Review of Misery (1990) by Samuel R — 05 Sep 2014

Delicious. I love a good tense thriller. And appreciate that this had a sense of humor about it. I'd never watched this all the way through before, but I knew, essentially, what happens. Which made the experience all the more tense.

Knowing the infamous ankle scene was coming made me anxious any time Annie entered the room not knowing if I was going to see that sledge-hammer come out yet. You were never sure when the "Dragon Lady" would appear or what she would do.

You weren't really sure how much she knew about Paul's schemes. I loved the camera work. Especially the voyeuristic shots that give you an unsettling feeling of anticipation and impending doom from putting you in her perspective before you know for sure that it is her perspective.

I love the parallel scenes of Paul panicking not to get caught by Annie and then Annie panicking not to get caught by the Sheriff. It was a little campy and a little dated but not enough to bother me.

I appreciate its Hitchcockian-ness. Classic.