Fans of the Game will Be Pleased

Rating: 7/10 (25 April 2006)

True disciples of the Silent Hill video game revolution will gleefully immerse themselves in the film and it's haunting visuals, and perhaps come away with better understanding of a plot which I felt was muddied by the horrific creepiness of gameplay. After reading Roger Ebert's review of Silent Hill, the film, I'm convinced that people who are not gamers may not get it.
There's been a rash of movie releases taken from popular video games, like the Resident Evil series and House of the Dead. House of the Dead, the movie, is as boring as the first person shooter on your console at home. Resident Evil was much more entertaining, turning the game into a less creepy action film. Silent Hill is the perfect combination of gore and creepiness and stays true to the game, down to some of the most horrific creatures I've ever attempted to kill on PlayStation2. Problem is, some of their creepiness is lost on the movie because movie goers won't get the same rush gamers do in the midst of battling deformed nurses or giant, musclebound creatures with big machetes.
Silent Hill's dialogue and the reaction and action of the actors in the film was as benign and unbelievable as the characters in the games. This is something the producers could have managed to beef up to make the film more terrifying and believable. While trying to stay true to the game, the film took the very element an interactive game usually lacks-actor believability- and did little to enhance it. Silent Hill, the movie, would have received a higher rating for me if the actors were allowed to show as much horror and disbelief as a gamer gets when they play the game.
If you're a fan of horror, you have to see this movie. The effects and the insane plot are enough to keep your interest. But to truly appreciate the film, I think you should play the games first. I swear, I couldn't play them alone.