Movie Review: Carrie

The 2013 remake of the 1976 cult classic did not disappoint, however, it also didn’t break any new ground.  After thirty-seven years, the creators, producers and general Hollywood could not come up with anything that stopped the movie and made the story something new.  If you haven’t seen the original, then this will be a wonderful telling of the Stephen King book, the trials of young Carrie as she tries to become part of a world she was denied all of her life is something we can all identify with.

The movie was low on scares, the inklings of what would transpire was impossible to ignore and the characters played perfect replicas of the originals.  Chloe Grace Moretz plays Carrie, the title character that is mentally hamstrung by her deranged mother, played by Julianne Moore.  Both come of as believable, however tired and clichéd the characters are.  The mother believes her child to be evil, but never has the gumption to do what she must, and instead torments the girl throughout her life, punishing her with prayer and to be fearful of God.  Carrie is not so naïve, but naïve enough to say yes to a good-natured boy to attend prom.  I cringed as the sequences got more and more unbearable.  The story has been told and retold and this iteration lacked the same kick the original did.

The story unfolds in an unfortunate sort of way and I was left with an empty feeling.  The movie was mildly entertaining, but it didn’t have a kick or hook that ever made it stand out.  This movie was no better than any other horror fare we see nowadays and for a classic to be remade with such a lacklustre execution is unfortunate and disappointing.