A Very Tragic Thriller

Rating: Null/10 (27 April 2002)

I would never call Carrie a horror movie like Halloween or Friday the 13th. The movie is really a Tragedy/Thriller. I had to see it two times before I understood what really happened in the movie. At first, I thought Amy Irving's character was in on the prom joke but I realized after seeing it a second time that she wasn't and that she was really sincere in helping Carrie "fit in". It also occurred to me that she would not have used her boyfriend that way. Also, I realized the second time that William Katt's character did not know about the joke either, that he was actually outraged and would have helped Carrie if he had not been knocked out by the bucket that fell on his head.
But the movie was still confusing in some parts: 1.) At the prom after the bucket of blood fell on Carrie was everyone really laughing at her or was it her imagination? I was surprised that her nice gym teacher would find that 'joke' funny.
2.) Did William Katt's character die after being hit with the bucket or was he just unconscious? It appeared to me that Carrie must have thought he was dead which sent her over the edge. She wouldn't have killed him too, would she?
3.) Why was Nancy Allen's character so sadistic? She wasn't just cruel, this girl was sick. For example she loved watching her boyfriend ax a pig to death. It would have helped to understand what made her this way.
Otherwise the movie was very good. I felt so sorry for Carrie who was so sweet and would have been a good friend to anyone. That prom should/could have been the happiest time of her life and the beginning of a new life experience. Instead, everything was destroyed. How sad.
I give this film an 8 out of 10.