Silent Hill Review

Written by: DerbyDemon   

Creepy--VERY creepy.  That is how I would describe "Silent Hill", which opened to wide release on April 21, 2006. 

I went to see this movie with several reservations:  (a) it had not been screened for reviews; (b) it was based on yet another video game; and (c) I just didn't see how anyone could top "Slither".  I was very pleasantly surprised.  The movie begins with child Sharon DaSilva (played by Jodelle Freland) sleepwalking, her mother, Rose, (played by Radha Mitchell), and her father chasing her.  Upon waking after her mother rescues her from a certain death, she utters the words "Silent Hill".  Against her husband's wishes, Rose DaSilva decides that she needs to take her daughter to the town of Silent Hill for her to front her fears.  Once there, a truly despicable history is discovered--a history that has been covered up for many years, and a history that affects little Sharon.

That's all the plot I am going to discuss.  I had heard many descriptions that this was the worst movie ever made.  Hmmmm; that it is interesting.  I guess people have managed to forget House of the Dead 2.  I found the movie frightening at times, a little silly at others, a little hard to follow, and very LONG.  In fact, the run time on this movie is 127 minutes.  I suppose the fact that I haven't played the game may have helped me in my final decision about this movie, although I am the first to say that try to compare any of these movies would be like trying to compare movies which had been made based on books.  We all know that the books are always better.  There are some things that just will not transition from a video game to the "silver screen".  What was most confusing to me were the alleged creatures:   What were they?  Where did they come from?   However, it is not the creatures that are the real monsters in this story.  That sole identification rests in the hands of the people of Silent Hill who judged an innocent and whose minds were controlled by a true monster.

Silent Hill is rated R for some gore; however, much of the gore doesn't come until towards the end of the movie, and some language.  It was directed by Christopher Gans from a screenplay by Roger Avery, (story by Nicolas Boukhrief).  Again, I liked this movie and was very pleasantly surprised.  And, in passing, I would like to point out that ALL reviews are ONE PERSON'S OPINION.  I don't spout the gospel; I don't see myself as all-knowing when it comes to these reviews.  If you disagree with me, then that's your right.  Let us all try to appreciate the varying opinions portrayed in our reviews or we have become no better than the religious zealots portrayed in this movie.