Unique & wonderful video game

Rating: 10/10 (22 April 2006)

As being a huge fan of the series (Playing all 4 games, acquiring all the endings, secret weapons, and the ability to beat all the games in under 3 hours) - I know the entire series like the back of my hand. With that said, I came out of the movie simply saying one thing "Wow" First off, the movie had elements that played off real world events that occurred. In 1962 a trash fire accidentally ignited an exposed coal mine in the town of Centralia, Pennsylvania. Four decades later, the mines underneath the town are still on fire, even as we speak. The government has projected that they will continue to be for at least another 100 years or so. Many of the people in the town evacuated, but some stayed behind! Smoke and steam continue to pour out of the ground, which is visible from highway 61 Silent Hill screenwriter Roger Avary was told this story while he was growing up by his father who was a mine engineer! He apparently researched Centralia while writing the screenplay; Silent Hill, in the film adaptation, is a West Virginia coal town with the trademark fog/smoke/and ashes.
That alone, the eeriness, the emptiness...Silent Hill is completely vacant was the set up for the movie likeness.
So going into the theater knowing that, I was highly anticipating the movie, especially knowing what attention to detail the director & producer had put into it.
ACTION! The story opens and we quickly learn of a little girl named Sharron, 9 years old, who is plagued by sleep walking - which has taken a more dangerous toll, when she waders far from home. In desperation Sharron's mother (Rose) takes her daughter to the place Sharron calls out in her dreams to be, Silent Hill, and thats where it all begins.
From the moment they arrive in Silent Hill, I had chills all over. It was snowing, but it wasn't cold. I felt cut off, and submersed into this insanely creepy world. I was always wondering what was around the corner. Scenes seem to be taken almost directly from the video game, and if you know anything about the video game, you definitely know what that means. The director did a good job at that.
The experience is nothing that I have ever encountered while seeing the movie. I was nervous, scared, submersed into a very well written plot and the very vivid town of Silent Hill in Which the director and the producer worked so hard at making.
Knowing what I do know of the game, I was also pleased that there were only a few minor changes to the story, but other than that it followed 1 & 2 (with a little hint of 3) I was also equally surprised that no new songs had been written, but were taken from the original game sound tracks.
I don't think its fair that I, or anyone else, would judge how the movie goers would react to the movie. The theater was PACKED, not a single seat was open when the movie started. And I also was surprised at the end of the movie when everyone clapped and whistled. People who hadn't played the video game came out ranting how much they loved it. That made me happy to see I give this movie a overwhelming 10 out of 10 Any questions please feel free to email me Rinoaheartily@gmail.com