Review of The Rage: Carrie 2 (1999) by Julian T — 15 Apr 2012

A pretty unnecessary and underwhelming quasi-sequel to one of the greatest horror films ever made. Manages to do a few things well, but the emotional gravity of the original as well as its memorable performances and characters go by the wayside. It just doesn't seem like this story is worthy of fitting into the same universe as its terrific predecessor.

At its simplest, the plot is similar to that of the original. Introverted high school girl discovers her telekinetic powers and avenges her years of torment on her conniving classmates. It is strange though, because the film manages to come across as both too similar plot-wise to the first, and too different. It is tied to the first film in a fairly obtrusive way which sort of makes you wish they would have just began a new story. There are no religious overtones, which were a major component of Stephan Kings story as well as minimal tying in of an abusive home environment. The character of Rachel comes across as far too emotionally tough. The character of Carrie works so well because of the dichotomy between her naive, sheltered innocence and her unbridled power and rage. This new character is far too adult and self-reliant, and just lacks an entire side to her emotions that made Carrie so compelling.

In addition to the main character not being up to snuff, the story in general takes a major downgrade. The womanizing football player angle is overly dramatic, forced and unimaginative. Their reasons for targeting Rachel are paper thin at best, and it all seems spontaneous and superficial. In the original, it was quite clear that Carrie White had suffered through years of abuse at the hands of her tormentors, making it far more emotional when she unleashes years of pent up anger upon them. In this, it never feels like Rachel is an abused outcast. More like she is a counterculture girl who just doesn't fit in with the in-crowd. When she looses it in the end, it just doesn't pack the same punch.

The acting is pretty standard throughout. A couple familiar faces like Amy Irving reprising her role of Sue Snell and Mena Suvari, but its mostly an unknown crew. As I said, pretty mediocre performances all around. No one shines, but no one really drops the ball. I would swear in a court of law that Jason London is actually Ethan Hawke.

The movie from a technical standpoint is also a downgrade. The creepy and brooding score of the original is replaced with gothy rock music which makes it feel more like a scene piece rather than a horror film. The cinematography is bland, and the lighting is too dark. Also, while minimal, the computer effects are pretty sub par.

In all seriousness, the studio should have known better than to try a sequel to such a classic. None the less a classic with such a definitive ending, and to try it 25 years after the fact. It was entertaining enough for me to pay attention and remain involved, but when compared to the original, there is no comparison.