Carrie (2013 film)



The third film adaptation of the book of the same name by Stephen King. It tells the story of Carrie (Chloë Grace Moretz), a girl bullied at home and at school. Things kick off when she has her period and discovers she also has telekinetic powers.

It was written by playwright, Marvel Comics scribe and Glee writer/co-producer Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa, and directed by Kimberly Peirce (of Boys Don't Cry fame). Like the 2002 TV Movie adaptation, it was less of a remake of the 1976 film and more of a new, more faithful adaptation of the King book, with the use of found-footage elements and interviews to convey the book's Scrapbook Story. The reaction has been unsurprising -- even King himself questioned whether it was necessary -- though Sissy Spacek didn't seem to mind.


 * Adaptational Attractiveness: Played With. While Sissy Spacek and Angela Barris aren't ugly by any means, the earlier movies tried to show them as unkempt or strange-looking. This is not the case here. Chloe is clearly a pretty girl and Word of God even says that's why Chris bullies her so badly.
 * Adaptational Heroism: Zig-zagged. While she is still an abusive parent, Margaret does seem to care about Carrie in a strange way.
 * Carrie, also zig-zagged. When she is sprayed by the bucket, Carrie is more angry than anything and tries to leave. Then the bucket falls on Tommy. Carrie turns around, cries over his dead body and then the prom massacre starts. While it's unclear if she intended to save her or only did it as sort of Cruel Mercy, she does save Miss Desjardin from being electrocuted and brings on the stage to safety. She saves Sue from being crushed by the house crumbling.
 * Adaptational Villainy: She's mostly a sympathetic villain/anti-villain, but comparably Carrie is in completely in control of her actions during the prom massacre, giving her bullies a cruel death (and some proxies).
 * The students actually don't laugh when Carrie and Tommy are dumped with blood, then they show the 'plug it up' incident and some people start laughing.
 * Ambiguous Situation: It's unclear if Carrie's grave cracking at end means she's not dead or is just a very angry spirit now. The alternate ending adds another speculation with Carrie possibly being reincarnated as Sue's daughter.
 * It's also unclear if Ralph really did rape Margaret or if it was consensual and she just doesn't like the fact she liked it?
 * Asshole Victim: Chris and Billy of course. A bunch of bullies also get comeuppance in this movie's version of the prom massacre.
 * Aw, Look -- They Really Do Love Each Other: Well, Chris for Billy. Despite them being abusive towards each other, Carrie killing him is what makes Chris try to murder Carrie herself.
 * Because You Were Nice to Me: Tommy dying is what starts the massacre, and she spares Ms. Desjardin and Sue.
 * Call Back: Both endings do this to the original ending. The first ending has Chris at Carrie's grave like in the film. The difference is that it's an actual grave at a cemetery, and the Stinger happens after Sue leaves. The alternate ending has Sue giving birth to Tommy's child with Carrie's bloody hand popping out. The call back comes with it's reveal to be a dream and Sue freaks out like she does in the original 1976 ending.
 * Cruel Mercy: Like the 2002 remake, Ms. Desjardin survives...by Carrie rescuing(?) her by levitating her while she electrocutes the other students. She throws her on the stage and she is seen later, her arm in a sling.
 * Even Evil Has Standards: Averted. Compared to the other two movies, where either Billy or Chris objects to running over Carrie. Here Chris eagerly encourages him to do so, and Billy tries to do so.
 * There's a deleted scene where Chris seems to be regretting the plan when she sees Carrie and Tommy dancing, before Billy intervenes.
 * Chris and some of the other bullies do look stricken when the bucket falls on and kills Tommy.
 * Freeze-Frame Bonus: In the alternate ending, Sue goes into labor and a bloody hand comes out. There is a flicker of Carrie carrying Sue's baby.
 * Green-Eyed Monster: It's implied Chris is jealous of Carrie's looks.
 * Offscreen Moment of Awesome: It's not filmed but we do see later, Carrie did manage to set fire to the entire town.
 * Power Floats: In the 1976 film, she is somehow unable to be electrocuted as she walks out of the school. In the 2002 remake, she telekinetically makes the water avoid her. This film forgoes any of that and has Carrie float out of the school to safety.
 * Reality Ensues: Since these days, most sports don't require you to take a shower afterwards. The film actually does have a reason to do it by having the students play a sport in the pool.
 * Revenge by Proxy: Despite not knowing them personally, Carrie still kills Jackie and Freddy. Though Jackie was still of Billy's friend that went to go get the blood and Freddy was recording the massacre.
 * Roaring Rampage of Revenge: Carrie's iconic prom massacre was caused because of years of torment with Tommy's death being the cherry of top. Bonus points for Carrie actually roaring before starting.
 * Token Minority: George and Erika. The former tries to help the others escape.