Once again, I must preface this review with a disclaimer. I have not seen any previous versions of “Carrie,” nor have I read the original novel by Stephen King. However, the story of “Carrie” has permeated popular culture to the point that without having seen the previous adaptations, one can recognize key moments, namely, the prom scene. As such, this is my first time seeing the story in one complete sitting, which may have been for the best when approaching this film.
Review Score: 3.5 /5
Chloe Grace Moretz stars as Carrie White, a young girl born to an overbearing and overzealous mother played by Julianne Moore. After a fairly traumatic incident at her high school, Carrie suddenly discovers that she can perform telekinesis. She can move objects with her mind alone, setting the stage for a chilling tale of anger, sadness and the consequences of the inherent cruelty of teenagers.
Looking at the story, it has some chilling moments, but it also has its fair share of moments that are often spotted when one plays the Stephen King drinking game; the negative portrayal of religion and the overbearing parent are a couple that come to mind. For the most part, it’s fairly engaging but will probably feel predictable to those who are already familiar with the story.
One of the few complaints I have is that some of the teenage characters felt a little too exaggerated.
I don’t know if that’s how they were written in the original novel, but in the film, the bratty teenage girls, many with minor roles, broke my suspension of disbelief a little with how they came across as characters.
From a technical standpoint, the film is pretty solid. It boasts some creative cinematography during most of the film, but things take a sharp turn when we proceed to the third act and the iconic prom scene. The effects used to create Carrie’s rampage ranges from pretty decent looking to “obviously computer generated.” The practical and digital effects of the film didn’t blend very well.
The strongest point of the film would have to be the acting, namely from Julianne Moore and Chloë Moretz.
However, one issue I had with Moretz’s performance was that while she was good as the more docile Carrie, I had trouble taking her seriously during her rampage scene in the third act. The emotions don’t come across as well as they did in the scenes preceding and following that particular scene.
Overall, the film is chilling; as it presents a realistic take on the story, save for a few moments. I wouldn’t recommend rushing out to see this at full price, but for a horror film, this is definitely one of the better ones.
I give “Carrie” 3.5/5.
