A very good thriller.

Rating: 8/10 (2 August 2006)

Don't think you have to have played Silent Hill in order to "get" or even appreciate Silent Hill the movie. I haven't, and I think the movie stands very well on it's own.
The imagery is without a doubt the strongest part of the movie. The camera-work is superb and varied and always fitting, and the subdued colours are perfect and moody. The special effects are often really cool and more often than not well integrated in the rest of the scenes, something not even really huge productions manage to pull off all the time.
The second strongest part was the sound. The score is haunting and hangs heavy over the scenes. The air-raid signal, the first time it's played, sends chills down the spine. The silent parts are well placed as well and you want them both to end and not to end, since they really add to the tension.
The story is smart, not the usual Hell invades fare(ala Doom), but shows the dangers of fanaticism. The acting is pretty solid. Although the movie breaks the "Creepy adult-ish child"-quota(No more than zero per movie), it's done with style and not just for it's own sake.
Overall, the tension was great. Some scenes were disturbing, some scary, some just plain cool in their blood-curling way. For those who like horror movies and are tired of clichés and jump scenes, this is one of the pleasant surprises of the 00s.