Misery

Anyone who has ever seen Misery will tell you that the hobbling scene is by far the creepiest and more terrifying part of the film. As Paul Sheldon (James Cann) recovers from his injuries from the car accident, Annie Wilkes (Kathy Bates) becomes more aware that as soon as his injuries are fully healed, he will eventually leave her. In an effort to “keep” him, Annie ties Paul to a bed,  places a block of wood between his legs and uses a large sledge hammer to break both of his ankles.

It’s easy to say Paul Sheldon (James Caan) is your favorite character, but we aren’t watching Misery for him. We’re watching Misery for the psychological and physical torment that Annie Wilkes (Kathy Bates) enacts on Paul. And for this reason, Annie Wilkes is Scare Critic’s favorite character in Misery.

Since Misery is more of a slow burn and realistic horror film, there are very little scenes that offer a true scare beyond the tension, isolation and torture. But a good jump scare happens at the end of the film when Paul Sheldon (James Caan) appears to finally have beaten Annie Wilkes (Kathy Bates). And like all good horror movies, the killer/evil person is not quite dead. Annie rises from the apparent fatal injuries in a lurch and attempts to put an end to Paul in a dramatic finale.

A couple of scenes in the movie are there to just really move the plot forward. The scene with the sheriff and his wife in the car and the awkward sexual advance, and the unnecessary montage of Sheldon writing his book to show time progression are our least favorite parts. They don’t detract from the film, but they don’t add anything either.