Synopsis:
A high school girl with supernatural powers gets pushed over the edge after a cruel practical joke.
I’d been waiting a long time to watch Carrie. I’d seen
snippets of it in the background of my life and heard many positive things but
had never gotten round to it. Now that I’ve finally seen it I can say that I’m
completely looking forward to the remake. It’s not because Brian De Palma’s
version isn’t good or fun to watch, but simply because I feel it only really
holds up in the decade in which it was made. For a modern audience Carrie
doesn’t come across as frightening in the slightest. Not even creepy. I suppose
that’s down to us being desensitized… as we’ve seen it ALL. That’s not a bad
thing of course, it’s just natural progression by filmmakers finding new and
better ways to scare us. Unfortunately it’s left Carrie feeling very dated
(that’s not to say that Carrie is the only classic horror guilty of this).
But there's an even bigger issue with direction and writing
here. Not much of what was going on filled the audience in. It would have been
nice to know why she suddenly started getting these powers… as opposed to just
suddenly being telekinetic… did she have these powers before? If not what
triggered it? Is it spiritual? Is it just her? Often it’s nice to be left in
the dark to add that air of mystery but here we are left in the pitch black and
because so much is left unanswered it renders other characters (particular the
religious nut job mother) and plot devices pointless. I really feel this was a
missed opportunity. Just imagine how great the character arc could have been as
this girl slowly developed these powers. Or if she already had the power; how and why
does she start to lose control and start using them maliciously now? There are
just so many great things that could have been done. The lack of depth leaves us with
completely unrelatable characters. Even the secondary characters
motives aren’t clear in the slightest and you spend the whole time wondering
what’s actually going on, only to find out that nothing is going on, the film
really is that simple.
But I don’t want to come across too harsh (probably too
late) as I did enjoy the film and believe that anyone can easily sit
through it. Despite what it lacks in terms of fear factor nowadays for its time
I’m sure it was frightening. The idea of this troubled girl holding so much
power is probably what makes it so appealing. But I suppose that’s down to
Steven King creating that character as opposed to what the filmmakers did. With
that said Sissy Spacek brings a feel of unpredictability in her portrayal and
it still leaves the audience on edge. She’s without a doubt the highlight of
the film. Her ability to jump from serene to almost demonic and ghoulish is
quite spectacular to watch… even if the rest of the film falls apart around
her.
Overview:
It’s really not as bad as I make out. But there are so many
opportunities missed here that I can’t help but look back on it negatively.
I’m sure the remake will be much more in depth….. surely. With that said this
is still an important film in horror movie history and a standout piece for any
horror lovers collection… it just really needs updating.
Rating:
★★★
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