There are some flaws, but in the end it is a good movie with a cool message!

Rating: 7/10 (21 April 2006)

Last night I went to a preview screening of "Silent Hill" in San Diego. I was anticipating this movie for a couple of months now. Even though I never played the video games I am very familiar with their story lines. I definitely wanted to see how Christophe Gans interpreted all of the material from the games into a cohesive movie that would be scary, disturbing, and thoughtful.
After seeing it I have to say that the movie is no masterpiece. Some of the CGI looks a little weird, some of the ideas in the movie feel stolen from other movies (the game takes a lot from other horror movies), the plot line with Sean Bean's character is a little thin and feels thrown in (which it was because the studio did not like a script with only females), some of the acting and dialogue are mediocre (not bad, just not great), and the plot has some issues.
However, the movie is creepy, and at times disturbing. Not in the "Texas Chainsaw Massacre" way that leaves you disgusted, but more in the way of haunting images and setting. The biggest strength of the movie lies in its art design; the town, the creatures, and the costumes pull you into a very unnerving world.
If you are familiar with the games the plot will keep you guessing. I do not want to spoil it for anyone, but the ending is not like the games. That is the film's other big strength. The third-act really shows an interesting social and political message that some might overlook. As much as the horror elements carry this film, it is really the message that elevates the film from gory atmospherics into something that is more thoughtful than your average fright-fest.