Sometimes They Come Back

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Sometimes They Come Back

R

1991

1h 37m

Horror

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

67%

Tomatometer

12 Reviews

61%

Popcornmeter

10,000+ Ratings

High school teacher Jim Norman (Tim Matheson) reluctantly returns to his hometown with his wife (Brooke Adams) to pursue a job. Jim is haunted by the childhood memory of his brother being murdered by a group of teenagers, who were then struck by a train before they could kill him, too. To Jim's horror, he finds that the teenagers have returned to town as they appeared before they died, and are transferring into his class. When his students start dying off, Jim becomes the prime suspect.

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Critics Consensus

Tim Matheson's gripping performance and a strong mood make Sometimes They Come Back an effective, if not wholly revelatory, Stephen King adaptation.

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John J. O'Connor

New York Times

The conventions and gimmicks of the supernatural genre remain remarkably stable.

Jan 15, 2020

Full Review

Ray Loynd

Los Angeles Times

The show is a tight, moody work, just the ticket with a glass of hot milk to tide you over the noises outside your house.

Jan 15, 2020

Full Review

Ken Tucker

Entertainment Weekly

[Tim] Matheson's performance is truly moving, and the drama of Sometimes They Come Back is stronger stuff than most TV movies.

Rated: B+

Jan 15, 2020

Full Review

David Hiltbrand

People Magazine

The dramatic moments in between the frights are flabby. But director Tom McLoughlin keeps the essential concept lashed together pretty tightly.

Rated: B

Jan 15, 2020

Full Review

Brandon Ciampaglia

IGN DVD

Sometimes They Come Back is a film that had the potential for greatness but never really seemed to get on track. The acting was solid, the special effects were effective, but it was the story that never caught on.

Rated: 2/10

Jan 15, 2020

Full Review

David Zurawik

Baltimore Sun

This is Grade "B" Stephen King with nothing-special special effects. There is only one shocking monster-face and no creepy-crawlies.

Jan 15, 2020

Full Review

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thiago s

Filme fraco, o roteiro é fraco, as cenas de terror são fracas, a história é fraca, o elenco é fraco, e ninguém ajuda a melhorar o filme, os personagens são fracos, e o filme deveria ter cenas bem melhores e relevantes, para fazer o filme ser bom

Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars

09/16/25

Full Review

Dwayne W

Matheson's performance is truly moving, and the drama of Sometimes They Come Back is stronger stuff than most TV movies.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

06/21/25

Full Review

Horror fan 4

One of the greatest Stephen king adaptations ever!!! Tim Matheson gives a stellar performance. Tim Treakle

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

12/23/24

Full Review

Terry C

Stephen King book adaptations to screen are tough I’m sure we’ve learned… that’s not the authors fault. Please judge Mr. King on the source material, not what corporations make of it. That said, I loved this movie for what it was. A man with a troubled past is forced to deal with that past in a supernatural way. Great acting by Tim Matheson of Animal House fame, and a good popcorn flick. Give it a shot on a night where you can’t decide what else to watch.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

12/21/24

Full Review

Garvis W

movies like this are the reason I really hate stephen king. it's hard to believe this drivel was written by the same guy who did the Shawshank Redemption and the Green Mile. the boomer punk switchblade bully cliché is strong with this one

Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars

12/12/24

Full Review

Farah R

It's certainly not the best Stephen King adaptation, but Sometimes They Come Back is one of the better ones. The story is emotional, and the performances give prominence to its depth. Overall, it's enjoyable enough for passing time.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

05/30/24

Full Review

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Tom McLoughlin

Director

Tim Matheson

Jim Norman

Brooke Adams

Sally Norman

William Sanderson

Carl Mueller

Robert Gorman

Scott Norman

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Synopsis

High school teacher Jim Norman (Tim Matheson) reluctantly returns to his hometown with his wife (Brooke Adams) to pursue a job. Jim is haunted by the childhood memory of his brother being murdered by a group of teenagers, who were then struck by a train before they could kill him, too. To Jim's horror, he finds that the teenagers have returned to town as they appeared before they died, and are transferring into his class. When his students start dying off, Jim becomes the prime suspect.

Director: Tom McLoughlin
Producer: Michael S. Murphey
Screenwriter: Lawrence Konner, Mark Rosenthal
Production Co: Paradise Films, Dino de Laurentiis Corp.
Rating: R, TV-PG
Genre: Horror
Original Language: English
Release Date (Streaming): Nov 30, 2016
Runtime: 1h 37m

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