Misery Review

Written by: BlackTequilaKiss   

The ultimate movie to make me feel better about my day. :). Another Stephen King movie that does a good job from a great novel.
Add to that a psychotic Kathy Bates and this movie is great to watch.

BASED ON THE STEPHEN KING NOVEL: Novelist Paul Sheldon accidentally crashes his car on a snowy Colorado road. Starving and on the brink of death he is saved from the grips by a woman of the name Annie Wilkes, who claims she is his "number one fan" of his infamous story heroine, Misery Chastaine. What he doesn't know is that Annie is not a very stable woman and before he knows it he finds himself crippled, drugged and at her mercy.

This is unquestionably an intense experience and remains one of few movies that I turn away at a specific scene. The sound of bone cracking is bad enough thank you. However the director, Rob Reiner creates a tension that piles the thrills/ shocks on and makes a damn good movie. Very, very atmospheric.

And possibly the one of the rare Christmas-based movies that I can watch any time of year and it still terrifies.  The cast comprises of quite a few but truly it centres on two key actors who needed to carry the brunt of the movie:

Kathy Bates
as the disturbed Annie Wilkes. I am not surprised she won an Oscar for her performance as her acting ability in the movie was perfect. Chilling and broody she plays a psychotic woman very well. I also love the fact that her acting wasn't just to provide the shocks but there were moments when her humanity shone and the strength came from us actually sympathising with a woman who is messed up. That is fine acting.

James Caan
as Paul Sheldon. Playing the guy who ultimately finds himself at the mercy of Wilkes, he plays it damn well. Never losing the fear in his eyes, the desperation in his voice you just wholly believe the character and you are praying he will come out of everything alive. His acting was wonderful given the context he was meant to stay in. Top notch.

Music as usual in a thriller/ horror adaptation by Stephen King is actually in tone except for a few scenes but that's rare. When it comes to the cinematography I cannot fault it, I just can't. The scenes of the snow outside are just gorgeously shot with plenty of empathises on the shadow and light. Scenes inside Wilkes house have an aged feel to it and adds to the overall atmosphere. But what of the blood etc? Truthfully it is not that much except for a few scenes. And ironically the scene that makes me turn away does not involve blood but broken bones and I am sure you can gander that scene. That is truly horrifying to the point I still cannot watch that scene.

Final Verdict: I admit I am slightly biased when it comes to King as I love so many of his books and the film versions but this deserves praise because instead of relying on the usual fanfare it takes a different approach and uses isolation as the fear factor. Having suspense and horror without the usual horror clichés, this is a little gem that I never tire of.

For the love of... if you have not watched it do so! It is a movie that deserves attention and love for what it conveys. Combined with a talented director, great actors and a simple storyline it is a movie that still generates emotions many years on, that is the mantle of a great movie. This in simple form is: Just beautiful and brutal. 9/10