The 2013 remake of “Carrie,” however, is nice, but unnecessary.
Fink admitted, “It’s a mainstream film that has some interesting, original
touches, yet isn’t quite the gender study remake I was hoping for from Peirce.
I’d imagine with Sony and MGM as backers and a wide release there are only so
many places where you can experiment without alienating your audience. When
filmmaker Jennifer Montgomery made Deliver, an exceptional all-female remake of
Deliverance, she did so with a small crew and a cast of her friends (all of
which were experimental filmmakers) — unlike Carrie, that film will never
screen at your local Regal Cinemas.”
That aside, the film is a lot better directed than
your average horror remake. Is it fair to hold Peirce, whose first feature was
groundbreaking, to a higher standard? Fink said, “While I don’t have that
answer, on one hand I wish she were free to continue to make the kinds of film
she wants to make. Arguably, we could apply the same standard to Karyn Kusama,
who directed another groundbreaking film released a year after Boys Don’t Cry,
Girlfight, yet she’s gone on to make Aeon Flux and Jennifer’s Body. As there
are too few female directors working today and even fewer in horror, perhaps we
can view Carrie and Jennifer’s Body as mainstream canvases for subversion.”
The basic story remains the same, coming from Stephen
King’s book and De Palma’s story (in fact, De Palma’s original screenwriter,
Lawrence D. Cohen, is co-credited). Carrie (Chloë Grace Moretz) is formerly home-schooled
by a strict mother (Julianne Moore), unaware of herself and society, told via
well-directed slow-motion shots. Unexpectedly, she gets her period in the
shower during gym class and the video is recorded by her arch-enemy Chris,
played by Portia Doubleday). Saved by her gym teacher, played by Judy Greer,
she’s given the talk and sent home. As you may guess, Sue uploads the video in a
cyber-bully twist. Gabriella Wilde and Ansel Elgort play Sue and Tommy, two
kids who feel bad for Carrie, and the former agrees to stay home so the latter
can take Carrie to prom. Everything already knows what happens next.
While the third act fails to get across what De Palma
did so well, the attention to detail, including close-ups that try to affect
the experiences of Carrie and her mother Margaret, is effective. Fink said, “The
performances and casting are suitable – Moretz is one of the most daring young
actresses working today in Hollywood, taking on roles that are, quite frankly,
disturbing — but Carrie is half the film I’d hope Peirce would make of it.
She’s clearly having fun making this story partly her own, but it does make one
nostalgic for the golden age of independent cinema where anything could happen.”
Undeniably, “Boys Don’t Cry” is still a significantly more interesting and horrifying
film and one that no studio would even fathom to reboot.
As you may have already guessed, I think the original
is far superior to this remake. What I didn’t like about this remake is how
they focused on the kids getting their prom clothing, which was superfluous,
and they made Carrie’s telekinesis in the remake look like something out of a
comic book. The actors are fine, but Moretz and Moore don’t hold a candle to
how amazing and believable Spacek and Laurie were in their roles. The original
will leave an impact on you, but this one will make you think why you saw this.
I would suggest not to see this on Max, as it is not worth seeing.
Look out Friday when I look at a comedy that I know
has problems, but I enjoyed for the most part, in “Halloween Month 2023.”
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