"What have we done to each other? What will we do?"

Rating: 8/10 (30 September 2018)

Gone Girl is an epic case study on the darkest parts of human relationships and marriage. The concept alone left me fearful of everything I cannot control. Rosamund Pike is terrifying while Ben Affleck is cluelessly spectacular. Amy Dunne (Pike) plays out like an evil breed of Annie Wilkes (Misery) and Holly Golightly (Breakfast at Tiffany's). Nick Dunne is a blank and lacking in personality. Yet, for Affleck, the character works. Nick easily becomes the victim of his own stupidity and his wife's cruelty.
The only qualm I have with Gone Girl is the length. Director David Fincher previously adopted a five act structure for The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo and does the same in his newest flick. While the five act structure allows potent character development, the story has moments that drag. Still, I realize that if the story had been edited and shortened, it would have felt rushed and insincere.
The visuals are crisp and clean. The RED Dragon that bore the majority of filming does wonders in the common low light environments. In terms of color grading, nothing is overdone. The colors seem true to real life all while highlighting important reds, golds, and whites.
If you haven't seen Gone Girl, you are doing yourself a disservice. When you are ready to watch it, turn off your phone and get a babysitter for the kids. You don't want to miss a second of this wild ride.