The original Carrie (1976), directed by Brian De Palma, is a straight-up horror masterpiece. Adapted from Stephen King’s debut novel, the film tells the tragic and terrifying story of Carrie White—a shy, bullied teenage girl with a deeply abusive mother and a growing power inside her. Sissy Spacek delivers an unforgettable performance, walking the line between fragile and frightening with absolute perfection. Piper Laurie as her fanatical mother is just as terrifying. The prom scene is iconic for a reason—it’s beautifully shot, emotionally devastating, and ends in one of the most powerful sequences in horror history. De Palma’s direction, the use of split screen, the chilling score—it all just works. Carrie isn’t just a great horror film; it’s a deeply emotional story about pain, humiliation, and revenge. Nothing has topped it.
Then came the 2002 remake, made for TV—and it shows. This version tries to stay more faithful to the book in some ways, but it feels completely flat. The performances are wooden, the direction is uninspired, and the whole thing feels more like a soap opera than a horror film. Angela Bettis as Carrie has some potential, but the film doesn’t give her much to work with. The effects are cheap, the pacing is off, and the iconic scenes have zero impact. It’s a hollow retelling that brings nothing new to the table and strips away everything that made the original special.
The 2013 remake, directed by Kimberly Peirce, is a more polished and modern take—and it’s actually not bad. Chloe Grace Moretz plays Carrie, and while she doesn’t quite capture the same vulnerability as Spacek, she brings a solid performance to the role. Julianne Moore, on the other hand, is excellent as Margaret White—quietly intense and disturbing in her own way. The film updates the setting with smartphones and cyberbullying, which mostly works, but some of the emotional punch gets lost in the process. It’s a decent remake that respects the original but never truly escapes its shadow.
At the end of the day, the 1976 Carrie is untouchable. The 2013 remake is serviceable, and the 2002 version is best left forgotten.
Winner: Carrie (1976) (10/10)
Decent: Carrie (2013) (7/10)
Disaster: Carrie (2002) (3/10)
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