the best video game movie of all time. as if that meant something.

Rating: 7/10 (27 April 2006)

this is, without a doubt, the finest video game inspired movie i've seen on the silver screen yet. the atmosphere was fantastic, the acting was good, and the film over all got, as far as i'm concerned, a rock solid seven out of ten. the movie has a few flaws to large to go past, though. i am a fan boy of many a media, silent hill being a smaller one, but this movie does little to explain much. i like mystery. the viewing audience does to, or the movie wouldn't be number one in the box office the first week it's out.
but the movie has no common sense. i.e., when rose leaves to go to silent hill, her husband cuts off her credit cards. we know that he does not want her to go. why? their daughter is ill, he says,and needs to be treated, but that's no reason to financially cut off a loved one. why not try to help, or try to go to this town she talks about? also, when rose crashes the car, it is in fine shape. she looks about for her daughter, and when she can't find her on the highway, what does she do? move her car? drive on looking for her? no. she just walks.she later try's to start the car to no avail, but there is no way she could have known that.she just walks. down the highway. in the middle of nowhere.
and Cybil is clearly out of her bounds as an officer to follow rose after they first meet, as well. and she may have been speeding, but if that was the case why would rose speed off, away from a police officer? this may be nit picking, but little details ruin the movie.
also, the amount of allegory in the movie will confuse nine out of ten viewers. thinking of Allissa as the devil, Cybil as an agent of god on earth, silent hill(when covered in fog) as limbo, silent hill at night as hell, and silent hill in the clear day as our world will not go over well. one of the two best known reviewers alive, roger Elbert, said that he was confused. that's a bad sign. i think that roger Avery's love or religious symbols confused the masses in this movie.
to end up, the film looks great. there is a constant amount of Christan metaphor and scenery, i.e. the cross' everywhere and the hopscotch board reading hell to heaven. Debra Kara Unger does an amazing job as Dahlia, Sharon (whatever the girls name is) is great when possessed by the devil, Kim Coates does a great job trying to hide something, and the church is all well cast. the only poor acting jobs go to Sean bean, who i love. he was convincing when looking for his family, but his accent was so bad i was removed from all that great atmosphere. and i found all the creature acting hokey, except the nurses. which were great. namely, Colin. that was the worst monster since the bride of Chuck y. the special effects are a bit lax, but pyramid head is just right. not over used at all. by the by, a fine movie to see once. not as scary as i had hoped, but great for any young director to reference.