If You Loved 'Carrie,' There's One Movie You Need to Watch Next
· Lifehacker
We may earn a commission from links on this page.
Stephen King’s Carrie is one of those endlessly rebootable stories. Way back in 1974, King zeroed in on a near-perfect horror setup that explored being othered, the emotional and mental health consequences of bullying, and just how crappy being a teen girl can be in the modern world. Those themes—and the iconic visuals King conjured with his words—are evergreen, and resonate with audiences each time the story gets rebooted. Mike Flanagan has proved himself a master of horror and a clear successor to King’s legacy in the genre, and if you thought his Carrie reboot on Prime Video was terrific (and you’ve watched all the similar series out there), you should really watch Jennifer’s Body.
Visit grenadier.co.za for more information.
Why Jennifer’s Body is the movie to watch if you loved Carrie
Carrie and Jennifer’s Body share a lot of themes—the corrosive pressure of high school, the casual cruelty of adolescents, the explosive power of feminine anger. While Jennifer Check (Megan Fox) is superficially presented as having more power and control than Carrie White (Summer H. Howell) because she’s more self-possessed (and played by Megan Fox), underneath the hair and makeup, Jennifer is just as naive and confused as Carrie. Both girls endure horrific experiences that set them on a path to horrific violence—and those experiences are symbolic of what women everywhere have to deal with all the damn time.
Just as in Carrie, Jennifer’s Body tracks a teen girl’s descent into monstrousness—but where Carrie leans into the tragic nature of those themes, Jennifer’s Body offers a funnier, more sarcastic take buoyed by Diablo Cody’s sharp dialogue and laugh-out-loud moments. The series highlights Carrie’s suffocating home life that offers her no relief from the grinding hell of being a 16-year-old girl who doesn’t quite fit the expected physical or behavioral norms imposed on teen girls, tracing a slow boil of rage. Jennifer’s Body depicts a character who ultimately chooses the dark path, leaning into her newfound destructive power, and has more fun with it, making it the perfect complement to the series.
Although the stories take different paths to get there, they both wind up at a cathartic and bloody climax centered on a school dance, where a lot of people die and chaos reigns. The film is the perfect way to examine, from a different angle, the themes that Carrie explores. Stream Jennifer’s Body on Hulu or rent it on Prime Video.
Jennifer’s Body (2009) $3.99 at Prime Video Learn More Learn More $3.99 at Prime VideoMore movies if you enjoyed Carrie
Looking for more stories about angry teen girls teaching society a terrifying lesson? Here are a few more films that make a perfect pairing with Carrie.
Carrie (1976)
It’s been 50 years since Brian De Palma adapted King’s novel for the first time, and it’s still worth watching today, especially if you enjoyed Flanagan’s modern take. What could have been a trashy horror movie designed to cash in on the book’s success is instead a well-crafted film that makes every character feel real and consequential, and Sissy Spacek’s performance as Carrie is screen-meltingly amazing. Few horror films have aged this well, and watching a different creator’s vision of the story will be well worth your time. Rent Carrie on Prime Video.
Carrie (1976) $3.99 at Prime Video Learn More Learn More $3.99 at Prime VideoThe Craft (1996)
If Carrie’s cathartic presentation of female rage and teen angst is what hooked you, the most relevant movie to jump to is The Craft. The story of four high school girls who harness dark powers to take revenge on, well, high school life itself is anchored by four feral performances from Robin Tunney, Fairuza Balk, Neve Campbell, and Rachel True. Like Jennifer’s Body, the teen protagonists enthusiastically embrace their power in a way that Carrie White doesn’t, but it transforms (and destroys them) just the same. Rent The Craft on Prime Video.
The Craft (1996) $3.99 at Prime Video Learn More Learn More $3.99 at Prime VideoThe Innocents (2021)
One reason Carrie is terrifying in all its forms? The very idea of a child with an imperfect grasp of ethics and an immature emotional state having thermonuclear-level psychic powers. After all, teenage girls without powers can be terrifying when triggered. The Innocents focuses on sisters Ida (Rakel Lenora Petersen Fløttum) and Anna (Alva Brynsmo Ramstad), who meet Ben (Sam Ashraf) and Aisha (Mina Yasmin Bremseth Asheim), who both demonstrate powers including telekinesis and mind control. Their interaction soon reveals that Anna also has mental powers, and the four begin working to enhance their capabilities—but when one of them begins using their powers to hurt others and seek revenge, things take a dark turn that fans of Carrie will appreciate. Stream The Innocents on Kanopy or rent it on Prime Video.
The Innocents (2021) $4.99 at Prime Video Learn More Learn More $4.99 at Prime VideoSissy (2022)
Anyone who was ever bullied in the teen years (so ... everyone) knows that those wounds never quite heal. That’s one aspect of Carrie’s power, and it’s also what makes Sissy an ideal movie to watch when you’ve finished the series. A mental health influencer, Cecilia (Aisha Dee)—once known as “Sissy”—runs into her old best friend, Emma (Hannah Barlow) and is unexpectedly invited to Emma’s bachelorette weekend—only to run into her childhood tormentor, Alex (Emily De Margheriti). The old trauma hits Cecilia like a bomb, shattering her fragile mental balance and leading to a surprisingly funny series of murders as Sissy works through her lingering anger issues. Stream Sissy on Hoopla or Tubi, or rent it on Prime Video.
Sissy (2022) $3.99 at Prime Video Learn More Learn More $3.99 at Prime VideoDoctor Sleep (2019)
If you’re a Mike Flanagan and Stephen King superfan, the obvious movie choice is their other collab, Doctor Sleep. A sequel to one of the most famous horror stories of all time (The Shining), the story finds a middle-aged Danny Torrance (Ewan McGregor) struggling to control his psychic powers, and leading the fight against an ancient group of entities that feed off of people like him. If you want more of that Flanagan/King magic, this is the right move. Rent Doctor Sleep on Prime Video.
Doctor Sleep (2019) $5.99 at Prime Video Learn More Learn More $5.99 at Prime Video