Might be thrilling for game fans...decent fare for the rest of us

Rating: 6/10 (24 April 2006)

Hmm..where to begin. I'm not a player of this particular game, so I had no idea other than the most basic, of what the plot involved. The story tends to be a bit slow at first while the mother and daughter characters are developed a bit. Once they hit the town of Silent Hill, the pace becomes quite acceptable.
For fans of the game, I'm sure they already knew the in's and out's of this town, as well as a larger understanding of what was happening. I'm usually quick to pick up plot points, and rarely have to 'think' about a movie. They just make sense. This movie actually requires a bit of thought if your not familiar with the game. I'm still not exactly sure what happened at the very end ;)
The acting is not steller, yet it's not bad. The mother stands out as one of the better performers, as well as the tough as nails cop. Both are likable by the end of the movie. The others don't really shine here.
The movie is two hours, and I did notice that it seemed a bit long at times. Those moments were few and far between though. It has some tense moments, and a few creepy moments, although I don't recall anything that had me clinging to the edge of my seat. That said, the visuals are very good. Think Constantine, although with a little less budget, but very original. This movie is also far more bloody, which in my opinion is a good thing. I'm an adult. I don't need the diet movie when I can see the real deal.
I don't recall the soundtrack at all, which I suppose could be viewed as a good thing if your the blend in the background type. I'm wishing it could have been a bit more memorable.
Acting 6 out of 10. Visual Effects 8 out of 10. Sound/Music a 5 out of 10. Plot 6 out of 10
Overall a 6 out of 10. If your a horror buff, a fan of the game, or just into something that's not your usual hack and slash, this is a decent bet. Might possibly interest those into mysteries, or suspense flicks. You could certainly do worse.