One Minute Movie Review: Carrie (2013)

This is the second reboot of King's horror classic that strives to feel more like an 80's teen angst movie meets the twilight zone than a truly creepy horror flick which was prevalent in the original 1976 cult favorite.   King's films rarely transpose well on the silver screen, & most lose most of their savor & story in the attempt at a cinema length shock fest.  The reason; King's specialty is the characters more than the tale; their relationships, evolution, victories, & misfortunes.  His novels take along time to develop those facets & the patience that kind of storytelling requires does not transfer well to the LA big wigs assembly line productions that trade big CGI budgets for quality of plot & performance.  It is a sacrifice that deteriorates nearly all of his concepts into little more than cheap thrilled, gore propelled, drive-in fare.   Unfortunately, this film also does not escape that malady.   Although, Chloe Grace Moretz's performance rivals Spacek's in both emotion & authenticity. Her scenes are almost difficult to watch as she plays the tormented teen which such genuineness it is uncomfortable, nearly painful to view.   However, her stellar portrayal can't compete with the lackluster, stereotypical, & two-dimensional performances of her supporting cast.  The story is told too abruptly & tries too hard to be a mimic of the original movie rather than the novel.   Although you connect with Mortez, the rest of the film feels disjointed & over reaching.  Moore also delivers a haunting but somewhat over the top portrayal of Carrie's zealot mom.  Again, feeling too much like a copy of the first film.  Director Pierce is pretty well know for her indie films, I wish she would have poured a little more of that style into this production.  The special effects are sleek and realistic, but I think the build was focused on that element rather than the emotional dysfunction of Carrie & her Mommy Dearest which is the driving force of the book.  2 out of 5 Kernels; one day they'll get the King Equation right, but for now, we will have to settle with the best Hollyweird can deliver.