For those born prior to 1990, and for anyone with an interest in classic horror or the work of Steven King, the film’s tagline rings true: ‘You Will Know Her Name.’
By Keeva Stratton
Before Mean Girls taught us all about how popular chicks are the scourge of high school, there was Carrie. Adapted from Steven King’s novel, Carrie taught us that being mean has its own consequences, especially when you are dealing with a school ‘freak’, who is in fact rather freakish (how else does one describe telekinetic powers?).
Reborn in 2013 with Chloë Grace Moretz taking on the role made famous by Sissy Spacek in 1976, Carrie is back as a film reboot, with a similar story (differing only by the inclusion of modern technologies and enhanced special effects).
Teenager Carrie White is the only daughter of an overly conservative and religious mother (Julianne Moore). Raised in a house where sin is not tolerated, Carrie struggles to fit in with her hormone and lust-driven peers.
When her period arrives and a horrible incident of bullying ensues, Carrie’s pain grows, and it soon takes on a supernatural form, giving her the power of telekinesis (the ability to move objects with her mind).
The story of Carrie offers a feast for feminist analysis—a horror film that is in essence about the transition from girl to woman—yet in this retelling there is a genuine sense of a degree of empowerment for Carrie.
Here, the lens of an era has shifted, showing the true horror in the cruelty of the bullies with a sharper focus than the 1976 film (or perhaps it is the shift from a male director in Brian De Palma, to the female equivalent in Kimberly Pierce?).
The image of Carrie in her blood-soaked prom dress is as iconic as any sourced from the mind of King, yet it is just as powerful today as it was decades before. The film gains potency from the advancements of special effects, allowing Carrie’s powers to be unleashed in a fantastic visual feast.
Julianne Moore is also frightfully chilling as the disturbed mother.
I had a lot of fun with this remake. No doubt comparisons with the original will abound, yet it was a joy to revisit one of King’s finest works with new eyes.
Carrie is one of the few horror films where the hero is at the same time the villain. You can’t help but cheer her on as she exacts her revenge. And the horror genre is just perverse enough to make that desire acceptable.
In essence I say ‘Carrie, you go girl!’ If you can stomach the blood, it’s probably time to revisit the most memorable prom of all.
Directed by: Kimberly Pierce
Starring: Chloë Grace Moretz, Julianne Moore
Rating: R
Run time: 100mins
Release Date: November 28
Reviewer rating: 3/5