*Peeks over desk* The darkness... The darkness... *Hides holding Desert Eagle close*
Yep, I'm reviewing something again... This time a movie I had been waiting to see for many, many moons...
So on with the show...
Title: Silent Hill (TriStar, Davis Films)
Media: Motion Picture
Movie Rating: R - Strong Language, Strong Gore, Disturbing Imagery, Some Mild Nudity.
Cast: Radha Mitchell - Rose DeSalva
Sean Bean - Chris DeSalva
Laurie Holden - Cybil Bennet
Deborah Kara Unger - Dahlia Gillespie
Jodelle Ferland - Sharon DeSalva / Allessa Gillespie
Alice Krige - Christabella
Basic Plotline: Rose and Chris DeSalva have a happy family life with their 9 year old daughter Sharon. Their peace is shattered when, as she has grown, Sharon has began sleepwalking and in her dreams she speaks of a place called Silent Hill. Against Chris' best wishes, Rose steals off with Sharon to take her to the place she speaks of... A small ghost town in west virginia...
Okay... Let me start by saying that since I won't give spoilers all I can really do is repeat that which was thrown at people by the studio that made it. An above average plot that will be immediately familiar to anyone who has ever played a Silent Hill... This is what kept the movie alive in the early portions of the film... But it all seems to... Just unravel along the way. Towards the end of the movie, everything you know will pretty much be pushed aside to show you something entirely different. Leaving the overall affect to be, "Damn that first half was cool as hell... But what happened?" Only people who have played the games and cleared them just about every way will understand what happened... And then, only a little.
Overall: C
Acting Quality: Okay... If the characters names are: Chris, Sharon, Rose, Cybil, Or Dahlia expect good performances of them. Most of the others are bit parts that are vastly too aware of their... Limited status. Even Christabella, when not in a rage, seems forced. Basically the bigger actors (Barring Deborah Kara Ungar and Jodelle Ferland who have not been in very many pictures) are the one's who do the best with what they've been handed. Overall: C
Cinematagrophy: Okay, great camera angels... Lot's of stuff from the games, imaginative and creepy moster designs... This part rocked. But I couldn't help but feel a little underwhelmed at most points and then suddenly and unapologetically punched in the teeth at others. It was a very... Uneven experience. As a thriller it doesn't always have you on your seat, then there are other times when it pushes good taste.
Overall: B
Music: Okay, it's all Akira Yamaoka greatness from the games. (Save one incident of Johnny Cash's "Ring Of Fire" which was used pretty well I must say). So it was probably the best part saddly. Overall: A
Final Judgement: C+ / B-. I'm a huge fan of Silent Hill but I felt a little dissapointed in the overall presentation of the movie. Maybe the unavoidable sequal will do better but there are far worse movies out there... Like Resident Evil.
So on with the show...
Title: Silent Hill (TriStar, Davis Films)
Media: Motion Picture
Movie Rating: R - Strong Language, Strong Gore, Disturbing Imagery, Some Mild Nudity.
Cast: Radha Mitchell - Rose DeSalva
Sean Bean - Chris DeSalva
Laurie Holden - Cybil Bennet
Deborah Kara Unger - Dahlia Gillespie
Jodelle Ferland - Sharon DeSalva / Allessa Gillespie
Alice Krige - Christabella
Basic Plotline: Rose and Chris DeSalva have a happy family life with their 9 year old daughter Sharon. Their peace is shattered when, as she has grown, Sharon has began sleepwalking and in her dreams she speaks of a place called Silent Hill. Against Chris' best wishes, Rose steals off with Sharon to take her to the place she speaks of... A small ghost town in west virginia...
Okay... Let me start by saying that since I won't give spoilers all I can really do is repeat that which was thrown at people by the studio that made it. An above average plot that will be immediately familiar to anyone who has ever played a Silent Hill... This is what kept the movie alive in the early portions of the film... But it all seems to... Just unravel along the way. Towards the end of the movie, everything you know will pretty much be pushed aside to show you something entirely different. Leaving the overall affect to be, "Damn that first half was cool as hell... But what happened?" Only people who have played the games and cleared them just about every way will understand what happened... And then, only a little.
Overall: C
Acting Quality: Okay... If the characters names are: Chris, Sharon, Rose, Cybil, Or Dahlia expect good performances of them. Most of the others are bit parts that are vastly too aware of their... Limited status. Even Christabella, when not in a rage, seems forced. Basically the bigger actors (Barring Deborah Kara Ungar and Jodelle Ferland who have not been in very many pictures) are the one's who do the best with what they've been handed. Overall: C
Cinematagrophy: Okay, great camera angels... Lot's of stuff from the games, imaginative and creepy moster designs... This part rocked. But I couldn't help but feel a little underwhelmed at most points and then suddenly and unapologetically punched in the teeth at others. It was a very... Uneven experience. As a thriller it doesn't always have you on your seat, then there are other times when it pushes good taste.
Overall: B
Music: Okay, it's all Akira Yamaoka greatness from the games. (Save one incident of Johnny Cash's "Ring Of Fire" which was used pretty well I must say). So it was probably the best part saddly. Overall: A
Final Judgement: C+ / B-. I'm a huge fan of Silent Hill but I felt a little dissapointed in the overall presentation of the movie. Maybe the unavoidable sequal will do better but there are far worse movies out there... Like Resident Evil.