My Review Of “Carrie” 2013

“Carrie” 2013, the film that almost was awesome. Yeah I know that goes against the box office numbers and most cynical movie reviewers but “Carrie” was a pretty solid, emotion driven thriller. Closer to the short story written by Stephen King, this updated vision of the coming of age nightmare pays tribute to the 1976 while modernizing the characters to relate to 21st century horror fans. I think I like this version better than the original film. I didn’t feel bored or frustrated while waiting for the story to explode into blood soaked chaos begging for the fire.

The story is about Carrie White, a young girl who is about to enter womanhood. Unfortunately she is the psychologically neglected daughter of a bible-beating nut-job. Bullied at school by some very cruel classmates, Carrie transforms into a force of supernatural vengeance on a path to self destruction. It is a timeless and poignant tale that is very familiar. This film isn’t the first redo for the “Carrie” story but in my opinion it is by far the best.

Although the film is predictable to anyone who has spent countless seasons watching the classic film, or re-reading the story by Mr. King,  Chloë Grace Moretz portrays the telekinetic school girl with more charm and depth. Sissy Spacek  offers a more vulnerable, sorrowful Carrie and I enjoy her version immensely. I just feel that Moretz interpretation is more attuned to that outcast, sheltered, mentally scared character. I felt invested enough to stay connected through the parts of the film that almost seemed redundant and too close to the 1976 film.

The film moves in that same somber slow atmospheric realm of depressed soul  as the original and the characters are critically close to being two dimensional but the depth and breadth of Kimberly Pierce’s vision of “Carrie” offers so much more substance to the story on screen that it carries the characters from scene to scene. However disappointing the lack of personality the characters seem to have in the first half of the film second and last act the energy and chilling vitality begins to shine through elevating “Carrie” into a more visceral, macabre film. The characters become more affective and viable, especially in the last act when things really start moving.

Visually it all boils down to the effects and dark realization of Carrie’s breakdown into an uncontrollable storm of death and destruction. Pierce offers more detail to the personal “growth” of Carrie and more celebration of the carnage the ensues. I enjoyed this film and believe that it deserves far more love from horror fans than it has been given.