SusannahSilent Hill
September 10th 2006 09:15
Silent Hill
Directed by: Christophe Gans
Starring: Radha Mitchell, Sean Bean, Laurie Holden, Alice Krige, Jodelle Ferland.
Based on the video game of the same name, the plot centres around a married couple (Mitchell & Bean) whose disturbed adopted daughter (Ferland) has sleep-walking dreams about a town called Silent Hill. Radha Mitchell’ s character Rose decides that the only way her daughter can be cured is to take her to this mysterious town.
And what a town it is! I don’t think there is a more disturbing place outside of Chernobyl. From the moment that Mitchell, followed by Laurie Holden as a cop, arrives in Silent Hill you know it is not a nice place. The town, which was closed because perpetually burning coal fires beneath it made it too dangerous to inhabit, is coated in what looks like snow, but what turns out to be ash. This stirs up memories of 911 and of photos of New Yorkers covered in ash from the collapsed Twin Towers.
Rose’s daughter mysteriously vanishes, and she is forced to look for her while being pursued by cinder children, and mutants that spew acid. The fact that each nasty is generally encountered only once, and each one is worse than the previous, does indicate that the film is adapted from a game. While watching it I did think to myself – right, Mitchell is moving up the levels – however, I am not familiar with the game, so the encounters were surprising and unexpected. In fact, the monsters are so disturbing and well animated, that you forgive the film for its not-so-subtle video game origins. One sequence in particular where Mitchell enters the school is incredibly disturbing. By now we have learnt that the sudden darkness that falls in the town indicates the presence of another monster on its way. That still does not prepare you for the level of dark places that Silent Hill goes to, and, as the film settles into the third act, the video game origins fall away to reveal the gruesome back story of exactly what went on in this town.
Silent Hill is heavily influenced by Japanese horror, in particular Ringu and Dark Water, giving the supernatural rationale behind events. Mitchell acquits herself well in what turns out to be a film dominated by strong female leads. Alice Krige in particular gives good villain. Sean Bean by comparison does not get to contribute much, but when you think about it, he is playing the part of the worried spouse that is usually allocated to women in films.
Altogether Silent Hill is a well paced, well thought out and well acted horror film. It looks fantastic and the special effects are very good. Be prepared for some very disturbing violence and gore, especially towards the end. And as far as game adaptations go, at least it is not Resident Evil: Apocalypse.
Directed by: Christophe Gans
Starring: Radha Mitchell, Sean Bean, Laurie Holden, Alice Krige, Jodelle Ferland.
Based on the video game of the same name, the plot centres around a married couple (Mitchell & Bean) whose disturbed adopted daughter (Ferland) has sleep-walking dreams about a town called Silent Hill. Radha Mitchell’ s character Rose decides that the only way her daughter can be cured is to take her to this mysterious town.
And what a town it is! I don’t think there is a more disturbing place outside of Chernobyl. From the moment that Mitchell, followed by Laurie Holden as a cop, arrives in Silent Hill you know it is not a nice place. The town, which was closed because perpetually burning coal fires beneath it made it too dangerous to inhabit, is coated in what looks like snow, but what turns out to be ash. This stirs up memories of 911 and of photos of New Yorkers covered in ash from the collapsed Twin Towers.
Rose’s daughter mysteriously vanishes, and she is forced to look for her while being pursued by cinder children, and mutants that spew acid. The fact that each nasty is generally encountered only once, and each one is worse than the previous, does indicate that the film is adapted from a game. While watching it I did think to myself – right, Mitchell is moving up the levels – however, I am not familiar with the game, so the encounters were surprising and unexpected. In fact, the monsters are so disturbing and well animated, that you forgive the film for its not-so-subtle video game origins. One sequence in particular where Mitchell enters the school is incredibly disturbing. By now we have learnt that the sudden darkness that falls in the town indicates the presence of another monster on its way. That still does not prepare you for the level of dark places that Silent Hill goes to, and, as the film settles into the third act, the video game origins fall away to reveal the gruesome back story of exactly what went on in this town.
Silent Hill is heavily influenced by Japanese horror, in particular Ringu and Dark Water, giving the supernatural rationale behind events. Mitchell acquits herself well in what turns out to be a film dominated by strong female leads. Alice Krige in particular gives good villain. Sean Bean by comparison does not get to contribute much, but when you think about it, he is playing the part of the worried spouse that is usually allocated to women in films.
Altogether Silent Hill is a well paced, well thought out and well acted horror film. It looks fantastic and the special effects are very good. Be prepared for some very disturbing violence and gore, especially towards the end. And as far as game adaptations go, at least it is not Resident Evil: Apocalypse.
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