In what's taken from the game, this movie can't be wrong...

Rating: 8/10 (27 September 2006)

In all my life, this is the only movie I've seen the day of its release, and one of the very few I've been that eagerly envisaging to see. Sure, this was mainly attributed to my infatuation for Konami's 4 excellent games, being the most freaking and disturbing legacy in video games's history. I think no movie ever came close to their level of terror.
As soon as I knew about it, I went to the official website, which by the way is a piece of art, watched the trailer and the screenshots, and got really impressed by the faithful design and atmosphere. I've been pleased to see a cast without any damn huge Hollywood stars, still, the delicious Deborah Kara Unger and the overlooked Sean Bean were there to sustain least known characters. Then came D-day.
Let's say it, although my rating is of 8 stars, I was disappointed. The fact is that I had just discovered that the movie wasn't a direct adaptation of the video game quadrilogy. Some details had been changed unnecessarily, in fact it's mainly inspired from the first game, with some totally dislocated secondary elements from SH2 and SH3. As the film begins clearly like the original game, the male character, Harry Mason, changed of sex to become Rose. Movie makers explained this by telling that his personality was more the one of a female. So what? A man has some female characteristics, while a woman also has male characteristics, and it's part of a normal personality... why change that? Anyway, originally, Mason was traveling with his little Cheryl, which then, became Sharon. Why? Who knows, especially when it's that close phonetically! The translation to the big screen is full of annoying differences, while some details didn't changed, like Brahms, the close town from where Cybil comes. Keep in mind that if I was to describe every differences, this would no longer be a review! But for those who know the original games, especially the first, the need to remake the story becomes quite obvious. The original complexity, and sometimes the ambiguity, of events and relations would be unbearable for the usual occidental customer, who prefer to sit on his brain and get lazily entertained. Amazingly, it seems that lots of peoples didn't understood the plot, even with the useless, disappointing and cliché B&W flashback explanation sequence near the end, gently told by the evil Alessa!
Still, the main strength of Silent Hill is its unequaled atmosphere, its settings, and it's out-of-nowhere psychologically disturbing, twisted dark creatures, and totally unforeseen horrifying elements, like the dead end cutted-off roads, the school's second hellish dimension with bloody-rusted wire-netting walls, and on, and on. Although some obvious changes have been made, this, let's say it; most important part of the games, has been incredibly well rendered! To my opinion, just that worth for half the job. There is so much detail, so much work behind all of this weird world, it's mad to even just think about reproducing it! And most of it has been made from scratch! Only very few scenes takes place in real-life locations, all located close to Toronto, Canada. Even the early scenes after the disappearing of Sharon, on the foggy road, where Cybil and Rose meet again, have been done in a huge studio, with real asphalt and a fake mountain! In this department, I have too much to say. I love the creatures, especially the superb and faithful appearance of red pyramid. Wonderful make-up, not only for him, I mean everyone; the gray child, the 20 latex nurses, etc.
By the way, although my girlfriend especially loved them, I really think that the nurses aren't as cool as in the game. This, only because their faces are somehow not only missing, but twisted and grayish, like to remember severe fire burns, from the big fire... And this story of fire is also another divergent point, like if this was specially placed to explain the town's desertion and misty atmosphere, but also to give sense to some designs, like those of the nurses faces, but also for the graychilds twisted heads and incandescent kind of wounds, which are by the way very impressive, great digital work! The transition between the two dimensions, mainly involving computer imagery, is also really, really astonishing and beautifully wicked! I have to stop there for this point, as I said earlier; too much to say!
Personally, I would have preferred least plain dialog, and more mystery and ambiguity. This sure is the main weakness; the remake with a different and simpler script; more explanations than we needs and too much peoples, mainly because of the religious fanatics still in the town. Remember the loneliness of the games, which build a good part of your terror? Furthermore, it really gets annoying to hear "WITCH!" "THE DEMON!" or "BURN HER!" this break the original mood to something else, and that's too bad.
Anyway, the cast is excellent, I was insulted to see the name of Jodelle Ferland (Sharon/Alessa) mentioned so far in the credits: She's the actress to remember, so young and so professional, she's a pleasure to watch and hear! Otherwise, every one of the main characters, Rose, Christopher, Cybil, Dahlia, Christabella, Anna, are very good, honestly, but they are adults with experience and knowledge in addition to their talent, in opposite to the young Jodelle. I hope to see her again! Kim Coates in the role of Gucci is flat and ordinary. Otherwise, it was nice to see Deborah K. Unger in such a different role, and in two radically different states.
Well, I hope it helps! Silent Hill succeeds by it's unrivaled effects and atmosphere, which should be considered as the center point of the film. Put aside some unnecessary and tedious scenario bits, and focus on the quality and sickness of this trip between reality and hell.
But for God's sake, try the games!