Carrie (2013) Review

Rated R (Bloody Violence, Disturbing Images, Language and Some Sexual Content)

Running Time: 1 Hour & 40 Minutes

Cast-

Chloë Grace Moretz-Carrie White

Julianne Moore-Margaret White

Judy Greer-Rita Desjardin

Gabriella Wilde-Sue Snell

Portia Doubleday-Chris Hargensen

Ansel Elgort-Tommy Ross

Alex Russell-Billy Nolan

Zoë Belkin-Tina

Samantha Weinstein-Heather

Karissa Strain-Nicki

Katie Strain-Lizzy

Barry Shabaka Henley-Principal Morton

Directed by Kimberly Peirce

Hell hath no fury like Carrie scorned.

Note: At AMC Loews 34th Street 14. 

I find it rather ironic that Chloë Grace Moretz can work in R-rated films yet is prevented from viewing them due to her not meeting the arbitrary age requirement. Seriously, is there any real difference in maturity between ages sixteen and seventeen? The actress even made a joke about this during an interview on ABC's "Nightline," where she was promoting her latest film, "Carrie," based on Stephen King's famous 1974 epistolary horror novel of the same name. Wait a minute now, wasn't King's novel adapted into a film already? Yes, by director Brian De Palma in 1976. The title role was played by then-27 year old Sissy Spacek and led to her first Academy Award nomination for Best Actress alongside her co-star Piper Laurie, who portrayed Carrie's abusive mother Margaret. De Palma's "Carrie" is widely regarded as a classic nowadays, with the image of Spacek drenched in pig's blood becoming one of the most iconic images in cinema, to the point where it became ingrained in pop culture. A remake was pretty much inevitable and I suppose thirty-seven years is more than enough time for the idea of a new version to become palatable to today's audiences, financial incentives notwithstanding. This 'reimagining' of "Carrie" certainly boasts some major talent, both in front of and behind the camera (Kimberly Peirce of "Boys Don't Cry" fame directs). The film may not go far enough in differentiating itself from its more acclaimed predecessor but it's definitely a well-directed picture that's aided by strong performances from Moretz and Julianne Moore.

Seventeen-year-old Carrie White (Chloë Grace Moretz) is a shy and withdrawn senior at Thomas Ewen Consolidated High School. Raised by her deranged and religiously fanatical mother Margaret (Julianne Moore), Carrie is frequently tormented by her teenage peers, led by the popular Chris Hargensen (Portia Doubleday) and Sue Snell (Gabriella Wilde). While showering after gym class, she has her first menstrual period but believes she is bleeding to death due to her sheltered upbringing. Carrie cries out for help yet the other girls simply laugh and throw tampons at her while chanting 'Plug it up!' Gym teacher Rita Desjardin (Judy Greer) comes to Carrie's rescue and later reprimands her class for their despicable behavior. However, Chris defiantly resists Desjardin's disciplinary actions and is subsequently suspended and banned from attending prom. Meanwhile, Carrie's period coincides with her burgeoning telekinetic abilities. A remorseful Sue convinces her boyfriend Tommy Ross (Ansel Elgort) to take Carrie as his date to the prom. Although she is initially suspicious of his intentions, Carrie eventually agrees despite the protests of her mother. Feeling slighted, Chris and her boyfriend Billy Nolan (Alex Russell) decide to play a heinous prank on Carrie, setting in motion a series of tragic events.

Kimberly Peirce's "Carrie" won't be replacing De Palma's film as a modern-day horror classic but neither is it as terrible as the skeptics would have you believe. In fact, it's a very well-made picture, less a 'reimagining' as advertised and more akin to a 'cover version' of a popular song. Written by Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa (whose previous credits include the television show "Glee" and his year-long, eighteen-issue run on Marvel's Sensational Spider-Man), the script draws inspiration from both King's novel and the 1976 Lawrence D. Cohen screenplay, albeit filtered through a modern lens. However, the overall story remains largely the same, with the titular Carrie once again receiving her first menstrual period while showering in the girl's locker room and of course, exacting brutal revenge on her tormentors after being drenched with pig's blood on prom night. The more obvious changes are fairly minor at best, with Peirce capturing the current atmosphere of bullying by having Chris record Carrie as she cries for help on her phone and further humiliating the girl by uploading the video online. When confronted by Desjardin and Principal Morton (an enjoyably clueless Barry Shabaka Henley), she is quick to hide behind her rich, yuppie father (Hart Bochner). This lends a bit of nuance and detail to Chris' behavior, although the character's extreme callousness verges on being too over-the-top at times.

The major differences in Peirce's film lie under the hood and it starts with the chilling opening scene where Margaret writhes in bed, the sheets covered in patches of blood as she screams in agony. Peeking beneath her nightgown, she finds a baby and is prepared to kill it with a pair of scissors when she stops herself at the very last second. Margaret then cradles her newborn daughter. This image defines the disturbed and complex relationship that Carrie has with her mother, by far the strongest element in the film. Eschewing De Palma's lurid sensibilities in favor of a more grounded approach, Peirce depicts Margaret as someone who suffers from a sense of self-loathing, making her a pitiable figure rather than a broad caricature of a religious zealot. It is implied that she uses the Holy Bible as a way to hide her own guilt and shame, with a late scene where she reveals the circumstances of Carrie's conception supporting this. Despite Margaret's abusive tendencies, she is capable of genuine affection but its affection that's been twisted by her own mental instability and repression. This is a woman who feels ugly inside and she instills that same sense of worthlessness in her own daughter. It's the kind of psychological insight that can only come from a distinctly female perspective and is one of the few instances where Peirce succeeds in surpassing the original film.

The grand finale where Carrie unleashes the full force of her telekinetic powers is a horrifying yet also exhilarating spectacle. It may come off as a minor detail but the trigger that pushes her over the edge is actually not the act of getting doused in pig's blood but rather Tommy's fatal injury when the bucket falls on his head. Carrie rushes over to him in concern and it is only then that she turns her wrath toward the other students. Aided by CGI, Peirce certainly goes big and one gets the sense that Carrie is 'showing off' her powers in much the same way a performer on a live stage would. Even her body language and gestures become more graceful and dancer-like. She becomes the literal embodiment of wrath when she starts floating across the room, presiding over a Grand Guignol display of mayhem. The kills increase in their gruesomeness, from being trampled to having a face slashed to pieces after being shoved through a car window. As Walter Chaw writes in his own review on Film Freak Central, Carrie's display of her powers becomes 'expressionistic' and in its own disturbing way, a work of art that critic Matt Zoller Seitz best describes as '"Hellraiser" by way of Columbine.'

At the center of Peirce's film is sixteen-year-old Chloë Grace Moretz. Yes, she's naturally very pretty and the attempts to make her look homely, complete with a mop of unkempt hair, aren't all that successful but it's her performance that counts. It's a strong one as Moretz immediately earns our sympathy right from the very first scene, capturing Carrie's lack of self-worth and the constant fear she lives in. The actress' nervous and wide-eyed expression will definitely spark your protective instinct; you just want someone, anyone, to help this girl and it adds to the tragedy of the story. Moretz is matched with an equally strong Julianne Moore, who shifts from motherly affection to frightening religious zealotry with a natural ease. It's a role that can slip dangerously into caricature territory but like Moretz, Moore lends Margaret a tragic quality, a person who's just as lost as her own daughter. The rest of the cast is largely one-note, with Gabriella Wilde and Portia Doubleday delivering adequate performances that display slight glimmers of nuance while Ansel Elgort exudes a boyish, 'nice guy' charm. Finally, Judy Greer conveys a genuine warmth as gym teacher Rita Desjardin.

Released on October 18, 2013, "Carrie" has received lukewarm reviews with 51% on Rotten Tomatoes. Critics noted that it 'boasts a talented cast, but Kimberly Peirce's reimagining of Brian De Palma's…classic finds little new in the Stephen King novel—and feels woefully unnecessary.' Despite being the sole horror release of the month, the film is poised for a middling debut of only $15 to $17 million, enough for second place behind reigning champion "Gravity." The problem here is that "Carrie" leans more toward a teen drama with supernatural elements than a full-on horror film. It's not aiming to be scary but since Sony/Screen Gems is marketing it as 'horror,' audiences are expecting thrills and chills. Kimberly Peirce's "Carrie" is another remake that will fail to catch on with moviegoers but it's not because she made a bad film. Yes, it may hew too closely to De Palma's 1976 original yet the changes that Peirce does make are effective and stand as proof of the story's timelessness.

Final Rating: 3.5 out of 5

"The other kids, they think I'm weird. But I don't wanna be; I wanna be normal. I have to try and be a whole person before it's too late."