You'll be scared, but not until after the movie.

Rating: 10/10 (21 April 2006)

Simply put, I was amazed by this movie. I have never played any of the Silent Hill games, and yet I had exceedingly high expectations for this movie. Every time I saw a bit of news on the movie, every time I saw a TV spot, I would get more and more excited about the movie. And so I saw it opening day. And I was blown away.
First and foremost, don't expect to be jumped. This movie is about suspense and tension, building up for the entire movie. There are a few payoffs to the never-ending suspense, in the form of shocking, unexpected gore. Pyramid Head (in this movie called Red Pyramid), famous from Silent Hill 2, gets to enjoyably rip the skin off a girl. The climax of the movie features people getting ripped apart, exploded, etc.
The previously-mentioned suspense is extremely well-done. My girlfriend, whom I saw it with, was aggravated because her leg hurt after the movie-- I didn't let go until the credits were up. I was dying to see what was going to happen next, and happen next, and next, until the movie was over. Which brings me to the only complaint I have about the movie. You know how I said "and next, until the movie was over"? Well, one of those nexts WAS the end of the movie. Once you finally realize the main characters (Rose, Sharon) are in a different timeline or something from their husband/dad (Christopher), be it about an hour into the movie and just right then, you need to know how the hell they're going to get back to him, and it ends you needing to know. If this movie doesn't do well enough to warrant a sequel, I will cry myself to sleep for many nights. Many.
The acting, the atmosphere. Amazing. After the movie, I was generally scared. I felt scared. Of anything, everything. I was so used to BOO! American scary movies that I wasn't expecting the kind of scared that this movie brings upon. Nothing really blows into you like OMIGOD AAAH, unless disturbing demon things walking around makes you scream--everything's built up to a kind of scared that you don't realize you have until you're out of the theater.
Look, alright, the movie is good. Go see it. Sorry about my total incoherence, I just list good things about the movie as it comes along. An amazing scary movie, just not the type you expect if you're used to movies like The Hills Have Eyes and House of Wax and Texas Chainsaw Massacre, etc. etc. etc.
10/10