A balanced review - some good, some bad elements.

Rating: 7/10 (21 April 2006)

PLUS POINTS: 1) The film looked excellent - art direction was top notch. 2) An unusually atmospheric & stylish film considering the Hollywood input. 3) The "monsters" were great - some of the best gore and a welcome minimal use of CGI (the physical effects looked ace) all created a real sense of dread, disgust and horror. 4) Laurie Holden was excellent as Cybil. 5) Without a doubt the most exciting and faithful translation of a video game to date - no question whatsoever there - If you've ever played one of these games, you WILL get some deja vu. 6) A definitely above average horror film, with some real chills.
DOWNSIDES: 1)Radha Mitchell ran around "by the numbers" and fumbled with her torch in all the right places. Certainly no original stand-out heroine. 2)The ending - a bit too formulaic, and certainly way too much narration to explain what just happened in the last 2 hours. (Although having said that, certainly not an "all loose ends tied up" finish). 3) Could've been a tad MORE use of the monsters - esp "pyramid head". They definitely left you wanting more there, (and no, less is NOT more where these were concerned) 3) It DID drag a little in places. My lasting memory is a little TOO much running around in the fog and ash, and not enough "otherworldly" post-siren action. 4) Sean Bean was incredibly average (when ISN'T he!!?), but I suppose a necessary dour and balancing element to all the freakiness. 5) Spooky kids are SO last year, and therefore not spooky.