A visually stunning, impressively faithful adaptation

Rating: 7/10 (21 April 2006)

Just 10 minutes into Christophe Gans' big-screen adaptation of the video game chiller Silent Hill, it becomes obvious that he and writer Roger Avary are fans of the game which is one of the best parts about the movie. Their desire to translate it faithfully, and hence pleasing the SH fans amongst us, is obvious in every shot. From the unsettlingly crooked & elevated camera angles to all the little gaming references, the translation is sublime. It really is the best game-to-film adaptation yet, not only because of the design but also because it doesn't pander to modern audiences. There are things left unexplained; you have to *shock horror* work stuff out for yourself! Props to Gans & Avary for that.
It's by no means perfect though. For starters Sean Bean's accent is atrocious. I have nothing against the guy - he's a fellow Brit after all - but man... it's not good. Not good at all. In fact his entire sub-plot could be stripped away and we wouldn't be any the wiser.
The ending too seems a little forced and wildly grotesque - elements of Hellraiser no less, but then if they had gone with (one of the many) game endings that would really confuse audiences, so I guess they did a good job.
Thankfully the positives far outweigh the negatives. From our first creature encounter to the awesome introduction of Pyramid Head, the puss-filled, squirming denizens of Silent Hill really deliver - incredibly faithful to the game and a joy to see on a big screen.
Carol Spiers' style of production design works really well here too. She previously worked with Cronenberg on eXistenZ amongst other things, and does a great job of capturing both 'normal' Silent Hill and 'possessed' Silent Hill. The transition sequences from one to the other are astounding - the digital effects work is breathtaking. Gruesome as hell but still breathtaking.
The supporting cast, possibly with the exception of Sean Bean, are great particularly Laurie Holden as Cybil.
If you're a fan of the game franchise, you'll get a real kick out of the film. If you're not familiar with the games, you'll still enjoy it, but prepare to be slightly baffled...