Misery

Excellent psychothriller, probably the 4th best in the countless array of film adaptations of Stephen King's literary works (after The Shawshank Redemption, The Green Mile, and The Shining). A relatively underrated film in our conditions, which simply slipped through theaters. Yet, such carefully constructed atmosphere is rarely seen. A career-defining role for Kathy Bates. The sentence, "I'm your biggest fan," has stuck in my memory for a long time... Overall impression: 90%. (05/07/2007)

I really like the book by King and even though the movie doesn’t stick completely to it, it works much better than I expected. The stifling atmosphere and Annie’s high-strung “fits" sent shivers down the spine. This is mainly thanks to the great James Caan and Kathy Bates (unforgettable oink, oink, oink), who was awarded an Oscar for her role. An excellent thriller that is undoubtedly one of the best adaptations of King’s works. (07/06/2007)

After a fresh experience from Studio DVA, where Zlata Adamovská is irresistible in Misery, I had to check out the film. Kathy Bates, of course, is awesome. I've been hooked on her acting in American Horror Story for years, and Misery was her ticket into that world. Now I just have to compare the fact that in King's dramatization for the theater, there is more room for the absurd world of romantic fiction, while the film is more restrained in this respect. The theater also works better with the time of revelation. However, it's a wonderful topic anyway and I'm looking forward to the book all the more. (03/18/2019)

A great book turned into an excellent script. I enjoyed the film all the way through. Both the atmosphere and tension escalate really well. It is basically a two-hander between Kathy Bates and James Caan, who were both chosen perfectly. I consider the scene with the hammer and the cracked ankles to be one of the scariest things ever. I usually have a lot of reservations about a film if I have read the book before watching it, but not in this case. I couldn’t be happier. (08/06/2016)

First of all, Rob Reiner’s direction is brilliant. He skillfully leads the actors and brilliantly depicts a depressive and suggestive atmosphere of fear, uncertainty, and apprehension. Moreover, almost all the film takes place in one room, or rather in one house, and it doesn't even detract from its impact. The pace and tension masterfully escalate until the devilish finale. (05/23/2005)