This Carrie review was made possible by Popped receiving advanced screeners of the first season of Carrie
Carrie has been an iconic staple of the horror genre since the debut of Brian De Palma’s 1976 classic, starring Sissy Spacek. Since then, many have attempted to rekindle the spark of that original film and Stephen King’s debut published novel, but few have seen much success.
In recent years, Mike Flanagan has made a name for himself in horror television, his time at Netflix spawning instant classics like The Haunting of Hill House, Midnight Mass, and The Fall of The House of Usher. Beyond the might of his original series and other adaptations, he’s found a home in King adaptations with films like Gerald’s Game, Doctor Sleep, and The Life of Chuck. Forthcoming projects such as The Mist and The Dark Tower series. Flanagan shocked fans, doing his own version of Carrie, this time as a series adaptation on Prime Video, recently revealing a larger concept with a three-season plan and pulling the story into a present day, potentially much more modern than anyone was expecting.
Welcome To The World Carrietta
Right off the bat, Flanagan hits audiences with a change that reveals that Carrie White, played by Summer H. Howell, has been hidden away her entire life. It’s only when Ralph White dies in a freak construction accident that Margaret White, played by Samantha Sloyan, and Carrie are exposed to the world. Kept inside and homeschooled her whole life, this change proves incredibly effective when this sheltered and innocent girl is promptly plucked and thrown into a public high school. Those who’ve followed the project through its development always knew it was going to be a modern-set adaptation, such as I, but that still was not enough to understand just how current this adaptation was going to be.
Flanagan makes some very big swings, especially with Margaret White. This Margaret tones down the religious fanaticism. While still present, this adaptation paints her more as a fiercely overprotective yet still harshly critical mother who may be more scared of the world outside than her own daughter. This take on Margaret still absolutely gives into her delusions but in a much more modern and grounded way. Sloyan is excellent in the role, as if her role as Bev Keane in Midnight Mass was her audition. She skillfully fills this role with such a disarming facade of love that’s easily weaponized against her unsuspecting daughter.
Children Can Be Cruel
The heading feels like an understatement when it comes to the bullies Carrie faces here, with the show really turning up the heat with its depiction of Chris Hargensen, played by Alison Thornton. Flanagan has written some cruel villains, but his Hargensen may be one of his most sinister. Complicated circumstances at home fuel her rage that she directs towards Carrie. To see a girl building a new life while hers continues to crumble around her builds a deceitful relationship between the two. Carrie’s naive nature makes her none the wiser to Chris’ true intentions.
Chris does most of her bullying from behind a screen, creating a fake social media account in Carrie’s name to make a mockery of her, while also setting her sights on the rest of the school. Hargensen is so much more of a compelling antagonist here; her bubbling insecurities and inability to control the chaos in her own personal life drives her to be the mastermind behind the chaos within her own school. It’s interesting to watch as her arc somewhat mirrors Carrie’s own, with the series setting them up more as parallels.
The cruelty of a modern public high school could rival even the most vicious of medieval torture methods. They really hammer in the toxic and unfiltered environment that is a building full of hormonal teenagers. Cyberbullying plays a prominent role, as does the isolating feeling of being a teenager and the overwhelming forces of peer pressure and conformity.
The series’ approach to Sue Snell and Tommy Ross is a much softer and sympathetic one. Sue serves as more of a confidant to Carrie. She’s much more open to accepting and getting to know the new girl rather than exploiting her innocence.
The Girl of The Hour
There have been a handful of Carries, most notably Spacek and Chloë Grace Moretz, no matter what your opinion on them is. This Carrie may steal the crown, in no way diminishing Spacek’s iconic performance; Howell’s performance is nothing short of nuanced and authentic. Flanagan’s direction with this series absolutely serves that, with this fish out of water story planting this unaware guppy into a tank full of piranhas.
Carrie is eager to find her place in this world; she’s kind and naturally trusting of others. She makes her own clothes, doesn’t have a phone, and is well versed in classical literature, making her the perfect target for the public school veterans. You can’t help but want to protect her; you can see what is coming and it doesn’t make any of it easier. When she runs into these conflicts and social roadblocks, you can feel the confusion and frustration in Howell’s performance; these are things that would knock anyone down but with a girl like this it makes it even more devastating to watch, and a lot of that can be credited to Howell.
There’s one rather moving moment early on in the series between Carrie and her guidance counselor, Mr. Brigham, played by Tim Bagley. It is perhaps the first time that Carrie really feels seen by someone out in the world, the first connection she’s able to make with someone that isn’t her mother. Throwing classic literature quotes back and forth, Howell is able to convey all the overwhelming emotions running through her character’s head, and it’s Bagley’s response to her that makes the scene one of the standouts of the series.
The show offers a slow build-up to the revelation of her telekinetic abilities; it starts off slow and unnoticeable for Carrie and those around her. Eventually it becomes increasingly obvious to her and she’s able to harness it, with the help of her friend Emaline, played by Thalia Dudek, an original character created for the show. The use of Carrie’s growing strength and power plays as a signal of her rising confidence in herself.
For better or for worse, she literally finds her power within and becomes conflicted in how she uses it, at times letting her emotions get the best of her. Of course her emotions and the way they fuel her abilities is a big part of Carrie; however, Flanagan may toy with expectations when it comes to this, leading to more original surprises in the series.
Carrie SEASON 2???
Mike Flanagan recently confirmed that he views his Carrie adaptation as told throughout a three-season arc. This immediately raised the brows of many fans who questioned the possibility of that. The events of the prom do happen; the first season does tell the full story that we know of. I obviously will not go into details on what exactly happens, but there are original details and a new storyline woven throughout the first season of the show that culminates in a way that people might not see coming.
Carrie may not end how you think it is going to end. The idea of a second season does not immediately spark a grand sense of joy, more so curiosity. Flanagan has time and time again proven masterful at his craft, but that still doesn’t mean I don’t think these additions don’t bog the show down a bit and force a narrative continuation that may not be needed.
It’s fair to say that as of right now these additions can be viewed as unnecessary and a bit frivolous. That is not to say that I cannot be proven wrong. I will happily eat crow if a second season releases and remains as great as this first season is and this extended story proves fruitful. Again, this is Mike Flanagan, and he has shown himself to be well versed in the world of Stephen King and if he got the guy’s blessing, bring it on.
‘Carrie’ Review – Final Thoughts
Mike Flanagan has hardly ever wavered in his excellence, always providing an engaging and worthwhile experience in his film and television endeavours. Carrie is no different; the series very quickly sets itself apart from its predecessors in its modernity and uses it to its advantage in this excellent retelling of a classic, led by Summer H. Howell’s devastating performance as Carrie White and surrounded by an excellent supporting cast. Flanagan’s reimagining is as affecting as it is interesting; there’s an authenticity to this that could potentially only be done by him.
Check out the trailer for Carrie below before all 8 episodes of Season 1 drop on Prime Video on October 7.
