Mike Flanagan's eight-episode reimagining of Stephen King's Carrie for Amazon Prime Video is an ambitious modernisation with genuinely clever ideas, but a controversial decision in the final episode undermines the tragedy and left this critic furious.
The new adaptation drags Carrie White (Summer H. Howell), bloody and screaming, out of the 1970s and into the 2020s, reimagining her as a homeschooled recluse forced out of seclusion when her father dies and made to attend high school, much to the chagrin of domineering mother Margaret (Samantha Sloyan). The meek and awkward Carrie quickly becomes a target for school bullies led by mean girl alpha Chris Hargensen (Alison Thornton). When Carrie discovers her mysterious telekinetic powers, everything changes.
A Modernised Classic with Notable Changes
As expected, Flanagan takes creative liberties with King's original story. Some changes work particularly well: Carrie is much nicer than in King's version, who was a pitiable but unlikable lead prone to branding her bullies 'whores'. Flanagan softens Carrie's more unpleasant traits, which has the twin benefit of making the character someone you can stand to watch for eight episodes while also highlighting the tragedy of Carrie's fall.
Howell is particularly good at playing Carrie, bestowing the character with a soft sadness and rage that is rather magnificent and totally works for this new Carrie White. Over the course of eight episodes, both Carrie and Chris become monsters – through abuse, bullying, neglect, humiliation and the influence of parents – the only difference being that Chris's superpower isn't telekinesis; it's an understanding of Instagram hashtags.
The Final Episode Spoils the Point
However, Flanagan makes a huge mistake in the final episode that spoils his point. He does something to Carrie that completely defangs her and undermines the tragedy of her transformation into a prom queen-shaped tornado that lays waste to her town. Up until that point, the show had been loved, but that last episode was spoiled for the critic, who noted: 'I think I'm taking a star away for that bad decision'.
Sloyan's different but still unhinged take on Margaret was fantastic, the supporting cast (with Matthew Lillard as MVP) was strong, and the show looked brilliant. There's also a slightly X-Men subplot that wasn't appreciated, and a distinct feeling that the show is building a shared universe for Flanagan to play in later.
Release Details
All eight episodes of Carrie premiere exclusively on Prime Video from October 7.
