Silent Hill movie remains faithful to its psychological underpinnings.......

Rating: 10/10 (23 April 2006)

Very impressive. If you had asked me 1-2 years ago whether the movie stood a chance, I would have replied no. Gans has delivered to the game fan base, and has stamped his visual credentials firmly over the top of Team Silent's years of toil. I wonder what Keiichiro Toyama and Konami think of the result? That is not to say, sadly, that the film will be a success. I fear the average movie-goer and horror enthusiast may hit a brick wall here. My feeling is that Silent Hill's creeping dread, alternate realities, highly stylised monsters and complex character histories may confuse. That aside, the positives are there for all to see. A perfect capture of how the first game made you 'feel'. The isolation, twisted normality, creature manifestation, the little girl, perverted innocence, terror and malice. Pyramid head was as delightfully dominating as ever. The town well depicted with the fog. Good to hear the siren again. The visual warping from one reality to another worked perfectly. Characters were generally strong (Cybil and Rose). The Cult exposition was a bit weak though. The ending seems to be getting a bashing on the forums, but it is consistent with how the Silent Hill game endings play out. They are never what they appear. In fact, with Rose and daughter possibly trapped in the 'middle-universe' of Silent Hill - a sequel is an option available. No-one ever really leaves Silent Hill anyway. Overall, a genuine surprise, powerfully envisioned, a little long and some weak dialogue. Thanks Christophe.