In a world plagued with sequels and bad remakes, it was no doubt that at one point there would be yet another remake based on Stephen King’s 1974 novel, Carrie. Taking great inspiration from the Brian De Palma’s Oscar nominated 1976 version of the film, here we find that Carrie, in 2013 has been treated well and with great respect by director Kimberly Pierce (Boys Don’t Cry). The latest version is entertaining, newly charged, and introduces Carrie White to a whole new generation.
The story stays basically the same, there are slight updates as far as currant time, surroundings, etc. But the plot and themes never change. Carrie is still a shy, lonely girl who comes from a majorly broken home who just wants to be normal. A theme many people can relate too. It’s one of the many reasons why Carrie will always be relevant, no matter what year it is.
After Carrie has her first period in the showers at school, she is the subject to massive ridiculed from her peers, who do nothing to help. Instead, with the aid of new technology, they record the whole incident and then proceed to leak the footage online, causing more drama for the poor girl in school and at home with her religious zealot mother. In an attempted to help Carrie for the way she acted in the locker room, fellow classmate Sue sets Carrie up with her boyfriend for prom, not knowing that other classmates have rigged the prom to cause Carrie more embarrassment. Showing the locker room footage, playing the audio, and in a final act of punishment, showering her with pig’s blood. Leading Carrie to snap, and use her newly found telekinetic powers to punish the whole school and town for how she has been treated.
As stated, same story we’ve seen before. Even down to reusing lines and certain shots. Those lines were in the book, so at least we know someone actually read the novel, unlike other Hollywood adaptions. And the reusing of shots are done with a hint of homage and respect and not laziness. But the real reason you should see the remake of Carrie is the pure talent of Chloe Grace Moretz and Julianne Moore.
These two actresses managed to capture the tender, tortured mother-daughter conflict at the center of King’s book. The performances they both give are amazing. Moore as Margret White is the perfect nut-job religious-fanatic parent that was needed for the role. With her long witchlike hair and dowdy sack-dresses, she is railing against a godless world in a quiet mutter. She shines and gives a dynamo performance in every scene she’s in. She commands you to watch her on the screen and you’re scared to turn away for fear you’ll miss what crazy thing she’s going to say or do next.
Chloe Grace Moretz has grown into one of the best young actresses in Hollywood today. She is amazing. She brings a vulnerability and strength to the Carrie role. She will be remembered for this and Hit-Girl long into her career. She’s at her loveliest in the calm before the storm at the prom, when she finally trusts enough to relax and enjoy the new and unfamiliar sensation of being a normal teenager. But when things go bad, they go bad! With the added advancements in digital effects technology since prior versions, the climactic mayhem predictably gets kicked up a few notches. Honestly saying a few notches is putting it mild, she goes all “Dark Phoenix”, and if you’re in her way, heaven help you.
This takes nothing away from the two-powerhouse performances by Sissy Spacek and Piper Laurie, who played the two leads in the original film. Their Oscar nominated performances are still to this day fantastic, and should never be forgotten. But it’s nice to look at the Carrie films and see four great actresses playing the same two roles differently yet memorable.
The rest of the cast is just as good and play their parts so well that you either hate or love them just like they were real people. Judy Gerre as Miss Desjardin, Carrie’s gym teacher and only real positive role model, is wonderful. She has Carrie’s back, and tries to help her as much as she can. As did Gabriella Wilde as Sue, the one girl who is trying to find forgiveness to what she did to Carrie in the locker room. The wicked Chris Hargensen played by Portia Doubleday is a pure bitch. She is uncaring and evil to the core. The actress did such a great job in conveying that, when she “gets hers” in the end the cheers in the theater are primal and real.
The only real complaint with the film is the last 30 seconds or so. Everything is done and wrapped up as best as it can under the circumstances when a girl suddenly gets psychic powers and kills a bunch of people. Instead of having the audience have a lasting impression of the story of a young girl who was pushed too far and snapped, which could have been very relatable to some of he currant climate we find ourselves living in today what with School shootings, online bullying, etc., at the end of the movie director Kimberly Pierce gives us a final “scare” moment, which frankly takes the wind out of point of the movie. In one move, Carrie becomes the monster. And that’s not what this story is about. Carrie is never the monster; she is a victim that breaks. The people who pushed her too far are the real monsters. There just seemed to be a statement that could have been made there, but it turned into a Hollywood horror ending with a cheesy scare. Carrie is a lot of things, but a horror movie isn’t one of them.
If you decide to see the Carrie remake, you won’t be disappointed. It’s a good movie and there are many great things about it: Good effects, wonderful shots, and a nice score. But mostly the talent of the two leads, Chloe Grace Moretz and Julianne Moore, is the real reason to see it. It’s nice to see a remake given such a nice new take, but keeping with what made the original so good. As far as remakes go, you want them to be like this.