Carrie 2013 review

Genre: Horror, Supernatural, Thriller
Starring: Chloe Grace Moretz, Julianne Moore, Gabriella Wilde, Alex Russell, Judy Greer, Ansel Elgort,
Production Year: 2012
Certificate: 15 (UK)
Runtime: 99 minutes
Director: Kimberley Peirce

Synopsis: A re-imagining of the classic horror tale about Carrie White, a shy girl outcast by her peers and sheltered by her deeply religious mother, who unleashes telekinetic terror on her small town after being pushed too far at her senior prom. IMDB

So I finally got to watch "Carrie" last night, I had been looking forward to watching it since it was announced I believe 3 years ago now. I was and still am a huge of the original from 1976 Sissy Spacek and Piper Laurie were phenomenal in their roles. They got Oscar nominations for their roles I believe, "you will know her name" is also a terrible tag-line for the movie we ALL already know her name being Horror fans or not.

Within the few minutes of meeting the friendless high school reject, she suffers what I can only imagine is the ultimate demeaning thing that could happen to a young woman when she gets her period while showering with her classmates. Which is made a whole lot worse by queen bitch of the school Chris played by Portia Doubleday orchestrates the whole class in a chant of "Plug it up!" while they are throwing feminine products over Carrie's cowered body.

Sue Snell played by Gabriella Wilde after initially taking part in the antics soon feels for Carrie, in order to make things right between herself and Carrie she persuades her boyfriend High School jock Tommy played by Ansel Elgort to take Carrie to the upcoming prom. Shortly before being asked to prom Carrie discovers that she has telekinetic powers (the ability to move objects big or small with the power of her mind). Carrie first of all declines the invitation later she nervously accepts ignoring the request of her mother to not attend. Carrie makes her own dress, during her first ever dance all her anxiety, pain and anguish all lift and she is filled with happiness and glee. Until something goes horribly, horribly, horribly wrong for the young girl, while on stage with Tommy after they have unsuspectingly been crowned prom queen and king.

While on stage Carrie is part of a horrible prank organised by Chris and her boyfriend Tommy in which releases her uber Carrie powers in which can only be described as a hell-hath-no-fury ending. Which I will leave to either your imagination or if you bring yourselves to watch it. I will say, HOLY HECK!!!

This time around in Periece's adaptation they venture much more into Carrie experimenting with her powers, in the De Palma version Carrie has very limited if any control over her powers. In the recent release Carrie is much more in control of her powers and what she is doing, while in "anger mode" Chloe Moretz was directed to do some awful decisions that never really went with the character like silly post credit eye edits and these kind of Japanese horror style body jerks. These characteristics are a waste of Chloes talent, plus Chloe is too much of a pretty, confident looking Hollywood looking girl, which doesn't work for who she is portraying.

The original release had a much creepier vibe than the modern release and to go with that this new film was lacking in tension or character development and chemistry. It didn't feel at all like Tommy had any sincere feelings towards Carrie it felt like he was just doing it because Sue told him too. I know this movie was never meant to be a straight up Horror, a lot of Stephen King's work usually isn't this movie just wasn't creepy at all like it could/should have been.

Going into this having seen the original myself it left me a bit disappointed, I guess if you went into this never seeing the original it was be a better film. Right now for me I'd say 3/10 going in as a new viewer to the story probably 5/10.

3/10