My Review of Carrie (2002)

 

Written by Bryan Fuller

Directed by David Carson

Carrie: "Jesus will help me. He will help me if I really need him."

Margaret: "Not if he doesn't love you anymore."

Carrie: "Jesus loves everybody, Momma - even me!"

As I prepare for the upcoming Amazon Prime miniseries, I went and watched the first of two remakes of the 1976 classic. This one was quite a lot and not entirely in a good way.

It opened with the police interviewing survivors of that particular incident at the prom. It's here where we're introduced to characters such as student Sue Snell (Kandyse McClure) and gym teacher Rita Desjarden (Rena Softer). Yup, two of a certain someone's biggest supporters.

The certain someone being Carrie White (Angela Bettis/Jodelle Ferland). Carrie's story for the most part wasn't too different from what we've seen before. Social outcast, latent powers and of course, having to live with an abusive mother with Margaret White (Patricia Clarkson).

Carrie and Margaret's relationship was explored and this version of the latter was even more unsympathetic than the 1976 version. Her comeuppance at the end was absolutely warranted. I hated this version of the character a lot more than I thought I would.

I also hated the likes of Chris Hargensen (Emilie de Ravin) and her bitchy friends. They certainly upped the nastiness of the character this time around but it also made her a lot less interesting as they did with the rest of her horrible friends.

The movie did succeed with Carrie and Sue's friendship, even if the latter's boyfriend, Tommy Ross (Tobias Mehler) still ended up a casualty. There's a change here to the ending that I'm not sure I particularly like. It's not what I would've done.

- Bryan Fuller, who wrote the script for this would go on to make cult favourites with such shows like Pushing Daisies and Hannibal.

- This is the only version that featured the interviews and the scene with rain rocks in the neighborhood.

- Standout music: Hypnogaja's Outside, Looking In.

- Chronology: Clearly meant to be set in the 2000s. Sue took Carrie to Florida.

I didn't love this version of Carrie (2002) but it had it's moments. Angela Bettis did a good job with the character but this choice of ending was a mixed bag for me.

Rating: 6 out of 10