Carrie (2002 TV Movie) User Reviews

In The Shadow Of A Masterpiece

[virek213 · 6/10 · 6 November 2002]

It seems to make as much sense to remake a great movie like Brian DePalma's 1976 horror/suspense masterpiece CARRIE for television as it did to make a sequel of it in the form of THE RAGE: CARRIE 2 three years before, but that's what has been done. A lot of bells and whistles have been added to this television remake, but in the end this CARRIE is still in the shadow of the DePalma original.

Angela Bettis (GIRL INTERRUPTED) has the unenviable task of stepping into the shoes (and the prom dress) of Sissy Spacek in the title role of a New England teen tortured at school by cruel classmates (because she doesn't belong) and at home by her religiously fanatical mother (Patricia Clarkson, in the Piper Laurie role). Soon, she discovers she has telekinetic powers; and when the most gruesome of gags is played on her on prom night, all bets are off.

Though looking much more glazed in the eyes than Spacek ever did, Bettis gives a fairly good performance as Carrie; and Clarkson's portrayal of her uprighteous mother is much more low-key, but no less threatening, than Laurie's portrayal. The special effects, however obvious they might be, are also quite good. But in the end, the reputation of the 1976 original, with its combination of psychological horror and teen-angst drama, still hovers over this remake. Nowhere is this more apparent than in the pig's blood scene. It doesn't have the same jarring emotional impact this time around--not so much because we've seen it before, but because here it looks slightly laughable when the blood gets poured onto Bettis. Because of DePalma's use of slow-motion in the original, the blood hits Spacek like a tidal wave.

I give the CARRIE remake a '6' just for trying. I only regret that its shortcomings as a film have less to do with its execution as a film than the fact that the original movie still resonates much more fully.

A Secret Rage Burning Inside

[LanceBrave · 6/10 · 5 November 2013]

The problem with remaking "Carrie" is two-fold. First off, the original Brian DePalma film is such a defining classic. Any additional version will be compared unflatteringly to that original. Secondly, the story follows a clear, well-known formula. Every version of "Carrie" has to end with the main character wreaking telekinetic havoc at the prom. The question of remaking "Carrie" becomes whether or not the performances justify telling a story everyone knows the ending to. This was the question facing the 2002 television version of "Carrie" and is the question currently facing the brand new, Chloe Moretz-starring remake.

So, do the performances justify the film? Kind of. A screening of "May" is what convinced the producers that Angela Bettis was the perfect choice for the role of Carrie. No doubt, the two characters are similar, disenfranchised loners who strike back violently against their tormentors. However, Angela Bettis makes Carrie not only very different from May but different from Sissy Spacek's Carrie. Spacek played the character as a wounded animal. Bettis' Carrie, meanwhile, plays like a PTSD victim. She keeps her head down, taking abuse silently. She's more spastic, seemingly going into seizure like trances. Bettis' naturally nervous qualities are played up, her eyes and forehead twitching. However, this Carrie has a secret rage burning inside of her. She bottles up her anger at the world. A more bitter or even sarcastic side shows through during her interactions with mother or schoolmates. Spacek's Carrie was a poor girl who snaps suddenly, unexpectedly. Bettis' Carrie is a ticking time bomb. The differing interpretation allows Angela to make the part her own. It's a very good performance from a great actress.

Patricia Clarkson also goes in a very different direction from what Piper Laurie did in the original. Laurie played the role as over-the-top, high opera. Clarkson goes in the opposite direction. Her Margaret White rarely raises her voice. Her threats are quiet and subtle. She doesn't have to yell and scream to make her point. She plays her religious fanaticism as a frightening truth, someone who believes unerringly. Clarkson is excellent, far more believable then Laurie's campy theatrics. It's the only true advantage the 2002 version has over the 1976 version.

The 133-minute long film, originally aired in two halves over two nights, hews more closely to Stephen King's original novel. It reinstates the epistolary format, a police detective interviewing the surviving high school students about what happened that night, the events recalled in flashback. The narrative reshuffling does little to change the flow of the story. Carrie still gets her period in the girl's changing room, freaks out, discovers her powers, faces her religious fanatic mother, gets invited to the prom by Tommy Ross, has pig's blood dumped on her, goes nuts and kills a lot of people. Several missing scenes from the book are reinserted. Small meteorites fall from the sky when Carrie is born. When she's six years old, after an encounter with the neighbor's daughter, the same thing happens. After the massacre at the prom, Carrie walks through Chamberlain, Maine, destroying most of the town.

I'm not sure how to feel about the extended run time. In some ways, it allows the material to breathe more. A few of the additional scenes add nice character development. Chris Hargensen has a scene where she interacts with Carrie alone, that shows Chris to have some depth as a character. When Kandyse McClure's Sue Snell talks to Carrie about make-up, it's humorous, expands on the two's relationship, and provides more insight in Carrie's opinions. The pre-massacre prom scenes are surprisingly good. Carrie and Tommy Ross talking in the car is unusually sweet. Miss Desjarden's monologue to Carrie about post-high school life is wonderful as well, especially Carrie's reaction to it. As Carrie and Tommy dance, Angela gets a great moment, expressing gratitude to the young man. The detective subplot doesn't add much but the cop looking through Carrie's completely empty, unsigned year book is rather heartbreaking. Then again, several scenes are unnecessarily extended. The pig bleeding scene goes on far too long. A moment of Carrie freaking out in class, shattering her desk, adds nothing. The principal talking with a lawyer has no effect on the rest of the film. Though Emilie de Raven's Chris is less blatantly psychotic then Nancy Allen's, her boyfriend Billy becomes a cold sociopath for no particular reasons.

The biggest problem with 2002's "Carrie" is that it can't compete with the 1976's version thrills. The CGI-filled prom massacre lacks the visceral punch of the original. DePalma's unique style ramped up the intensity. David Carson's comparatively flat direction adds little. The rampage through town is well executed but seems superfluous. Carrie's powers are often overdone, with her cracking desk, throwing bikes through the air, or wrapping a truck around a tree. Considering Carrie's obvious anger, her not having any memory of the rampage is a cheat. Laura Karpman's score isn't bad, blatantly recalls Pino Dinaggio's work at times, but isn't as impressive.

Of course, the ending is different. For some reason, producer Bryan Fuller decided "Carrie" would make a great set-up for a series. Carrie White survives and goes on the road with Sue Snell. The series would have been "The Fugitive," with a telekinetic teenage girl as the protagonist. This, of course, was a terrible idea. If 2002's "Carrie" maintained the book's ending, it perhaps would have been a stronger film. As it is, it's not a bad effort. It can't compare to DePalma's version and is frequently mediocre. Still, the two lead actresses lend what otherwise would have been a forgettable product some elegance.

Watchable

[briandwillis-83825 · 6/10 · 5 January 2021]

This TV retelling of Stephen King's classic novel might skew closer to the novel than any other version out there, but it comes with a steep price tag. As far as productions go, it's bizarrely cheap looking for a major network TV production and this really shoots them in the foot when it comes time for the big finale where Carrie is walking around, destroying the town.

On the plus side, Angela Bettis is excellent as the title character and manages to do the impossible by erasing Sissy Spacek's performance from your mind for 2 hours. Patricia Clarkson, a fine actress, is woefully underpowered as Carrie's religious fanatic mother, Margaret. By refusing to ape Piper Laurie's near-comic intensity, her Margaret disappears into the scenery and makes next to no impression which lowers the film's stakes tremendously.

They're all Gonna Laugh at You"

[Jimmy-154 · 15 December 2002]

I have read the book and seen the original 1976 movie, numerous times. When I saw this advertised and heard that it followed the book, I knew I had to see it! It was interesting to see the book brought to life in a film. Even though it was modernized with Carrie making references to the internet, Chris using a cell phone, etc. I really enjoyed watching it, even though I still have to say that the original 1976 movie is still a classic! For some strange reason, during the prom scene where the blood is poured on Carrie, I was actually waiting to hear the famous line, "They're all gonna laugh at you!" That was such a nice touch in the original, but very difficult to duplicate. I also noticed in the credits that Jasmine Guy was in this film, but I looked and was not able to see her anywhere. The only thing I did not like is the fact with it being on regular television, the commercial breaks interrupted some of the good parts. Just when I was really into watching it, a commercial appears! Overall this movie was enjoyable to watch and to see a classic book and film come back. I am not much on remakes, but this one was not that bad. Still, nothing can hold a candle to the original!

Really?

[kingdomheartsmjm · 1/10 · 14 January 2013]

There is a term for once great things that has reached the absolute lowest known as "jumping the shark". saying that about this film is being way too kind and goes so below that term that it turned into "jumping the "jumping of the shark"

The harsh moment are funny, boring dialog,referencing lines from the original that have no context in this movie, pop culture jokes (they wont get old, right) incredibly bad CGI and effects, camera-work that's on par with battlefield earth, and by far the WORST ending i have seen in a long time.

The part which really pisses me off is that after Carrie kills her fellow classmates with some shameful CGI, the movie turns into Carriezilla as she goes around Maine destroying Stephan King's favorite place to write about. yeah, remember that from the original? they took a really great movie and wiped it's fat ass on it just to make a quick buck. i fell in love with the original because of how well it was done. i felt bad for Carrie because of how well she was played by Sissy Spacek. Yes, the original wasn't a perfect movie and it had its flaws, but this movie is so poorly done, I cried for twenty minutes thinking how could they do this to such an influential movie. but hey this remake was made just 3 years after the sequel (which the sequel took 26 years after the original, but that is a different story)

All in all, it's a half assed movie that takes an intelligent character study and breaks it into a million tiny pieces. the 1 and only good thing about it is that it follows the book more than the original movie. However the bad far out way the good in this movie. if you want to watch any reincarnation of "Carrie", watch the 1976 movie or read the book. you won't be disappointed. unlike this stain of pigs blood and tampons.

The Truest Adaptation to King's Book We'll Ever Get!!!

[Pumpkin_Man · 7/10 · 21 January 2014]

I absolutely love the 1976 Carrie film. I've loved it ever since I was a child. Recently there was a remake of it starring Chloe Moretz, and it's equally good. However, there is another remake of Carrie that was made for TV in 2002 that some people may not know about. I don't love it like I do the original and newest version, but it is a lot truer to the book. For example, this has the police conducting interviews and asking people about the conspiracy to dump the pig's blood, it has the rain of stones, but most importantly it has the destruction of the town.

Angela Bettis plays Carrie White this time. She's a pretty woman, She's a great actress (watch 'May') but her performance of Carrie just came off as awkward. Maybe that's the way she wanted to portray the character, but I think Sissy and Chloe were better. Emilie De Ravin made a good Miss Desjardin. She was very conniving and vicious. I liked Rena Sofer's performance as Miss Desjardin. She was more strict and more authoritative than Judy Greer in the 2013 remake. Patricia Clarkson was kinda bland as Margaret White. She wasn't as crazy as Piper Laurie, nor psychotic as Julianne Moore.

Carrie White is a very shy girl who has no friends and a crazy religious mom who constantly locks her in the closet. When she gets her first period during gym class, all the girls humiliate her. This starts a chain of events when Carrie finds out she has telekinesis; the power to move objects with her mind. When Sue Snell feels bad for mocking Carrie, she asks her boyfriend, Tommy Ross to take Carrie to the prom.

When Carrie is crowned Prom Queen, the bucket of pig's blood is poured and all hell breaks loose. The story of Carrie is probably my absolute favorite by Stephen King. If you love the story, you may enjoy this interpretation of CARRIE!!!

100% Unnecessary

[CrystalLakeKiller · 1/10 · 26 January 2008]

OK, first off, There was NO need for this film. The original was a CLASSIC. Sissy Spacek was a much more believable Carrie. Angela Bettis -wel, let's just say, she wasn't even fit to play the wall. The kids in this movie seem so FAKE! They look like they fell out of a magazine! Nancy Allen, Sissy Spacek, Amy Irving, and William Katt were amazing! The characters they formed were exactly like the book! I'm a HUGE Stephen King fan, and having read the book many times, the 1976 CLASSIC was 100% perfect.

And, most specifically, the prom scene. *spoilers* After they dumped the blood on her, Sissy pulled of a telekenetic trance. Angela Bettis looked like she had been mummified.

And the role of Tommy Ross was a HORRIBLE choice I don't know what the director was thinking, but he should have asked Brian DePalma for some advice. I give this film a negative 50

If you read the book, you know the remake was better.

[EarthAD · 7/10 · 13 March 2004]

I do not care how many of you read this and think "What a moron." Because I am not, I am right. Anybody can call themself a Stephen King fan because they've seen all his movies. Well, if you've never read his books then you're not a Stephen King fan, you're a horror movie fan. I read Carrie for the first time when I was 10 years old. It was the scariest, most f'ed up book I had read. (Remember I was 10, before Carrie I read Goosebumps and Freckle Juice) And my dad told me there was a movie. I had heard of it before, of course. So, I rented it. Sissy Spacek, Piper Laurie, and John Travolta were good, but the thing is they were the hottest stars at the time. Travolta was a teen hunk from Kotter and Sissy was your "girl next door" type. The original is a classic, I will never deny that. It's one of the best horror movies of the 20th century. Even though the acting was superb, Spacek wasn't the perfect Carrie, because she is pretty. Carrie was awkward and weird looking. Bettis is attractive, but in a creepy sort of way. Clarkson was a much better Mrs. White, because Laurie portrayed this wild, gospel radio type woman yelling out Christian nonsense. Mrs. White was described in the book as a insane woman with a sane face. Okay, let's be honest, Travolta sucked in Carrie. He was playing the role he ALWAYS did in the late 70s, a stupid, pretty boy. The guy that played Nolan in the remake portrayed him as a insane, extremely psychopathic. And Chris and Billy's relationship in the original wasn't as convincing. In the book, they were kind of a match made in heaven, they were both sadistic and cruel people. The only things I have to say about the original is Amy Irving was a better Sue, and the original Miss Desjardins was better too (the gym teacher). All in all I thought the remake of Carrie wasn't as classic as the original, but was more according to the book and they picked the characters well. 9/10

CRAP (may contain spoilers)

[Sandkitty · 1/10 · 5 November 2002]

I was very excited to see one of my all time favorite Stephen King stories on TV. What I saw was a huge disappointment. So many things were changed and not for the good. Since when did Carrie make Meteors fall from the sky? It was boulders and stones. The ending was stupid in this production. They totally ruined the entire meaning of the story. I agree with someone else who said "If I were Stephen King, I'd sue." It was just a HUGE disappointment to us real Stephen King fans.

about as good as original but different strengths and weaknesses

[Miles-10 · 7/10 · 14 April 2010]

The most horrifying shot is the tableau at the end of the first bathtub scene near the end of the movie. (The second bathtub scene near the movie's end has more to do with turning this TV movie into a TV series--the plan that never came to fruition.) The three hour length of this TV version is well suited to amplify the drama and extend the finale rampage. The disaster effects are good. The different take on Margaret, Carrie's mother, is problematic. On one hand, she becomes more realistic and sympathetic, but on the other, nobody really wants to tone down a human monster whom we would rather not see as so human. Most cast members give fine performances including, but hardly limited to, the actors in the roles of Carrie, Sue, Billy, Tommy and Chris. Although Billy is surprisingly the one who seems to be possessed by evil; so where did that come from? I think this version is as good as the original in some ways, not as good in others and yet better in still others. A second crack at turning Stephen King's story into a film developed some of the story line more fully, which is to be expected with three hours.

Worst thing Ive seen

[liliannasara · 1/10 · 13 October 2019]

Honestly I think this is one of the worst movies I have ever seen, it was so cringey, the story line wasnt thrilling or exciting at all, it wasnt scary or funny, the acting was terrible and just a horrible movie in general. Wouldnt recommend in a million years.

An adaptation that needs more attention

[Whisper2Scream · 8/10 · 8 August 2022]

Sure it's not Brian DePalma but this TV movie has a lot going for it. Bettis is amazing as a very different version of Carrie White and Clarkson is incredible as her horrible insane mother. The film looks muddy like most shot of video TV stuff of this period but the story movies and the performances elevate it. Lots to like here.

Even more dirty pillows....

[FlashCallahan · 7/10 · 4 December 2013]

Carrie White is a lonely, shy teenage girl with unbelievable telekinetic powers, and is slowly being pushed to the edge of insanity by frequent bullying from classmates at her school, and her own mother.

Soon, she discovers she has these telekinetic powers; and when the most gruesome of gags is played on her on prom night, rage takes over....

Obviously as the film is made for TV, and it's back 11 years, it looks very cheap, and the special effects are tragic, like something you'd expect to see on the SyFy channel.

But overlook all of this, and you have a very, very faithful adaptation of the classic story, which doesn't taint the original, makes the remake look even more pointless than what it is, and has the inclusion of a police enquiry.

Bettis makes this movie. Her portrayal of Carrie is one of total desolation, and you cannot help but empathise with her. She makes you realise that the story isn't just about about a woman who can move things with her mind, its about a girl who has everything against her from day one.

She gets no reprieve at school, or at work, and when she fights back, she ends up having to vanish (in this telling anyway). This version, along with De Palmas masterpiece, show you how much of a depressing and sad story Carrie actually is.

Its a little too long in places, and it could have easily been trimmed to the 100 minute mark, but its watchable, and Bettis is wonderful.

Well worth seeing.

Worst movie ever.

[saphiyago · 1/10 · 15 May 2007]

OK. I watched this tonight. I think it has killed me. Hopefully, before the tumor that watching it implanted in my brain spreads and extinguishes my life, I can write this as a final warning to never see this movie.

First of all: Made for TV. That should throw up about a million automatic red flags in your head.

Second. Jesus Christ this movie makes me livid beyond the capacity for rational thought. First of all, the whole thing is just over-saturated in white. Its like the white leaps out of the screen and punches you right in the face with its whiteness. You may think I'm kidding, but I'm not.

The narrative is horrible. Like, forty minutes in, it randomly does a flashback where some meteors fall. And you think that might just be fantasy, but it turns out MUCH LATER IN THE MOVIE that the meteors did, in fact, fall. Just no one decided to mention it. Oh, the movie is OVER TWO HOURS LONG. Hardly ANY movie, much less the WORST MOVIE EVER should be that long. And oh, it is just so bad. The characters are stilted and zero-dimensional. I don't even remember any of their names, beyond Carrie. There's one dude, he's "Psycho Teenager", and thats all he is. He's skinny, and he constantly keeps his chin tucked down so he's supposed to look intimidating, but its all so LAUGHABLE. In one scene, he kills a pig, but he sings the "Not by the hair of my chinny chin chin", and the whole thing is so ridiculous.

Oh, and all the girls in this film were white. Even the black girl. And they were all ugly, but supposed to be pretty. Probably because they couldn't actually afford pretty girls. And there was no gore, because it was made for TV.

And when the bucket of pig's blood fell on her, it fell for like, a year. Seriously. A million jillion gallons of blood must have been in that some sort of extra-dimensional bucket.

And the ending. Jesus Christ THE ENDING. So like, Carrie survives in this one, with the help of Whitefriend Blackgirl. And they're in a graveyard, and her dead mother shows up. But it turns out to be a dream. She's in the car with Whitefriend. And then Whitefriend turns into chief female antagonist, and attacks Carrie. BUT IT TURNS OUT TO BE ANOTHER DREAM. And then it shows Carrie's face, and pans down to the car door, where the film abruptly turns to credits.

This film is unsaveable. Like, if the last 10 minutes suddenly turned into Ninjas and Vikings and Bikers and Pirates having a brawl while a chorus line of monkeys in tuxedos danced and sang, while Bruce Campbell emcee'd the whole thing, it would still been terrible. No, wait, it could have been saved, but if, and only if a time machine made of guns, drugs, and money popped out of the screen during the credits, and it was piloted by a robot who took you back in time to before you saw the movie and said "Instead of seeing this movie, lets go on an adventure using the component parts of this time machine!", and off you go to Tijuana for a drug and booze soaked time, with running gun battles with the Mexican Mafia or something. And then you sell the robot for BILLIONS of dollars so you become rich beyond your wildest dreams. That is the only thing that could have saved it.

Not as bad as I expected, but no replacement for the original.

[bilahn · 7 November 2002]

To state that this new version of Carrie doesn't remotely compare with the original horror classic is to belabor the obvious, so I will leave that issue aside.

However, I expected this movie to be simply garbage, like the recent "Rose Red", or dull and mediocre, like the TV remake of The Shining, and surprisingly, it was better than that.

Making a remake of a classic film is usually inadvisable, but under the circumstances, this was an honest and decent rendition of Carrie. TV movies tend to be endlessly drawn out, with low proudction values, and this was better than average. Most of the credit goes, however to the casting. Most of the cast were a very competent group of actors who I think really gave it their best shot in creating a new angle on the Carrie story. Particular mention should be made of Angela Bettis in the title role. She tackled the daunting task of taking a part made very famous by someone else, and making it her own. Her Carrie is less a neurotic mess than Sissy Spacek', repressed and unhappy but still strong and with some guts. She was very sweet and vulnerable, and was often very touching, as when she was suddenly, out of the blue, asked to the prom by such a handsome, nice boy.

One big disappointment was Patricia Clarkson as Mrs. White. The part was really reduced in scope in this version, and the actress played her in a very restrained and bland fashion. I can well imagine that it was decided that to replicate Piper Laurie's over the top baroque performance was inadvisable. The idea here was to have a more low key sinister approach. But the result was completely dull and uninteresting character that had less relevance to the story than it should have.

So for a TV remake of a horror classic, I give it A for effort, with some very good elements to it. However, this is still a movie you will probably watch only once. The real Carrie, Brian DePalma's 1976 classic, is one that is always fun to watch again and again!

Ugh. What WERE they thinking?

[p_samantha · 1/10 · 11 October 2006]

The Original Carrie with Sissy Spacek was incredible. This dribble is pure and utter crap. I try to remain professional when writing a review, but this movie has ruined my senses. In comparison to the original Carrie, this movie is dull, boring and completely off base. Carrie actually survives her mother in the end. The ending just completely threw me off base.

On it's own, this movie is dull, boring and completely off base. The acting is terrible, completely unbelievable, and listless. There were times I just felt like screaming at them (the actors) in hopes I could straighten them out.

What is worse, I found that this was done only in hopes of creating a TV series! Wow. The network must've been grasping at straws to accept that proposal.

All in all, when Stephen King dies (pray in a hundred years: he will always be my favorite writer) he will turn forever in his grave for having his name associated with this garbage.

Worthy Remake, Closer to the Novel.

[drownsoda90 · 7/10 · 24 August 2006]

I never did see this "Carrie" remake while it had it's television run, but I rented it on DVD and found it to be a worthy remake of the 1976 horror classic. The plot is basically the same as the original film. Carrie White is a shy, mousy high school teenager who lives a strict and isolated life with her overbearing religious mother. She is harassed at school by classmates, and suffers physical and emotional abuse by her mother. Carrie begins to learn that she has some strange powers - if she concentrates enough, she can move objects with her mind. As her powers begin to grow, Carrie is invited to prom by Tommy, the boyfriend of a girl named Sue who asked him to take her out as an apology after playing a prank on Carrie in the locker room. But when Carrie is doused with pig's blood at the prom by Chris Hargensen and her boyfriend Billy, her telekinetic powers are released, and all hell breaks loose.

It'd be nearly impossible to raise this remake to the level of the original, especially since it was originally a television mini-series, but it was much better than expected. Having read the novel, one sure thing I can say about this film is that it was much closer to Stephen King's book. The 1976 version didn't include a lot from the novel and left some holes here and there, and this film pretty much covered it all. Some of the special effects were a little cheap looking, but weren't bad for a TV movie. Angela Bettis plays Carrie this time around, and I absolutely loved her work in "May" and Tobe Hooper's horror remake "The Toolbox Murders", she has talent. Patricia Clarkson, while not nearly as scary as Piper Laurie was in the original, plays her role quite well. Emilie DeRavin ("The Hills Have Eyes" remake) was also very good in her role as the bitchy Chris, who torments Carrie. While they hardly resemble the actors in the original film, the cast did a good job.

The prom scene was much longer and dragged on a bit if you ask me, but there were some neat things that took place and it was overall interesting to watch. The whole film is constructed around the actual police investigation into the disaster caused by Carrie's telekinesis, and the events are recalled by witnesses in rather long flashback sequences, which was a somewhat creative way to tell the story. The only major bad thing I can say about the film is the lackluster conclusion, that completely changed the whole film around from what it should have been. Turns out Carrie doesn't die after the prom, and Sue has been hiding her out during the investigation. This revelation of course eliminates the classic hand-from-the-grave scene with Sue, which was a bit disappointing. This bizarre ending to the story was apparently written with the intent of a "Carrie" television series, but the idea was dropped because of the low rating. Kind of a lame idea if you ask me.

To sum things up, "Carrie" is a pretty good remake of a classic. While it isn't nearly as good as the original film was, it sticks closer to the novel that it's based on and gives a little more explanation, and I was entertained by it. It's not quite as bad as many people here are saying it is. 7/10

In a word...Sucked!

[JanWheel3 · 1/10 · 6 November 2002]

I personally am a HUGE fan of Stephen King. I own every book he's ever written or had anything to do with. For the most part, I'm not a "fan" of his movies, I'd rather read the books and use my own imagination to play the movie in my head, so to speak. The whole reason I even started to read SK books was because I saw "Carrie" 1976 on tv and it scared the crap out of me and my mom said, you know that's a book...that's all it took and since then - HUGE SK fan right here! I watched this with an open mind, trying not to do the "well that's not how it was in the original" thing. For the most part, that worked...however!!! There are certain things you just can't ignore, can you say CHEESY Special FX!? They were HORRIBLE, not to mention the ending - what was that??? And I'm sorry, but NO ONE can do Billy Nolan like John Travolta did. AND Piper Laurie was MUCH better as the psycho religious mother. I was very disappointed and upset for missing other, better shows to watch this piece of crap remake! There are just some things that are better left alone: Carrie, Psycho, Vertigo, A Nightmare On Elm St., Friday the 13th...Nothing! can beat the original!

Much more entertaining than expected

[kannibalcorpsegrinder · 7/10 · 23 October 2016]

Going through a mortifying experience at school, a lonely teenager hounded by her overly religious mother finds her growing telekinetic powers are able to help her seek revenge on the rest of her classmates when they humiliate her at the high school prom.

While it's not as significant as the original, this is a rather fun remake that manages to really entertain when it tries. One of the best features is that the film is set-up investigating after-the- fact and questioning individuals about the incidents which are then played out as the recollections described. This allows the film a lot of leeway in keeping this moving since it can switch out perspectives to keep the film on-pace which is a fresh feel that differs from the original and adds a level of realism as it's conducted using questions to prompt the flashbacks of what happened and makes the film somewhat enjoyable, even as the slow-realization that he was wrong all along and is then forced into trying to get the truth about the matter. Another good plus is the fact that the film decides to keep in the key sequence from the original, the dawning of the feminine changes that are played for purely traumatic effect, as it's done here with the incident being caught by the entire locker room which brings the trauma even more, and the follow-ups are just as good. The main thing with this one, though, is that the prom at a lot of fun, and they make up most of what makes it so good. The prank itself is handled-well, with the full-on humiliation of the incident coming across as needed and makes for appropriate retaliation, as well as giving some striking visuals at times. The deaths and destruction come about during the chaos, and these are quite fun seeing all the tables flying everywhere and debris littering the floor, along with the internal damage caused that makes for some really good times throughout when it puts them into action, all capped off with the spectacular shot of the entire structure collapsing whilst still in flames. The last plus to this is a really good action-packed finale, where she's on the loose and rampaging through town, generally causing havoc in a never-ending series of spectacular scenes that are just all-out fun to watch. These here are the film's good points as there was some flaws to this one. One of the biggest ones is that this one certainly does feel it's length, even though there's a rather nice idea of the detective premise. The fact that this one is well-over two hours is certainly obvious, and a lot of this is due to the finale, which is somewhat problematic and the film's last big flaw. Frankly, as much fun as the rampage through town is, the destruction of the gym makes for a much more satisfying conclusion as the revenge is carried out and she is still loose with them unsure of what to make of the situation. That makes for a much-more satisfying conclusion, and what's worse, they also manage to include the final confrontation with the mother that no one could know for sure how it went down since none of the key principles recall the experience and the one who does discovers it after-the-fact, messing around the whole situation even further. These here are the film's problems.

Rated Unrated/PG-13: Violence, Language, Nudity and mild animal violence.

Terrible

[rsimmons-1 · 2/10 · 4 November 2002]

SPOILER ALERT This is a terrible remake of Carrie. They have changed so many things that it is ruined. The ending is different. Instead of the mother dying by flying knives, Carrie causes a heart attack. Boo. Also, the idea of the interviews and the investigation after the fact is quite lame. The movie turns into a crummy TV police drama.

Better Than The First

[ricky_may1 · 7/10 · 15 November 2010]

Some remakes are said to be better than their originals.

Sometimes thats true. This is one of them.

Carrie 2002 may not have the same flair that Depalma used in the equally effective 76 movie but its a TV movie so thats to be expected. However, this newer version delivers more development, more intense sequences, especially the prom climax, and also a better ending in my own opinion but ill let you be the judge of that if you watch it. Angela Bettis is a mixture of mousiness, beauty, and shyness and she was definitely born to play the role of Carrie White. Her journey from class doormat to vengeful prom queen is definitely a sight to see. Also, the whole police investigation into the case is really unique as well cause its already happened so it gives more detail into why it happened and the truth is gradually uncovered.

All in all, The newer version delivers more than its share of chills and thrills. it takes you on a roller coaster ride of emotions and shows a pretty accurate portrayal of school life. Worth a watch or two definitely.

NOOOOO

[thegreenarrow-28184 · 1/10 · 1 August 2019]

Noo.. just no, this is terrible, iv see the orginal, and the newest one, i literally just watched the second one before this, and that was cheezy, but enjoyable... then with about a 5 minute time gap I started watching this one, i got bout 36 mins into it... ahh god .. its sooo baddd... now im stuck with either watching it because i spent money on it.. or stoping it because its making me want to kill my self....

Really isn't as bad as history remembers it

[ersinkdotcom · 8/10 · 9 May 2015]

In the made-for-TV movie "Carrie," our young naive outcast (Angela Bettis) is tormented by her fellow high-school students. She learns of her telekinesis and begins using it as a tool for vengeance.

The 2002 version of Stephen King's "Carrie" is a lot better than it could've been. It was already fighting an uphill battle trying to recapture the same tense and gloriously haunting magic the 1976 movie did. Weak performances and cheesy dialogue by many of the actors doesn't help the situation. However, Angela Bettis's incredible performance as the title character virtually redeems any weakness shown by the other cast members. The one thing that hinders this update is the TV-quality production and cinematography. That being said, the special effects are a lot better than they should've been for a TV-movie made in the early 2000s.

Although 2002's "Carrie" is rated TV-14 and includes some questionable content for younger viewers. There's brief nudity, although nothing graphic is shown. The scenes are from the back or a profile of Carrie lying in the fetal position in the shower. There are adult situations, violence and gore, mild profanity, alcohol and smoking, and frightening and intense scenes.

If you give the update a chance, you'll find that it really isn't as bad as history remembers it.

Lets pretend that this isn't a remake...

[Phantasm01 · 7/10 · 2 October 2006]

..and take it on its own. It's inevitable to think of Brian DePalma's original scarefest with the Oscar nominated Sissy Spacek and Piper Laurie; but if we take this made for TV movie on its own merits and try not to compare it, we may find it's a pretty good movie. Angela Bettis is mesmerizing as Carrie White, the daughter of a religious fanatic, who made it rain rocks when she was born and also when she got angry as a child. We obviously know this little girl is something out of the ordinary. But Stephen King's CARRIE really focuses on the loneliness of being different; of being mocked because you aren't like everyone else; the joy of being accepted at a prom with the handsome hunk Tommy; and ultimately, the irony of revenge on everyone whether they deserved it or not. The production values for a TV movie are very good, even if some of the CGI effects look a little forced, but director David Carson gives us the portrait of a lonely girl who just wants to fit in, and whose retaliation on a sad bunch of spoiled brats is carried to the extreme. Patricia Clarkson's understated performance as Margaret White is just as chilling as the over the top fanaticism of Piper Laurie; Tobias Mehler is a likable and hunky Tommy; Rena Sofer brings a lot of punch to her role as the gym teacher; Katherine Isabelle (Ginger Snaps) is a bitchy Tina, and the young lady who plays Chris (didn't catch her name, but she's currently on the hit series LOST) is also effectively sinister. Kandyce McClure seems slightly out of place as Sue Snell, and I'm not sure the addition of the police investigation (led by the sturdy David Keith) is necessary. I also felt the ending paled in comparison to the original (Mama being impaled by knives in a mock effigy of the horrible crucifix she had). Seems like the writer wanted to shy away from doing the same ending, but didn't come up with one as memorable. All in all, though, Bettis is magnificent as Carrie, and Sissy Spacek should be proud of her.

The worst adaption ever.

[atheia · 1/10 · 26 May 2003]

I have just sat through this diabolical version of 'Carrie' and I have never been so disappointed with a remake in my life...attempts at rehashing the classics are usually pretty awful but this is by far the winner. I highly do not recommend it if you are a fan of the original, the reasons being that all the humour, shocks and charisma of it are not present.

The new (and unimproved) roles are filled by cardboard people, all shaped from the same mould. Everyone is cocky, self-serving, aggressive and sarcastic, unlike the original, where everyone seemed like everyday people. Angela Battis didn't have the same tortured effect as Sissy Spacek, I wasn't moved by her performance at all. Piper laurie was fantastic and frightening in the role of Mrs White, this one was drab and not menacing in the least.The new Billy Nolan was certainly not as appealing as the young Travolta. Even the new suave Tommy Ross looked the same as every other young male in the school, so what was it that Carrie was drawn too? As for the sports teacher, she was the worst of the lot and would probably be more at home on the set of 'Baywatch'.

This is a weak, boring film with a happier ending than the original, of which left me open-mouth with shock, sadness and wonder...this versions nice ending left me feeling a bit p***ed off and angry that I had wasted my time watching it. Special effects don't make for a great movie, other aspects are needed to, like characters and situations you can identify with. My mum quit watching half way through, I wish I had followed suit!