Mike Flanagan has a knack for unsettling horror that toys with the audience's mind, creating a palpable sense of dread. His mastery in this genre is evident in projects like The Haunting of Hill House and Doctor Sleep. Among his standout works is Gerald’s Game, a film that explores psychological horror with a deceptively simple premise.
The story centres around Jessie (played by Carla Gugino) and her husband Gerald (Bruce Greenwood), a couple trying to reignite their passion during a secluded weekend in the countryside. Gerald suggests spicing things up with a little role play, handcuffing Jessie to the bed. However, what starts as a game takes a dark turn when Gerald suffers a fatal heart attack, leaving Jessie trapped and utterly helpless.
As she fights to escape her dire situation, Jessie is forced to confront her deepest fears. A key strength of the movie lies in its ability to provoke a deeply personal question: what would you do in such a dire situation? Jessie finds herself utterly powerless, handcuffed to a bed with her husband’s lifeless body beside her. But what intensifies the horror is not just her physical predicament—she must also battle the psychological demons that surface as she desperately seeks a way out of this harrowing ordeal.
Flanagan gradually unveils glimpses of Jessie's traumatic past, revealing the horrors she endured as a child. The film weaves in a powerful and unexpectedly moving narrative of sexual abuse, delivering a level of humanity tha.