Gerald's Game

Masterpiece. The last ten minutes were brilliantly executed. This director's work is definitely on par with Frank Darabont's movies. Every sequences of the novel is present in the movie. Acting is delivered at its finest. Netflix need more Stephen King adaptations like this one. A must watch for everyone.

-Dude from Blossomsoft

Gerald's Game intrigued me with its premise, but it fell somewhat short of my expectations. While it had its moments, the overall execution, mainly towards the end, left me with mixed feelings.

The film starts with a promising setup, immersing us in a tense and unsettling situation. It explores themes of survival and psychological struggle in a confined space, which initially captured my interest. The lead actress delivered a strong performance, effectively conveying the emotional turmoil of her character. I enjoyed the "hallucination" concept which felt unique.

However, I found myself wanting more depth and exploration of the psychological aspects. While there were certainly intense moments, the narrative seemed to lose some of its momentum towards the end. The pacing faltered in that time period. The "Moonlight Man" could've been utilised more effectively.

On the positive side, the film did a commendable job of translating the source material onto the screen, capturing the suspense effectively. The cinematography and sound design contributed to the unsettling atmosphere, heightening the tension in certain sequences.

While Gerald's Game held my attention and offered some thought-provoking moments, it ultimately didn't fully satisfy my expectations. I appreciate its attempt, but I felt there was room for further refinement.

In conclusion, would I watch it a second time? Yes. Would I recommend you to watch it for the first time? Yes.

The second I saw the trailer for this movie it grabbed my attention purely because I wondered how the hell a 1 hour 43 minute movie could built upon the premise of a woman being handcuffed to a bed. But Gerald's Game proved me wrong.

There are so many hidden aspects of this movie that you just don't expect. Carla Gugino's performance as the main character, Jessie, is fantastic and she manages to carry the movie practically all by herself. Jessie's character is slowly dissected throughout and it's living through her struggles - past and present - that keeps you hooked and wanting to watch more.

The relationship between Jessie and her husband Gerald is authentic and believable. Even the character of Gerald (played by Bruce Greenwood), who was in the movie for a very short period of time, brought an element of fear and tension to the movie, when his sexual preferences suggest there may be a more sinister side to him.

Admittedly, it is slow in parts and there are areas where it starts to drag, but ultimately it's an engaging movie throughout. By delving into Jessie's psyche it has you doubt her mental state and what is real and what isn't, but also allows viewers to form a connection with her and sympathise with her as a character.

The ending has a twist that I didn't see coming, which I'm still unsure about. Was it genius or was it silly? I'll let you be the judge of that. Personally, I found it interesting although it didn't necessarily fit right with the rest of the movie.

The only reason this gets 7 stars is because of the slow pacing in places, lack of build-up and slightly unsatisfying ending.

Gerald's Game was surprisingly more introspective and less gruesome than I imagined (except one particularly cringe-worthy scene). From a viewer who didn't read the Stephen King novel the film was based upon, I went into the Netflix original prepared to be disturbed. The film doesn't waste time getting you to the meat of the story. From the start Carla Gugino gives an emotionally powerful performance as Jessie – a mentally abused victim struggling to repair a failing marriage - that sets the tone for the rest of the film. The reluctance she shows toward her husband Gerald (Bruce Greenwood) forces you to never sit comfortably as the plot begins to be painted.

One of the great strengths of this movie was answering the questions you were going to ask before you asked them. Understanding from the beginning that Jessie was to end up handcuffed to a bed throughout the entirety of the film already had me questioning her inability to escape. As soon as you see her situation play out and begin to think of her options, the writers provided answers as to why that isn't possible in a unique and believable fashion. With the multitude of challenges she has to overcome she is forced to relive her disturbing past, which in-turn must help her overcome her shackled state if she is to even have a chance of surviving.

The use of symbolism in this film is constant, but so much so that at times it seems to spell it out for you, or literally tell you. I felt the comparisons between her current situation and her past was a bit too blunt. I would've called for a little less hand-holding and a bit more mystery surrounding the connections that were made between the men in her life. Yet one of the most obvious symbols - the blood- red eclipse – was one that surprised me the most as its representation transforms into a powerful message of strength.

The anchor for this film was Carla Gugino and her amazingly powerful performance with a great showing from co-star Bruce Greenwood. The dialogue and thought process that unfolded from the two kept me emotionally entwined in the story and eager to find out what would happen next. Along with fantastic performers, Gerald's Game was made better with the subtlety of the soundtrack and cinematography. I was more impressed at the times where there was no music playing at all, which seemed often and was appropriate. It built suspense and kept focus on the current scene when all the viewers were left with was the disturbing sounds of her struggle. The eclipse as mentioned was a favorite of mine. The deep red ring emphasized the horror of events unfolding, yet transformed with the character and began something greater.

Even after the movie was finished I found myself thinking over the message that was left for the viewers to contemplate. It was one that I didn't expect and was glad to see at the same time. Gerald's Game was a fantastic physiological thriller that never had me shaking my head in un-believability. I enjoyed the restraint of music in key moments, and was enthralled by the situation presented. This makes two Stephen King adaptations that have nailed the difficult process of transforming a story from a book to film. JordanRoss gives Gerald's Game:

8.1/10

Worth the watch. But not for the Marvel/Star Wars crowd. As you can probably tell from the reviews, there were not enough explosions or CGI to keep most people entertained.