Carrie Review - Stephen King Adaptation Delivers Again
- Details
- Category: Haute This Issue
- Published on Wednesday, 07 October 2026 11:29
- Written by Janet Walker
Carrie, from Prime Video, brings to the screen a contemporary adaption of the iconic Stephen King novel, as naïve and gifted Carrie heads to high school and meets the mean girls armed with cellphones and social media.
In this version of Carrie, episode one begins with Carrie’s father, Ralph White, played by Tahmoh Penikett, being killed in a construction accident. This brings the authorizes to his home, and in a closet, hidden from the world, the police discover Carrie, played by Summer Howell, and her mother, Margaret, played by Samantha Sloyan.
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We find soon after her father’s death, the family practiced an extreme version of Christianity. His death also brings in child welfare services, and social workers, and the court system, and soon, Carrie, who was homeschooled, is mandated to attend high school, and her mother, Margaret, is mandated to find a job.
As school begins, Carrie meets Sue, played by Siena Agudong, and Chris, played by Alison Thorton. High School in 2026, for someone who has been homeschooled and part of a devout sect, would be as much of a culture shock as it was for Carrie. On day one, a school shooter drill is held, and the performance so authentic that Carrie is terrified, and we see the beginnings of her gifts manifest.
When Carrie explains to her mother, Margaret confront the Principle Grayle, played by Matthew Lillard, who attempts to explain these drills are state approved and held only once. Margaret begins to realize she has power, as other parents are as disgruntled as she is over school policy.
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The series hold true to the books most pivotal moments, and takes the scene where Carrie starts her period, and has not been prepared by her mother, and the sight of blood streaming from her, soiling her white pants, causes her to have a meltdown. Chris, takes her to the shower, which turns into a girl gang humiliation ritual, as the girls are throwing tampons and pads at her, and chanting in typical Salam witch trial fashion, "plug it up."
During this time, Chris is having a personal crisis. Her parents are divorcing, and her dad is having financial problems, and she discovers that the current financial upheaval has sidelined her college plans, and unless she can secure financial aid, she will be regulated to a local university or community college. For her, as the leader of the coolest girls, these issues are seriously destroying her brand. The final straw is when she calls her friend, Sue, who explains that she is hanging out with Carrie and cannot visit. Chris takes to social media and builds the Instagram site "CarrieRed" and posts the shower video. It is a malicious, evil, strike as she has misplaced her rage against her parents and blamed the downfall of her life on Carrie.
The gym teacher, Miss Desjardin, played by Amber Midthunder, had offered Carrie reproductive and menstrual pamphlets and when Carrie’s mother finds them, she is livid and returns to the school demanding answers.
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Throughout this time, Carrie has one friend, Emaline, played by Thalia Dudek, someone who seems to be as much of an outsider as Carrie. As Carrie continues to be included in the mean girl friend group, she has no idea the darkness they are hiding and are waiting for the moment to show their true malevolent selves.
Soon the "CarrieRed" website is exploding as students begin using the site to torture, torment, malign, slander, ridicule, and humiliate, and throughout Chris is gloating every day as she is making everyone else feel the same pain she is feeling.
Margaret finds out that Chris is behind the website, and in another conference with Principle Grayle, she walks through the halls whispering to all the students Chris is behind "CarrieRed." Throughout we can see that Margaret keenly understood what would follow if this situation was not handled. Over her protests and best efforts, Principle Grayle decides to this graduating class can hold the prom anyway.
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This of course leads to the most memorable moments of the Stephen King novel, and this scene also stays true to the original, and it is beyond vicious, and the violence resulting, well, it is challenging not say it was deserved.
This spellbinding adaptation of Carrie delivers a new captivating interpretation, with a new exciting cast and modernized weapons and proves the iconic original can undergo a transformation, and the story still stands the test of time.
The performances are exceptional, and each character triumphs in their delivery. The audience can relate, understand, and feel the emotions as the acting translates well.
Riveting and gripping, all eight episodes are available for streaming on Prime. Binge it.
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Country: U.S.
Language: English.
Runtime: 8 episodes, 140 minutes.
Director: Mike Flanagan, Axelle Carolyn, Hiromi Kamata, Kyra Sedgwick, Kate Siegel.
Producer: Rebecca Padden, Dani Parker, Justin Wagman.
Executive Producer: Mike Flanagan, Stephen King, Trevor Macy.
Writer: Justina Ireland, Stephen King, Alexandra Magistro, Mike Flanagan, Jamie Flamagan, Elan Gale, Rebecca Klingel, Elizabeth Padden, Dani Parker. Based on the novel "Carrie" by Stephen King.
Cast: Summer H. Howell, Samantha Sloyan, Siena Agudong, Alison Thorton, Joel Oulette, Josie Totah, Arthur Conti, Thalia Dudek, Amber Midthunder, Matthew Lillard, Rowan Danielle, Tim Bagley, Michael Trucco, Tahmoh Penikett, Rahul Kohli, Mapuana Makia, Nakia Toussaint, Ashley Cartwright, Heather graham, Ketzali Bojorquez, Crystal Balint, Katee Sackoff, Delainey Hayles, Cassandra Naud, ruth Codd, Danielle Klaudt, Gil Bellows, Helen Tan, Marleen Manseau, Jason Tremblay, Elan Gale, Mia Shanks, Camille Atebe, Juliet Rose Foley.
Janet Walker is the publisher, founder, and sole owner of Haute-Lifestyle.com. A graduate of New York University, she has been covering international news through the Beltway Insider, a weekly review of the nation’s top stories, for more than a decade. A general beat writer/reporter and entertainment/film critic, she is also an accomplished news/investigative news/crime reporter and submitted for Pulitzer Prize consideration "Cops Conspire to Deep Six Sex Assaults" in the Breaking News Category and was persuaded to withdraw the submission. Under the banner of her production company, HL Productions, LLC, Ms. Walker has completed five screenplays "The Six Sides of Truth," "The Assassins of Fifth Avenue," "The Wednesday Killer," "The Manhattan Project," and the sci-fi thriller "Project 13: The Last Day." She has also published "Unholy Alliances: A True Crime Story," and "Days, Times, Seasons, and Events: A Collection of Poetry & Prose," which can be purchased here. She is a member of the Los Angeles Press Club, the National Writers Union, and a member of the International Federation of Journalists.
