Silent Thrill

Rating: 5/10 (23 April 2006)

Silent Hill was a disappointment. Now granted, I have never played the game and wonder if familiar players take more away from the film? The premise is a good one, the execution is simply terrible. The acting was atrocious, and I am a Resident Evil fan so this is saying a lot. The young child did a fine job but the mother was laughable, though she did not exactly have the best dialogue to work with. The cop was something out of a 80's B horror film.
The beginning of the film attempts to throw you directly into Silent Hill without any character development, especially on the part of the father, in a hasty attempt to get to the CGI. This is the first clue that there is not much depth to the movie.
The special effects are the only part of the movie where it excels. The combination of the town's sirens and the appearance and movement of the town's spirits, especially the armless cocoon ones, are impressive. The nurses are strangely comedic. I expected a dance beat and a Gothic disco ball during their movements.
I think that this film could have been a great horror movie. It was not. It rode the line between Horror B Comedy and straight modern horror. I am sure it did not intend on the audience laughing at any point in this film, a sure sign that the desired effect was missed.
Overall, first 30 minutes of the film are beyond horrible, but if you do not walk out at that point, the movie does improve. I gave it a 5 because I did not like it, nor hate it. I did not want my money back but I don't ever desire to see it again. There are no thrills in this film, just a bit of gore and plot.
I do have to say though that part of the desired effect did take hold on me, much to my dismay, as I very hurriedly made my way up my apartment stairs after the movie, looking behind me as I climbed.