A Horror/Suspense Video Game Made as an Action Movie

Rating: 7/10 (23 April 2006)

As far as films adapted from video games go, Silent Hill is probably the best there is. And while that doesn't say much for movies of this type, Silent Hill the film does a good job of hiding it's video game origins and staying true to them at the same time. It's apparently a more difficult process in game-to-film adaptations than it seems, and Silent Hill gets it mostly right.
That being said, if you are a fan of the game, you will almost certainly enjoy this movie. The look, the sounds, and the themes are all here, are done an immense justice. In fact, the visual elements of the film are absolutely superb, and all credit is due to the people responsible for getting the look just right. Not only was this movie beautifully shot, but the designs, locations, costumes, and special effects all look great, and blend together perfectly. Unfortunately, the other elements of the film didn't quite match up.
The primary fault of the film is that it fails to build tension. While the game was great at creating a sense of paranoia and general unease, the film doesn't quite give you the same feeling. It may be perhaps the main characters appear too strong-willed, and that the director does not allow them to feel the same fear as we should. It may also be that because of the director's very love of the source material, his desire to show us everything he threw in the film takes away the viewer's fear of the unknown. It's that fear of the unknown that the Silent Hill video game perfected, and what the movie Silent Hill seems to get wrong. As much as fans love to see the monsters, they're in your face way too often on screen, and all the scares become more gore in nature than suspense. In fact, the towards the end of the film, the gore becomes excessive, another thing that detracts from the suspense, and leads us into more action/horror territory.
Overall, for fans of the game who want to see it brought to life as a film, it comes recommended. But those who are unfamiliar and are expecting a decent horror film will be minimally satisfied by a movie that, ironically, tries to be too much like a game.