Movie Review: Christine (1983)

★★★★★

Emotionally driven horror classic with surprising depth under the hood. One of Carpenter’s most underrated gems.

Emily N.

North Dakota

Every time someone asks me to recommend a Stephen King adaptation, I see the same few titles tossed around The Shining, Misery, It, maybe Carrie if they’re thinking classics. But one film I always bring up that doesn’t get the love it deserves? John Carpenter’s Christine.

Yes, Christine is about a killer car. Yes, that sounds a bit silly on paper. But trust me this movie is doing way more under the hood than most people give it credit for. At BoxReview.com, we’re not just looking for surface scares we’re all about finding those deeper gears grinding beneath the frame. And Christine has quite a bit going on under its glossy red paint.

More Than Just a Haunted Car Movie

Let’s get this out of the way first: Christine is not just a “possessed car goes on a rampage” movie. Sure, that’s the hook. But this is really a coming-of-age horror story disguised as a supernatural thriller. At its core, Christine is about loneliness, teenage identity, and the allure of power wrapped in chrome, set to 1950s rock, and dripping with John Carpenter’s signature tension.

The story follows Arnie Cunningham (Keith Gordon), a painfully shy, awkward high school student who’s constantly bullied and overlooked. When he buys Christine a rusted-out 1958 Plymouth Fury something shifts. Slowly, Arnie begins to change. He becomes confident. Cooler. Meaner. And as Arnie becomes more obsessed with Christine, the car begins “fixing” itself… and anyone who threatens Arnie ends up mysteriously dead.

The Transformation of Arnie – A Performance That Deserves More Praise

Most reviews tend to focus on Christine as a character (which she is, in a way), but Keith Gordon’s performance as Arnie is honestly one of the most underrated parts of this movie. Watching him evolve from awkward nerd to full-blown, leather-jacket-wearing menace is chilling not just because of the supernatural influence, but because it feels so believable.

What makes Arnie’s descent compelling isn’t just the external changes it’s the way the film gradually erases his moral center. He doesn’t snap overnight. He doesn’t become a villain outright. Instead, Christine amplifies the anger, resentment, and loneliness that was already inside him. That’s what makes it scary it taps into something real.

The Love Story No One Talks About

Here’s something a lot of reviewers miss: Christine is, at its heart, a twisted love story. But it’s not about Arnie and Leigh (his would-be girlfriend). It’s about Arnie and Christine.

There’s an intimacy between them that borders on romantic, and it’s played completely straight. The way Arnie talks to Christine. The way she responds. The jealousy she exhibits toward Leigh. It’s a strange, obsessive love triangle boy, girl, and car and it works far better than it should.

This emotional angle adds a layer of sadness to the horror. Arnie doesn’t just lose his soul he gives it away willingly, seduced by the one thing that made him feel seen.

John Carpenter’s Direction – Slick and Subtle

John Carpenter doesn’t get nearly enough credit for his work on Christine. Coming off The Thing, this film is a bit more restrained but that’s what makes it so effective. Carpenter knows how to build tension with silence, shadow, and music (which he also co-composed). The way Christine stalks her victims is almost slasher-like, and yet she never speaks, never flashes fangs or makes a sound beyond her revving engine.

One sequence that always sticks with me is when Christine rebuilds herself after being destroyed by bullies. There’s no CGI, no flashy effects just masterful practical work and Carpenter’s eerie direction. Watching the car slowly restore itself is one of the most visually iconic moments in the film, and it perfectly captures the movie’s strange blend of horror and awe.

The Underrated Use of Sound and Music

It wouldn’t be a Carpenter film without a killer score, but in Christine, the sound design goes beyond that. The use of classic '50s rock songs like “Bad to the Bone” and “Keep A-Knockin’” gives the film a unique tone. The music isn’t just nostalgic; it’s tied to Christine’s personality. When she plays those tracks, it’s not background noise it’s communication.

Also, the roar of Christine’s engine? Genuinely terrifying. Carpenter gives the car presence, weight, and menace without ever resorting to cheap tricks. It’s all in the atmosphere.

Subtext You Might Have Missed

Here’s something most horror blogs don’t touch: Christine is also a story about toxic masculinity and teenage insecurity. Arnie’s transformation isn’t just physical it’s ideological. He becomes possessive, aggressive, and controlling. The more he leans into that mindset, the stronger his bond with Christine becomes.

The car doesn’t change him it reveals him. That’s what makes the film linger after the credits roll. It’s not just about a killer car it’s about the dangerous appeal of power and what we’re willing to trade for it.

Why It Still Holds Up

In an era of over-the-top horror reboots and CGI-fueled gore, Christine remains refreshingly simple. It’s not about jump scares it’s about atmosphere, character, and slow-burning dread. Watching it today, the practical effects still hold up beautifully, the pacing is surprisingly tight, and the themes hit harder than you’d expect from a movie about a car with a vendetta.

And hey if you're a car lover, this film is candy for the eyes. Christine herself, the 1958 Plymouth Fury, is as much a style icon as she is a horror villain.

Final Thoughts

Christine is one of those movies that seems silly when you describe it, but strangely powerful when you watch it. It’s creepy, yes but it’s also melancholic, stylish, and surprisingly human. It’s a film about obsession, identity, and the emotional wreckage left behind when we let the wrong things define us.

Here at Box Review, we love digging into genre films that offer more than what’s on the surface. And Christine isn’t just a haunted car movie it’s a uniquely emotional horror story with horsepower and heart.