Review of Gerald's Game (2017) by Benskylerhill — 24 Apr 2018

Claustrophobic thrillers such as this are very difficult to pull off; when nearly the entirety of the film's screen time is occupied by one actor trapped in one place, the pacing must be very quick. Otherwise, boredom takes over. I am happy to report that Gerald's Game accomplishes this and is a gripping psychological horror.

Carla Gugino is by far the highlight of this film. She delivers an Oscar-worthy performance as she truly emulates the onset of insanity that slowly comes with the regression of the mind into hopelessness and desperation. Some of the supporting cast is less than impressive, but the writing is quick and smart and effectively keeps the story flowing at a steady but exciting rate, with the exception of the second act that does admittedly feel too slow to hold one's attention.

The imagery is something that surprised me greatly in this film. Mike Flanagan does not shy away from imagery that may disturb some, and the fact that he delivers it slowly and sporadically is what makes this such a terrifying horror. Gerald's Game is very similar to another one of Flanagan's films, Oculus, in that it has next to no jump-scares. Rather, it utilizes deeper, fundamental fears of the human mind such as insanity that may not startle you, but will certainly stick with you after the credits roll. The only real gripes I had with the movie were its slow-moving middle portion, and the fact that the ending is very much tonally inconsistent with the rest of the story. But aside from that, Gerald's Game is a nail-biter, and it fulfills its duty as an outstanding psychological horror.

Story: 8.5.

Acting: 8.5.

Script: 8.

Visuals/Sound: 10.

Entertainment Value: 8.5.

MY RATING: 8.