Best Video game Movie Thus Far

Rating: 8/10 (21 April 2006)

Finally, the whole video game-to-movie conversion has succeeded! The movie nearly imitated the feeling of accomplishment of finishing - or rather, "surviving" the abominations featured in the game. Uwe Boll and the rest of Hollywood: take notes & notice, video game movies can be done right after all! KONAMI first introduced the series to video gamers on Sony PlayStation back in the late 90s. "Silent Hill" pulled its fans in using skin crawling suspense, twisted small town lore & monster macabre, as well as the ever chilling paranoia of being put into situations beyond normal control or interpretation of the human mind... reminiscent of movies like "Jacob's Ladder" and "the Exorcism of Emily Rose".
So how did SH film director Christopher Gans succeed where most other video game movies failed? For most of the movie, he didn't neglect most of the factors that made the game such a classic. Treacherously poised camera angles, malevolence on both human and creature mentality, and a revealed history of twisted faith & cognizance. All which were put into this film and artistically interpreted by Gans to just enough of a degree that it didn't completely tear away from the gaming series.
However, this film isn't without faults. With the artistic liberties taken, there were nit-picky details such as the town's drug problem and certain character changes that were different from the game. The acting, in terms of some of the lines delivered, were either oddly delivered or lacking a slight degree of compassion... which wasn't too different from the game in that aspect; but luckily the script didn't draw too much on vocals as it did visuals. Indeed, it's trivial to mention a shred of flawed acting in a HORROR film since most films of the genre are pretty corny in acting style; but Casting Director Deirdre Bowen did a great job amassing this crew. The addition of Sean Bean as Christopher DeSilva easily gave viewers a different view on the situation as well as a possibility of a sequel through his character as a protagonist.
There's obviously going to be a huge debate on what was computer generated(other than the Fog), which probably won't be truly confirmed until DVD commentary or similar answers from the cast & crew. Not that the CG was bad in the least, but Gans' approach to use backward filmed action of contortionists did give it that unworldly creature feel. Speaking of vile creatures from SH; Gans' didn't skip out on putting in one of its most famous villains. Pyramid Head, a tall and vicious brute bearing a gigantically gruesome blade that'd make both Freddy & Jason jealous, was icing on the cake. It easily getting the crowd riled up terrified delight and best yet - he didn't engage in boxing the heroine like another certain survival horror movie...
Overall, the movie definitely earns a visit to the theater to catch it. It's not in-your-face scary "gore-gasm" in majority but it does get the skin crawling in wondering just what horrors lie in this unorthodox small town. Be wary of the sirens & radio static weary travelers!