the best game-to-film adaptation yet

Rating: 7/10 (26 April 2006)

i am a huge fan of the Silent Hill series and as such was anticipating the release of the movie; and here is my opinion.
the look of the games has been captured beautifully. all credit to Gans and his crew for actually taking the time to capture the tone and feel of the games. When Rose entered the 'alternate' Silent Hill for the first time i grinned like a Cheshire cat because it was like being in one of the games. All the little details of the games are there; from the way the monsters cause static on the radios (this isn't consistent however), to the fog that continually shrouds the town (the falling ash was a particularly nice touch i thought) and the way the monsters react to torchlight - such as in a textbook scene involving the faceless nurses - all create a world fans of the games will feel right at home in.
The monsters too were spot on. Not only did they look cool but they were also genuinely unnerving. Memories of the first monster you meet in Hill 2 came flooding back to me! They even have that gooey/silvery sheen to them. The scene in the hospital with the army of faceless nurses was incredible. Again, it was as though we were in the game. I couldn't help but let out a cheer when Pyramid Head first makes his appearance because he looks perfect. A much better job then the appalling Nemesis attempt in Resi 2: Apocalypse. The only let down is that he appears three times then vanishes; however take my word you won't forget him.
The music is also excellent. Fans will spot the theme from the original game as well as the Hill 3 song that plays over the credits. The music creates a genuinely foreboding and, sometimes, melancholic atmosphere. This was probably helped by the inclusion of the Silent Hill music team who worked on the games; so once again well done to Gans and co. for paying attention to the source material and those who created it.
There is some great camera work too. Certain camera angles are reminiscent of those used in the games while others, especially those used during the 'alternate' scenes, are quite unsettling. Silent Hill feels huge and the protagonist so much smaller.
The characters and actors however are my main problem. First off there are too many of them. Every so often the action will cut away from that of Rose and Cybill to focus on the rather pointless characters of Sean Bean and Kim Coates. They are not needed and add little to the story. I say this because Silent Hill the setting is so well created that i didn't want to leave it. However there is a good section with Chris (Bean) and Rose in the school. Also the film loses it's edge a little with the introduction of the citizens. By all means Silent Hill has it's odd citizen to pass on some cryptic message or information, but by having a whole army of townspeople the sense of isolation and of being alone is somewhat lost. The citizens are a cult as per most Hill story lines and are therefore integral but maybe there could have been less of them.
It was an interesting move to exchange a male lead for a female one but it works well. In a similar way to Alice in the first Resi film, Rose is a new character in a familiar setting. It allows for some carte blanche with the storyline of the game and also keeps things fresh a part of the Hill world. Radha Mitchell does a good job even if in the middle of the film she seems a bit wooden. Laurie Holden as Cybil does a superb job. She looks like Cybil and ultimately kicks arse. She plays the character in a really tough manner which again leads me to wonder why Bean's character was needed. I am a Sean Bean fan but his performance was uncomfortable because he attempts an (embarassing) American accent throughout the film. Sean Bean is one of these actors who does not need to adapt his accent in a film! (see Sean Connery or Brian Cox also).
So why 7 then? The film looks great, sounds great and feels great. The only real let down is the sheer volume of characters which towards the end hamper the film's edge. Plus at times the acting can be a bit wooden. However as a game-to-film conversion it has set a new standard. Directors and studios can no longer slap a gaming name on a sub-par movie; they have to understand and appreciate the detail and character. Go see it! I know i will again.