While assembling this year's list, I was at a bit of a crossroads when it came to including the necessary Stephen King pick. Yes, I did cover the first six Children of the Corn flicks, but only one of those is an actual adaptation of printed material. Ultimately, I landed on a film that I keep forgetting exists: 2002's made-for-TV adaptation of Carrie. His first full novel was previously turned into a full-length feature courtesy of famed director Brian De Palma, but as is the usual case with the Maine mad man, he disliked the movie. Nearly 30 years later, the tragic story of tormented, bullied, and (eventually) murderous Carrie White would come to life again thanks to writer Bryan Fuller and director David Carson, whose works on television programs (mostly Star Trek-related) were met with mostly praise.
Unfortunately, 2002's Carrie is a bizarre misfire and is arguably a little worse than the next adaptation that would follow eleven years later (previously reviewed here). This is mostly because it both equally tries too hard to stay faithful to its source material and also takes the kind of risks that will end up pleasing nobody in the end. Oddly enough, there are aspects in this version that never made their way into either of the other adaptations. We have the police interviewing survivors of the infamous prom night massacre and Carrie summoning what seems to be small meteors while arguing with her mother (does this make her a contender for "Death Battle" on YouTube?), which were excluded from both the De Palma film and the Kimberly Peirce version starring Chloe Moretz. Faithfulness to the source material is always appreciated, but sometimes there is a reason small parts are excluded from theatrical interpretations: they don't translate well to film. Take another Stephen King project as an example: It. Whichever adaptation of that you prefer is fine, but there are scenes from that book that did not (and SHOULD not) make it into a film because they are either too goofy or just a little too gross.
Cast-wise though? It's perfectly acceptable. I'm a bit of an Angela Bettis fanboy going back to her time in the criminally underrated May, and despite her being nearly thirty at the time of filming, she still does a commendable job as our lead character (though she has been more vocal over the years about disliking the movie itself). There are a few other recognizable performers scattered throughout like Katharine Isabelle (Ginger Snaps, American Mary) and Emilie de Ravin (Lost, Once Upon a Time), but I'm sure the performer that will catch your attention the most is Patricia Clarkson (of The Untouchables and The Green Mile fame), who portrays Carrie's fanatical, abusive mother Margaret. She's also doing perfectly fine, but if I'm being brutally honest, nobody can touch Piper Laurie. The script seems intent on letting the viewer know that she's crazy solely because of hearing others talk about her, whereas in De Palma's adaptation, all one has to do is just look at her and observe even the smallest of mannerisms. Perhaps the biggest complaint about this motion picture comes from the utterly insane twist the filmmakers decided to come up with during the final ten minutes. Spoiler alert at the end of this review for those who care.
I just can't see any real reason to watch 2002's Carrie unless if you're say, the type that has to watch EVERYTHING with Stephen King's name attached to it. Sure, the 1976 feature is a little dated, but it feels timeless in terms of execution and the filmmaking process that went into it being completed and released. This is littered with some terribly dated dialogue, a final act that borders on insulting, and some VERY bad CGI. Plus, it's made-for-tv, so the bloodshed and kills aren't even impressive. It isn't timeless, but just a time capsule that's best left buried. If you still wish to seek out this shockingly long flick, it's currently streaming on Tubi, and there is a Blu-Ray from Scream! Factory out there to purchase (though it's a possibility it may be out of print).
Ah yeah, so that spoiler, eh? Well, when I discussed changes that will leave you scratching your head, how about this one? Carrie White, after killing hundreds, survives her mother's attempt at trying to kill her. Like in the novel and other adaptations, Margaret White dies, but unlike in the book, Carrie is then rescued by a surviving Sue Snell. They manage to fake Carrie's death and then drive away from town in an attempt to give Carrie a new start in life by moving to Florida. This would have supposedly led to a Carrie TV series where she would help others with telekinetic powers similar to hers. Not only is that just an utterly insane and moronic idea, but it turns the story of Carrie White from a horrifying tragedy into a poor man's version of assembling an X-Men team. Main star Angela Bettis, herself a rather large fan of the source material and the De Palma picture, admitted years later that she only signed onto this film in hopes that the aforementioned series would be made, because regardless of quality, she would have a steady flow of income while still focusing on independent cinema. It did not. Seriously, can someone please give this woman her flowers?
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