The sheer delight a movie can induce.
This is not a remake of the original 1976 version. There have been 2 remakes of that version, a made for TV version in 2002. More recently the big screen remake in 2013 starring A-listers Chloe Grace Moretz and Julianne Moore:
All 3 versions are excellent. Stephen King has a way about story telling. The clash of iconic figures or groups. Strong obvious symbolism. Magnification of the nuances of interpersonal dynamics that create tension.
I prefer the 2002 made for TV version the best. Angela Bettis played a painfully awkward and socially ignorant Carrie. With a big heart, and an inner rage when pushed too far:
The Rage (Carrie 2) is not a remake. It is a legitimate sequel to the original. The new Carrie is Rachel Lang. Also a social outcast, but not socially ignorant like Carrie White. More like Mandy Moore in Walk to Remember, with an edge.
Rachel Lang is played by Emily Bergl.
She deserved an academy award for this performance. Strong, yet vulnerable. Confused about her tele-kinetic gift, yet not ignorant of her confusion. The academy does not give best actor awards to movies like this unfortunately. Politics
Through a chance meeting, Rachel Lang finds herself as the damsel in distress with her hurt dog when football jock Jeremy Ryan (Jason London below) finds her in the middle of the road. Interest is sparked as the jock finds something real in Rachel.
Something different from the jock click he has become disillusioned with. Disillusioned by the Spur Posse inspired game his jock friends are playing. Keeping score of who can sleep with the most girls. When jock Eric (Zachary Ty Brian from Home Improvement) scores with Carrie’s best and only friend Lisa (Mina Savari from American Beauty, America Pie, etc.) and immediately dumps her, Lisa is crushed and commits suicide.
And the drama is on. Two archetypes destined to collide, the woman scorned and the hyper masculinized high school football jocks.
THE RAGE: CARRIE 2, (l-r): Jason London, Zachery Ty Bryan, Dylan Bruno, Justin Urich, Eli Craig.
Little do the jocks know of Carrie’s secret powers. She on the other hand, does know the reason for her friend’s death. Info like that could put scholarships in jeopardy.
The acting by these jocks is superb. You hate them, but you kind of admire them for their free spirits and fun. They are not lacking in energy or strength. They attempt to harass Rachel Lang into silence, until fellow jock Eric (Jason London) comes to her rescue.
“Spurring” the remaining jocks to resort to more passive aggressive trickery to “plug up” Rachel’s mouth. This Carrie is not as easily fooled as the last Carrie. But these jocks are more cunning than the mean girls who fooled Carrie White. Providing a great topper to the original.
Sue Snell from the original Carrie is now a guidance counselor. The only person to make it out of the original gym fire alive.
She was the mean girl who had a change of heart. She discovers that Rachel Lang has the same powers as Carrie White. In one eerie scene, counselor Snell takes Rachel Lang to the site of the old high school gym. Nothing but a burnt out building that Rachel doesn’t know the back story to:
RAGE : CARRIE 2, Amy Irving, Emily Bergl, 1999
Rachel does not want to reveal her secret and resists help from counselor Snell. She would prefer to ignore those powers exist. She would prefer to be caught up in her authentic romance with jock Jeremy. How would acknowledging this strange power make her feel like any less different and weird?
Rachel’s desire to be normal is the Achilles heal the jocks play on. Provoking a final confrontation.
This is an excellent movie. Acting, story, writing, all around enjoyable film. Some gore, language and brief sexual scenes.
Overall A-.