Review of Christine (1987) by Jake C — 13 Oct 2017

I think it was a safe bet that combining the talents of John Carpenter and Stephen King was always going to deliver something memorable. Christine may not be Carpenter's best film, but it's aged incredibly well and remains one of the better King adaptations.

The film works because Carpenter understands the psychological aspects of the novel and uses them to draw the viewer in, despite the fact we all know how the story will unfold. He builds the suspense and tension slowly until the shit inevitably hits the fan.

All the performances are impressive, but it's Keith Gordon who carries the movie. His character's transformation from high school nerd to possessed madman is a believable one, whereas a lesser actor would've taken it over-the-top.

Carpenter fills the movie with plenty of atmosphere, some wonderful cinematography, and his electronic score sets the mood perfectly. Another wise choice was to give the film a sense of humour, as the idea of a 'killer car' is a tough one to take seriously.

Christine is more of a suspenseful character study than an all-out horror movie, but it remains a highlight in both Carpenter and King's careers.