If you think you already know Carrie, Mike Flanagan is here to make you think again.
All episodes of the new #Carrie series can be watched right now on Prime Video, and not only is it a remake of the story we already know, but Flanagan takes the famous horror novel by Stephen King and extends it into a full season of eight episodes.
The one holding the main position in the story is Summer H. Howell playing Carrie White, and she is surely among the biggest reasons to watch this show.
Her Carrie isn’t just the quiet, bullied girl waiting to explode. There is a real innocence to her, and Howell does a nice job of showing how confused and vulnerable Carrie is as she suddenly finds herself dealing with school, cruel classmates, social media and powers she barely understands.
And then there is Samantha Sloyan as Margaret White.
Margaret is still the deeply disturbing mother we know, but this version gives her character some new layers. Sloyan really gets under your skin without having to constantly scream or go over the top.
One thing that makes this Carrie enjoyable is that the horror doesn’t revolve around gore and jump-scares.
A good portion of the horror is in seeing Carrie go through her social problems.
The film version of this story has been adapted to today’s world and social media and the way teenagers bully others is very realistic and uncomfortably recognizable. There is something about how the older story has been modernized.
But there are those who have seen the original and they will be aware of where the storyline is going. The difficult part is in making us invested in the process even though we know the final outcome.
Flanagan succeeds in this aspect as he builds suspense without rushing the narrative.
Most of the time, it works great especially in the episodes where the focus is on Carrie and the people around her. But sometimes, the eight-episodes are too much for the story and some parts don’t work with the story.
But the performances keep pulling the series back.
Summer H. Howell is excellent. Samantha Sloyan is equally strong. Amber Midthunder, Matthew Lillard and the rest of the cast also add plenty to the world around Carrie.
And yes, there is plenty of horror waiting for you.
But don’t go into this expecting a nonstop scare-fest. This Carrie is more interested in bullying, loneliness, teenage cruelty, family trauma and what happens when someone who has been pushed too far finally snaps.
That makes it a little different from what some fans might expect — and honestly, that’s probably a good thing.
Verdict
Carrie isn’t trying to replace the classic versions. It is trying to tell the story again in its own way.
It won’t work for everyone, especially if you prefer your horror fast, bloody and frightening from beginning to end. But if you enjoy slow-burn horror, strong characters and Mike Flanagan’s habit of digging deeper into the people behind the scares, this one is worth giving a shot.
The verdict: Worth watching, especially for Summer H. Howell and Samantha Sloyan.
Rating: 3.5/5
All episodes of #Carrie are now streaming on Prime Video.
