Robert Ewing reviews Prime Video’s Carrie adaptation…
Brian De Palma’s Carrie is one of the most iconic horror films ever made and a defining adaptation within Stephen King’s catalogue. The image of Carrie White, covered in pig’s blood, standing on stage after being crowned prom queen. Is one of the most striking and well-known images in all of cinema. It is every bit as iconic as De Palma’s split-dioptre shots. With the Carrie series, showrunner Mike Flanagan understands that the fateful prom is inevitable. Adapting his fourth Stephen King work, following the incredible The Life of Chuck. Carrie solidifies itself as one of the most thrilling television series I have seen in a long time.
Over eight episodes, we follow Carrie White, a teenage girl nobody knew existed until her father’s death. She is suddenly exposed to a world that is every bit as cruel as the one she has been living in. Summer H. Howell plays Carrie with a joyful innocence that never crosses the line into cynicism. Throughout the series, we watch this young girl, hidden away from the rest of the world, try to find her place while others attempt to beat her down and ostracise her.
Carrie was kept sheltered within a religious and conspiratorial household that believes the world is out to get them. Whether it is the chemicals put into food, such as Red 40, or the belief that corn syrup and aspartame are poisoning the youth. Fear shapes every aspect of their worldview. It is hard not to draw parallels with the conservative fearmongering that proliferates across social media at the moment. Content creators make TikToks and YouTube videos that manufacture a problem before conveniently selling the solution. With Margaret White, Carrie’s mum, being an avid watcher.
For her, every conspiracy under the sun is true. We hear her spout that the government is trying to take away people’s guns. That teaching children about sex is an activation switch designed by the state to turn children into sexually active, crazed bunnies. Margaret White, played wonderfully by Samantha Sloyan, might seem completely insane to many viewers, but Mike Flanagan and the rest of the writing team add nuance to her character. Instead of presenting her as a simple villain, they explore how she is, in many ways, a victim of indoctrination herself, shaped by a husband and family who imposed this hateful worldview upon her.
At her core, though, she is a mum who simply wants what is best for her daughter. Even if she takes that desire to an extreme, it is a fundamentally relatable idea. That relatability is what makes the series’ narrative so effective, particularly in the way the series updates it for the modern era where everyone has a smartphone. Gone are the days when bullying was confined to the school grounds. Thanks to social media, it is now everywhere. Instagram is the platform of choice for this adaptation, and its influence extends beyond school life, shaping the life of the entire town as well.
Alison Thornton delivers a devilishly good performance as Chris Hargensen, Carrie’s primary tormentor and, in many ways, the bully of the entire town. She creates the Instagram account CarrieRed, which begins as a private space to share a video of Carrie experiencing her first period, edited into a TikTok-style video. That soon evolves into a profile that is used to abuse and humiliate both the students and residents of the town. The account shakes the community to its core, sparking accusations and leading to many teenagers being referred to suicide hotlines. The snowball effect it creates is astonishing, but the series also perfectly illustrates that it could all stop at any moment. Chris has the power to simply delete the account, move on, and become the grown-up she believes herself to be.
Yet, Chris is still a teenager who believes everything is a joke until it affects her own life. It is fine to ruin and mock other people, but the moment her world is thrown into turmoil, her friends are expected to drop everything to make sure she is okay. So, when she continues to double and triple down on her hateful actions, you understand why. It doesn’t help that her actions are allowed to thrive because of an institution that fears the repercussions of taking decisive action. Principal Henry Grayle, portrayed wonderfully by Matthew Lillard, and teachers such as Rita Desjardin, brought to life by the fantastic Amber Midthunder, genuinely have their students’ best interests at heart.
They want to foster a caring and supportive environment where students can learn, discover themselves, and understand that actions have consequences. You cannot throw pads and tampons at a girl and then expect everyone to act as though it never happened. Chris’ parents, particularly her father, respond to any trouble their daughter finds herself in by threatening to sue the school or covering up her actions. The series highlights how a system influenced by outside pressure can never truly deliver accountability. The teachers and the school did not fail Carrie, nor the many victims of Chris’ Instagram page. The real failure lies with the system itself.
What allows the series to truly thrive, though, is the beauty throughout. Flanagan and the rest of the writers and directors bring a loving tenderness to the series that is simply heartwarming to watch. Moments such as Carrie telling her father she had a great time at the party when she sees a vision of him are beautiful, while Sue and Tommy’s relationship is a genuine joy to watch unfold on screen. These moments allow the series’ pacing to be masterful. Never feeling like we go from one traumatic event to the other.
However, it is that tenderness that allows the series’ true horror to resonate. That horror does not come from the handful of jump scares or unsettling visuals that punctuate the series. Instead, it comes from the fact that Carrie simply wants to be accepted by others for who she is and to discover the beauty of the world. Only to be met with hatred and cruelty. It may not be the same abuse she experiences at home, but it still affects her the same. That is what makes the series so horrifying. The fear of never finding your people or your place in the world is universal, and the series captures that feeling perfectly.
Carrie is a horror series for the ages. An incredible series that had me gripped from the very first episode through to its thrilling conclusion. Mike Flanagan has delivered a series that remains faithful to Stephen King’s novel while evolving alongside contemporary society and expanding upon the lore of the original story. This is television at its finest, and an absolute must-watch.
GET PRIME VIDEO NOW: Sign up for a 30-Day Free Trial on Prime Video
Robert Ewing
