Not a scary movie, just a major let down. ** (out of four)

Rating: 5/10 (1 June 2001)

CARRIE / (1976) ** (out of four)

In "Carrie," the acclaimed vision of Stephen King's novel, we meet a character who doesn't have good days, joyful moments, or times that she can laugh with friends. The title character is played by Sissy Spacek, who, under the circumstances, does very good things with her character. Carrie's mother has raised her under a constricting environment of fanatical religion and strict discipline. As both the novel and the movie open, we meet Carrie White, a high school senior who has a very complex body; she is telepathic-contains the ability to move objects with her mind-and she has never had a period. Now, I know I am becoming graphic in my explanation, but this is an important aspect of the story. The audience assumes from the implications and plot points that Carrie has had a rather cloudy history as a person and student. Her neighbors look away as she passes, her fellow students pitch tampons at her when she experiences her first vaginal bleeding in the school showers. These are the only things that develop Carrie White as a character-the rest is up to you to assume. In a movie where the main character kills countless presumably innocent individuals due to unkempt rage and years of building aggression, we better be able to understand her, but the movie does not provide us with the right material.

The problem with "Carrie" is not so much a problem with the movie itself, but a problem with the novel by Stephen King, and the adapted script by Lawrence D. Cohen. I read the novel before I saw the movie. I obtained a videocassette copy for critical screening to compare the two arts. I hated the book. Stephen King confused his simple, one-line story with frequent scientific rationalizations of the occurrences within the actual novel. It is like he didn't trust the reader with his idea, and felt the need to provide us with factual evidence that the story could actually happen. This distorts the narrative, and provides the reader with nothing but more questions. I like the movie better than the book because it is more visual. Although King wrote some vivid, picturesque scenes in his vastly popular work, "Carrie" makes for a much clearer screen presence because it is not so jumbled with awkward ideas and interceptive explanations. However, I still dislike the movie. Screenwriter Lawrence D. Cohen does not alter King's depiction of the characters-one of the biggest problems with both the movie and the book.
The character's in "Carrie" both in the movie and in the book, are all one-dimensional and stereotypical. The mother is a religious fanatic obsessed with finding forgiveness in everything her daughter does; the kind hearted counselor befriends Carrie, boosting her confidence to where she actually has the courage to accept a young man's invitation to the upcoming prom; the spiteful schoolgirls, obsessed with self-image and popularity, vow for revenge against Carrie, when Carrie herself was simply a victim of cruelty; need I go on? The character's are all seen in one light, and one light alone. The kind counselor never does anything mean. Carrie's mother sees everything as a sin against the Lord. Even Carrie herself is over the top in shame, hopelessness, and confusion. I never cared about any of the characters, therefore, instead of being terrified and involved when the film's disappointing but violent climax transpires, I was left analyzing my thoughts of why I didn't care in the least about what happens.
"Carrie" isn't a terrible movie. I liked the scenes at the prom and beyond; it has a good sense of style and momentum. It proves that Lawrence D. Cohen has a mind of his own, instead of using identical material to the novel. But it is overrated, tiresome, and often boring. This is not a scary movie-just a violent, abhorrent one. It contains all the necessary ingredients to make for a tantalizing, suspenseful motion-picture-but it never delivers. There are avid horror principles here, but "Carrie" doesn't seem to understand what to do with them.