Christine

John Carpenter transforms a ho-hum Stephen King novel into a powerful critique of a society steeped in hedonism.

In the book, the nerdy, unpopular high school student represented the classic browbeaten teenager seeking revenge (a frequently recurrent theme in the Maine-based horror heavyweight’s books). Here in the film, the character serves as a clear manifesto of the director’s personal mindset. Carpenter seems to be trying to warn us that an obsession for possessions and looking good at any cost is the root cause of true monsters. What follows is a process of dehumanization that embroils the character of Arnie – well acted by Keith Gordon – turning him into the focal point around which a series of bitter reflections are drawn.

Another of the film’s strong points lies in the evocative atmosphere permeating the entire tale, especially some pitch-perfect nighttime scenes that take masterful advantage of the small-town America often at the heart of Carpenter’s storytelling – a classic example of which is the town of Haddonfield featured in “Halloween” (1978).

Definitely no masterpiece, but it’s certain than in other hands, this story of an evil, possessed car would have risked becoming imminently forgettable (not unlike “The Car” from 1977), or worse, an overblown piece of unmitigated trash.