Review of The Rage: Carrie 2 (1999) by Erik G — 26 Jan 2012

Welcome to Bates High School. Lesson for today, stay on Rachel Lang's good side, because this outcast teen has a fiery temper that can't be controlled! After the suicide of her only friend, Rachel has never felt more on the outside. The one person who reaches out to her, Jessie, also happens to be part of the popular crowd that lives to harass outsiders like her. But Rachel isn't worried to use her telekinetic powers in retaliation and hides them from everyone except for her guidance counselor, Sue Snell, the only survivor of Carrie White's rampage who is hyper-alert to Rachel's powers and urges her to help before it's too late.

While I judge with the bloody plot as I'm viewing it, I think of 'The Rage: Carrie 2' as a great horror film and a great tale of revenge while not as bad as many people thought. As with its original predecessor, it's a beautiful mix of teen drama and horror (although more frightful, too) boosted by social teen pressures and, now, sexuality. I understand that the titular character's rage was fueled by a vicious prank by oversexed jocks, though part of it was also came from a mother messed up by not by religious hypocrisy but by an insane asylum. The movie was also as violent as the original 'Carrie', especially with the party scenes - and with its March 12, 1999 release date, it came just before the Columbine massacre. The acting talents here are good, especially with Amy Irving returning in her Sue Snell role back in the original film. If you've got a taste for terror, take Rachel to the house party.