Film adaptions of Stephen King books tend to be either really good or really bad. Thankfully, this movie falls into the former category. In fact, this could be the best King novel-turned film ever.
At first, this movie seems to be your typical high school film. We're introduced at once to Carrie (Sissy Spacek) and the hellish life that she lives. Everyone at school picks on her and make her life a living hell. As if that wasn't bad enough, she lives with her mother (Piper Laurie) who's a religious fanatic, thinks everything is a sin and regularly locks Carrie in the closet. You can't help but sympathise for her.
Unknown to everyone, however, Carrie has telekinetic powers. At first, her powers are really underplayed in the film. By the time the prom scene approaches though, they become more and more prominent. Carrie uses them against her mother while waiting for her prom date and then she uses them at the prom in a very destructive manner. The whole prom scene is both scary and sad. Sad because Carrie finally has her moment where it looks like she's finally been accepted only to have it all end in humiliation. And it's scary to see her powers come full circle in such a destructive and deadly manner. The scene where she slowly walks out of the gym as it burns is a really chilling moment.
While this is a scary movie that has earned its place as a horror classic, it's also a really sad movie as well. Carrie's life is miserable from the beginning right to the end. Watching Carrie kill all of her tormenters at the prom is every high school misfit's dream come true. Carrie has her revenge, but at what price?
"Carrie" is a classic horror film every horror fan should watch. It's well-directed with the right amount of atmosphere in just the right places and Spacek and Laurie are simply outstanding in their roles. Recommended!
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