We've all lost our children...

Rating: 10/10 (21 April 2006)

I gave this movie a 10. Why? Because it adheres to artistic value and atmospheric disturbance instead of action and music video violence.
While some of you complain that it's changed from the game. That's for the best. After viewing the film, I can't imagine a male character running around and doing all these things that Rose has to do. Secondly, this is a film release, and in case you didn't notice, your PS1 is at home.
The film follows Rose on a hopeless mission to locate her missing daughter. Most of you know this, so I'll move on.
In the first segments of the film, you are quickly thrust into the nightmares of the town. The film quickly establishes the town as a world falling into darkness and Rose meets that darkness head on, almost the moment she gets there. The debut of the Gray Children are utterly horrifying. A high point in this film is the music, which was ripped directly from the game. The only track not from the games seems to be "Burning Ring of Fire" by Johnny Cash, which is heard on an old jukebox in the bowling alley, waking Rose.
This film definitely pushes the gore and violence, but in a creative way. Cybil's death is a long single-take, showing her stages from fighting the heat, sweating and showing exhaustion, and slowly giving in to shock as her skin begins to char. She is far into the state of shock by the time the flames ignite, engulfing her.
The entire hospital basement scene is also nightmarish, and the Red Nurse(Lisa) is a tragic little addition, her movements to hide her face in shame from Rose being inexplicably surreal and odd.
This film is full of subtle scares and nightmarish displacement, and it's exactly what the film needed. It is true to the roots of Silent Hill, although using a modified version of the story.
The ending attack by Alessa will shock you in "Hellraiser" type ways, and the final moments of the film are touching in that Christopher can feel his wife and child, but will never see them again or know what happened. They are forever so close, but so far away.