Carrie (6/10)

This was quite a waste as I thought it should have been better. Usually when Chloe Grace Moretz was one of the leads, like in Let Me In, Hugo and Kick-Ass, they were better than a 6.

And I have to fault the director Kimberly Peirce for all the shortcomings. Although she updated the 1976 version, I found her direction here somewhat juvenile or lacked focus.

There was a scene with the poetry reading and there was a short focus on the teacher but that was never explained. The tuxedo shopping scene was unnecessary and old fashioned. I can't believe that people still use that kind of montage. And the prom massacre, some died too easily. I thought Peirce could have had something more gruesome.

But the most jarring mistake from the movie was that, telekinesis is the ability to move objects; not burn and melt metal. I'm referring to the bolting of the door scene.

And I disagree with the casting of Judy Greer. I didn't think she fit this character. I didn't believe her when she portrayed herself as an authoritative figure.

If I were to compare to the original, Brian De Palma had a better handle in creating the overall mood of the movie. And Sissy Spacek as Carrie had scarier eyes than Moretz. The old Carrie also exude terror from her every movement at the final act. But this new version lacked that. And the way Carrie threw those knives in the end were better explained and implied in the original.

Having said all that, I didn't think this version was terrible. It was a story well told with all the necessary updates in terms of storytelling. But perhaps didn't live up to expectations.

The rest of the cast, Julianne Moore, Gabriella Wilde, Portia Doubleday, all did well, especially Moore. But unfortunately, that promotional stunt circulating on YouTube was more interesting than the movie itself.