Great film, I wish there were more horror movies like this (and games for that matter.)

Rating: 9/10 (23 April 2006)

I went into the movie as a pretty big fan of the games. I never actually beat the first one (which the movie is mostly based off of, but changed in some areas) but I have actually played all 4 and beat 2 and 3.I read a plot summary of the fist game before I went so I could understand it a bit more, and I'm glad I did. The stories in the Silent Hill games where always a bit confusing to me and it took me playing through multiple times and researching on the internet to figure out some things. The movie actually explains what's going on better than any of the games did, but I'm sure many people who have not played them will still be pretty confused. I did understand the plot pretty well, but just because I read the summary of the game a few hours before I went to see it.
The town was recreated perfectly, as were the monsters. I wasn't that scared of it (I hardly ever am when I'm watching horror films) but there were a few times when I was a bit on edge. I think the game was a lot more terrifying because you were controlling the character, and not just watching him/her. I think that most people will find it genuinely terrifying though, it's a really refreshing take on the genre, relying a lot on atmosphere and not so much on the jump out of your seat type scares. Visually the movie is quite impressive.
My favorite aspect of the games is the music and sound. The music/sound is designed by Akira Yamaoaka, who also had a pretty big role in the making of the film, so he was sure to integrate it perfectly into the movie. Music from all the games was taken and even remade to make it sound even better. I noticed added instruments and better EQing. This is one of the strongest points of the whole series in my opinion.
The director's aim was probably to cater more to the fans while keeping people who haven't played it still in mind. If you are a fan you need to go see it, I guarantee you there will be places that you will smile and think "I remember that." This doesn't mean it's not a good movie to anyone who hasn't played the games though; I just believe the fans will appreciate it even more. There are a few things to nitpick that I didn't think were perfect, but there always are.
Great film, I'd recommend it.