For my Sunday evening viewing I decided to
check out the new Netflix original movie GERALD'S GAME, an adaptation of the
1992 Stephen King novel. Directed by Mike Flanagan, the film has a deceptively
simple premise: a woman and her somewhat older husband (played by Carla Gugino
and Bruce Greenwood respectively) take off for a retreat at their isolated
holiday home, where they hope to work on their relationship and spice up their
sex life a little. Unfortunately, not long after arriving, the husband handcuffs
his wife to the bed, pops a Viagra, and attempts to act out his secret rape
fantasy, only to keel over from a heart attack and die. Left alone, tied to the
bed and with no phone or handcuff key within reach, and no hope of anyone stopping
by for days, the wife’s mind starts to defragment in a wave of hallucinations
and haunting flashbacks, while also having to deal with a hungry wild dog who
makes periodical visits to chew on the remains of her husband (while the wife
has to watch on, knowing she will be next unless she finds a way out of her
predicament).
Good performances and a nice atmosphere of
claustrophobia and mounting dread, along with a few moments that really made me
squirm and cringe, make this a pretty decent adaptation that should please King
devotees.
