Director: Mike
Flanagan
Notable Cast: Carla
Gugino, Bruce Greenwood, Chiara Aurelia, Henry Thomas, Kate Siegel, Carel
Struycken
In the attempt of being honest, I went into Gerald’s Game
decently blind to the whole concept. I knew it was based on a Stephen King
story, but beyond that the story and concept were not all that relevant to me.
I knew that Netflix had given modern horror auteur director Mike Flanagan the
reigns to the film (perhaps the one reason that I was truly excited to see it),
but that was it. So when the film aptly came up and assaulted me with its sharp
messages in its character study structure and fluidly crafted a film that
blended dire realism with nightmarish blurred realities, it was a shock to the
system. Not only is Gerald’s Game one
best Netflix original films released by the increasingly fantastic original
content from the streaming giant, it’s one of the best films of the year…period.
It’s executed with the finesse of a craftsman at the height of his artistic
talent and put together with the intelligence and fearlessness to not let it’s
more ambitious portions stop it from going where it needs to. It’s a
psychological horror film of the highest degree and it further proves the power
of its creative foundations. Gerald’s
Game is not a game at all. It’s a statement.