toddler son is extremely upset. This was a fantastic way to end the movie, and it's a bit confusing as to why this wasn't left in the theatrical cut.

Aside from this alternate ending, the home release of Pet Sematery is loaded with special features, like seven deleted scenes, a featurette exploring night terrors, a four-part series about the making of the movie, and more. In GameSpot's review of the film, Rafael Motamayor said, "In an age where every film is getting a remake or a reboot, Pet Sematary might actually be better than the original. It's terrifying, twisted, heartbreaking, morbidly funny, and a hell of a fun time."

Pet Sematary arrives on 4K and Blu-ray on July 9, and it is currently available digitally.

Get it digitally on Vudu now.

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