Mike Flanagan’s television adaptation of Stephen King’s 1974 novel, “Carrie,” premiered all eight episodes on Prime Video Oct. 7. This limited series marks the fifth screen adaptation of the book, but does it hold up to the title’s standards?
Despite King’s novel being set in 1979, Flanagan’s adaptation presents the story in the present day. The students in the fictional town of Chamberlain, Maine, use technology and the internet to bully the main character: Carrie White (Summer H. Howell).
Cyberbullying is the preferred method of adolescent bullying in today’s digital world, and Flanagan understands this. One of the main antagonists of the series, Chris Hargensen (Alison Thornton), creates an Instagram account using Carrie’s face and name to ruin the little reputation Carrie has.
Chris creates chaos in the school, posting photos and rumors of fellow students and faculty to humiliate them. Despite it clearly being a troll account, most of the student body blindly submits the content it posts.
Flanagan makes sure the audience understands that, despite one student being the ringleader, many more are equally guilty for their silence and contributions. The series rightfully calls out a greater problem of complicity amongst student and staff bystanders alike in educational institutions.
A major factor of the novel’s enduring fame is the book’s dark and supernatural themes. Flanagan, having directed multiple horror series before, such as “The Haunting of Hill House” and “Midnight Mass,” encapsulates this atmosphere in “Carrie” perfectly.
The final act of “Carrie” is the most iconic — and supernatural — part of the story. Carrie attends prom and is elected prom queen. Resentful of Carrie, Chris and her boyfriend, Billy Nolan (Arthur Conti), dump pig’s blood on her head in front of the entire senior class.
In an act of rage, Carrie uses telekinetic powers and kills nearly everyone at the prom. In Flanagan’s adaptation, the moment the blood covers Carrie, there is a close-up of her face. Howell, who plays Carrie, gives an impeccable performance in this moment.
The viewer can see the anger and humiliation in Carrie’s eyes and sense that she’s about to do something terrible. The suspenseful atmosphere and pacing are what make the final episode especially horrifying.
Flanagan’s horror series demonstrates his skill in using the genre as a means to tell deeply human stories. Along with cyberbullying, “Carrie” tells a story of religious trauma and domestic abuse.
Carrie’s mother, Margaret White (Samantha Sloyan), is another antagonist in the novel and series. Throughout the episodes, Margaret forces Carrie to be locked in a “prayer closet” when she disobeys.
In the first episode, there’s a flashback to when Carrie is a child. She goes through her backyard and talks to the next-door neighbor, Stella Horan. Carrie reveals she’s never read a book that wasn’t the bible and wasn’t even aware other books existed.
Stella is warm and inviting to Carrie, offering to give her books. However, mid-conversation, Carrie’s mother rips her away, insinuating that there is something wrong with Stella. She forcefully drags Carrie through the house and shoves her into the prayer closet.
Due to Carrie’s rage, rocks start falling from the sky and pelting the house. Prayer is punishment for Carrie, and the series shows that with a supernatural visual. Later in the season, Margaret’s point of view is shown, and there is clear fear and distress on her face as she watches and hears her house being attacked.
The stones, above all else, highlight the self-destructive nature Maragret’s actions have on her household. Flanagan intentionally holds back Maragret’s reaction until later on in the series. At first, it seems as though only Carrie is affected by her religious upbringing and relationship with her mother.
The series’ greatest strength lies in the fact that Flanagan knows how to make horror. He is able to show human nature through the lens of thrilling events and suspenseful motives, “Carrie” is a masterclass in how to make a good adaptation, whilst giving the story the freedom to change as society changes.
As an adaptation, pressure was undoubtedly placed on Flanagan from fans to create a faithful rendition of the beloved story. However, the creative liberty Flanagan took with “Carrie” made a story from the 1970s relevant for a modern audience. Whether fans will appreciate this is yet to be seen. Nevertheless, it is sure to introduce a new generation to the parts of Carrie that fans love.
