The Arrow Reviews

Silent Hill was Jodelle's #30something film,her 4th Devil,she is the total Lolita of this millennium.BTW the bug Cybil stomped was Alessa,Gans website has his confessions,Colin was meant to be Alessa's husband-no crappy USA age-issues in Canada!

I'm a huge fan of the games and I thought it was just perfect. Bring on a second helping Gans, I'm ready!

You don’t need to go too far to understand just *how* excited I was about this movie’s release. Just check the number of posts in the Silent Hill thread. You’ll notice that not only am I the one who replied the most . . . but also the one who replied the most with over 150 replies in one thread. I had read way too many things about this movie since before the release, among them a wide variety of negative reviews. Of course I memorized all the problems most of the critics had with the movie (because audiences mostly seemed to like it) so I could have by “guard up” while watching it. I should know with what weapons I was going to be attacked, right? Anyway. I had already prepared what someone else eloquently called my “nerd barrier”. Am I so much of a Silent Hill nerd to completely overlook any flaws the movie might have? How can I put this . . . okay. Imagine you have a girlfriend who isn’t 100% attractive according to everyone else. “OMG ugly nose!” they say. But hard as you look, you don’t see any of these things. You love her too much.

I knew that the movie was only an adaptation of the first game; I had put my endless knowledge on the series (quiet, I have, like, a PhD) aside and open straight to see the plot the filmmakers had weaved for the adaptation. It was pretty hard for me to completely isolate the elements that seem to be implemented into the movie but not clearly but I managed to look at the film’s plot as it is. And as it is, it could easily be something in a Silent Hill game (the mythology is very different to the mythology of the games) as it contains the series’ trademark dark backstory, characters driven by grief, people caught in the bad place at the bad time among other things. The plot creates its own mythology, its own universe and making perfect sense in every way. Yes, it’s true, you might want to read up some plot guides for the first Silent Hill to get some things that might not be completely explained or to get a guide about how to go while trying to understand it. Do not misunderstand though, this ISN’T a confusing movie. Not a mindfuck. Not like Mulholland Drive. Most plot points are perfectly explained during an extended flashback near the end of a movie. Blatant plot exposition? Yes. Does it work? Yes. Why? It ties it with the characterizations. “Your reward –the truth.” Rose finds what she was looking for in Silent Hill, much like Heather or James (protagonists of SH3 and 2 respectively) do at the end of their journeys.

A big problem I had heard in most reviews –even positive ones- was the dialogue. Now, here it comes: I had no trouble with it. I thought most of the time, the dialogue was great (loved the ‘religious’ way of speaking of some of the characters). It was obvious from frame one that Silent Hill wasn’t setting itself into this reality (and don’t be funny, it’s not like “Uh, it’s good enough for a videogame.”) but creating its own ethereal shell of a world. No, the dialogue isn’t natural, it’s everything but. But it works in this little foggy world called Silent Hill. “Mother is god in the eyes of a child.” is nothing but a plain beautiful line that we would never hear in this world. But we would in Silent Hill, and it’s perfectly fine in there. I’ll admit, the VERY short exchange “They said this place used to be haunted.” came off as just silly when the reply is “I think they were right.” Other than that, never ever had troubles with the dialogue or the plot (loved the succession of places to visit. Us fans get to see many of our favorite settings and it all makes sense). Please though, to those who saw the movie. Get this: *SPOILERS* The movie does NOT end with “They’ve been dead all along.” Please trust me when I say this. Even though I never got that when I saw the movie, I’ve read it in way too many places. The theory of them all being dead makes absolutely no sense (characters die after being dead? Huh? Remember everything happened in the real world too). Rose and Sharon are merely trapped in another dimension. A dimension that was created by Alessa/Demon IN Silent Hill during the fire. This dimension is NOT the ‘land of the dead’. Someone who dies in the real world will not go to this world. Rose and Sharon might not be with Christopher, but they’re still alive. This is not a twist; it’s just a bittersweet way to end it. There’s no way out of this dimension, they’re staying there. Hopefully you’re not shaking your heads and thinking how wrong and delusional I am and believe me. Because that seems to be a big problem most people have.

In the foggy world of Silent Hill, we encounter several faces. It’s quick that we become acquainted with these characters. It’s amazing how the main players of this party (Rose, Cybil, Dahlia, Christopher, Christabella and Alessa/Sharon) have each a unique point of view, an intriguing tie to the town’s history and their own tragic back story in the cases of Dahlia and Alessa. Everyone goes through an arc, everyone learns, everyone changes and we’ll get an interesting perspective from each about the themes in the movie. Religion and motherly love are focused on and tied to every character’s arc with some tints of loss of innocence. There was absolutely not one character that I didn’t love. Rose was of course my favorite, but Cybil was absolutely amazing and Dahlia was such a heartbreaker I couldn’t help but like. Sure, the villain is a total bitch but I kinda saw her perspective and understood where she was coming from (that climax made me sweat cold). I still am not sure about the problems people had with Christopher and his subplot. It exposed some of the vast backstory but still shined character (loved Gucci), I don’t see a problem. It helped the finale turn into the bittersweet punch in the gut it was.

About the acting, here it comes again. Fell in love with every single player in this movie. Yes, even Jodelle Ferland. I thought she was just amazing in her three roles (her screams in the climax made it just be more and more gut coiling). Radha Mitchell was fantastic and there’s not much to say about her. She’s one of my new favorite actresses. Ever. Laurie Holden kicked ass and her final scene was heartbreaking. Alice Kirge and Deborah Kara Unger pinned their roles like champs. They shined in every moment they were onscreen and became two of the most memorable characters (Christabella was awesome and Dahlia kicked ass). Sean Bean appeared in the movie enough to have to support an awesome character and the ending broke my heart. Kim Coates has the exact same story. Loved the entire cast without exception.

Scary? Don’t know about scary because I haven’t really been SCARED in a movie. But trust me: this movie is disturbing and really fucking creepy. No boo scares; it’s all about the atmosphere and the extreme intensity of the scenes in the rusty otherworld. The school and the Gray Children scenes are right out of BLOODY NIGHTMARES. Especially the school scene, which just seems to go on forever, hitting you continuously with a new threat and an uglier creature (when the Janitor began to SCREAM blindly I almost lost it) every few seconds. Just amazing. And what can I say about that extremely tense climax in the church in which you’ll either be digging your fingers into the couch or cheering at the events unfolding (I was doing the former). The climax is another extended scene that never lets go off yer jewels. It all concludes with an awesome shot that opens to the film’s finale, which left me thinking that the melancholic tracks of the movie’s score couldn’t be more fitting. What a bittersweet, misunderstood finale.

I think it’s useless to mention that Christophe Gans’ eye for visuals is flawless. There’s not one shot in this entire movie that didn’t convey the sense of isolation, loneliness and glum until of course, he breaths life into the videogames by adding perfect recreations of game set pieces and camera movements (all about the alley). Not only that, but us SH fans will nerdgasm over the extensive amount of subtle references to all four games. The music, composed by Akira Yamaoka but re-arranged by Jeff Dana worked amazingly well. Danna picked the perfect tracks to play in each scene (“¨Promise (Reprise)” was extremely beautiful), tweaking some of them into reorchestrated versions of their former selves (“Dance With Wind Night” was amazing) and that renders me a satisfied panda.

I know I’m gushing and jizzing all over this faux review. I can’t even properly review this movie so don’t expect a rating because personally, 10/10 doesn’t seem enough and I cannot be impartial to it and give it a ‘fair’ rating considering any flaws it probably has but I couldn’t see, even if I tried. Watching this movie was as if a 70 year old virgin had sex for the first time with the woman of his dreams. Unforgettable, I could swear I had tears in my eyes when the credits began rolling. “Silent Hill” was everything this die hard Silent Hill fan expected and more.

And I’m done.

Extras:
Find a plot guide for the movie here: [link]

Find a complete compilation of the movie's soundtrack (mp3) here: [link]

*note* You'll have to copy and paste the COMPLETE URL to be able to access the page.

I have now deluded myself into thinking that the if the film were any more disturbing, the MPAA would have made it NC-17 for pure concept. And wouldn't that have been a great film to watch?

I didn't have any problem following the plot, but I've played all the games and could fill in the blanks. People who have only seen the movie don't have that to fall back on, and will just be confused. Although I admire him making the movie with an eye toward the fans, Gans should have taken that into account.

Arrow, you've only played the first game? For shame! Silent Hill 2 is one of the most haunting games I've ever played. Get thee to a PS2!

I loved the movie through and through. I thought the short scenes of horror worked perfectly. I thought thee acting suited it, beign as the acting in the games was a little cheesy. The blood and gore was perfect. The music (being a fan of Industrial for 11 years) was amazingly perfect. And I couldnt sleep the night I saw it, I kept waking up from nightmares all freaked out. Thats never happened after watching a movie. Maybe the movie hit some nerves that it didnt hit with you guys but it was freakier then Jacobs Ladder, and that movie was the only movie to scare me before this came out. I will need to check out that Organ zat the end though.

Good review, just too bad the movie didnt hav the same effect on ya.

I totally agree with Arrow's review. It's exactly how I feel about the movie. I love the games and the movie was a very true to the source material. Just wish it was a bit scarier. There were few tense moments but the visuals were dead on. I also know what part of the score Arrow was talking about with the organ que. IT was a bit cheesy. Overall I liked it and will buy the DVD.