Silent Hill (Widescreen Edition)
by Chris Sikorowski, Christophe Gans
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DVD Cover Information
Actor: Deborah Kara Unger, Kim Coates, Laurie Holden, Radha Mitchell, Sean BeanDirector: Chris Sikorowski, Christophe Gans
Brand: Sony
Producer: Chris Sikorowski
Producer: Akira Yamaoka
Producer: Andrew Mason
Producer: Deb LeFaive
Producer: Don Carmody
Writer: Roger Avary
DVD: Region Code 99
Audio: English (Unknown), Dolby Digital 5.1; English (Subtitled); English (Original Language), Dolby Digital 5.1
Format: AC-3, Closed-captioned, Color, Dolby, DVD, NTSC, Subtitled, Widescreen
Picture Format: Anamorphic Widescreen, 2.35:1
Running Time: 125 minutes
Published: 2006-08-01
DVD Release Date: 2006-08-22
Audience Rating: R (Restricted)
Studio: Sony Pictures Home Entertainment
Movie Reviews of Silent Hill (Widescreen Edition)
Movie Review: THE BEST VIDEO-GAME ADAPTATION TO DATE, AS WELL AS A STAND ALONE CLASSIC!!
Summary: 5 Stars
People seem to be very divided on this film, so I've decided to review it(as you know, I hate giving spoilers).
1st off, The history begins with the video-game company KANOMI. Wanting to compete with CAPCOM'S sucsess with RESIDENT EVIL, in 1999 KANOMI jumped into the deep end of the pool with the original Silent Hill and many people(myself included) thought it was superior to R.E. The game has spawned 4 sequels. In addition many graphic novels have been written, and a genral 'cult' fanbase has developed over the years.
Now on to the movie; The movie starts of with the DeSilvas, Rose and Chris, franticaly searching the forest area around there home for there missing daughter, Sharon. The next scene shows Sharon standing on the edge of a waterfall, still fast asleep in what could be called 'night terrors'. Just as Sharon wobbles over the brink, here mother jump-dives to save her live. As they recover from the shock of the incident, Sharon screams out "I'M THERE, HOME!, SILENT HILL, SILENT HILL!!". And so begins the nightmare.
Rose, feeling the irrisistable pull(this is important), and having conceited to the fact that Sharon's medication is not helping with her night terrors or the sleepwalking, and against the wishes of Chris, decides to take here to the quiet ghost town that has been shut down for 30 years due to a coal-mine fire(this 'part' is based on Centrailia Pen., in addition there are about 250 underground fires burning in U.S. right now). As Rose stops for gas, she gains the notice of the locals, as well as a police officer who has had a history of dealing with child-abductions. After running her plates(implied), the officer, Cybill, stops Rose to question her. Making a decition, Rose takes off, and brakes through the closed entry ramp to Silent Hill. After a terrible wreck, Rose awakes to find that Sharon is nowhere to be found. As she wanders around the town; Rose and the veiwer learn that Silent Hill is like no other town, and once you enter, there's no going back. She then embarks on a search where she will risk everything to find her daughter.
I can only speak for myself, and being a FANATICAL S.H. game player; I thought this movie was great, but not perfect. It is still worth more than 4 stars so that's why I gave it 5.
THE STORY: Perfect, 5 out of 5. They did make some changes to the story of the video-game, but I feel this is a plus. If they would have kept the original story concerning the cult and Dalhia, I think it would have been very 2-dimentional. the movie is about being a good parent and sacrificing ALL for your child, I don't think many people picked up on that. Rose and Dalhia are contrasting characters. Dalhia, fearing damnation for her so called 'sins' gave Alessa to Christabella(who is Dalhia's sister, again many didn't catch that). Rose on the other hand, will risk her own life to save Sharon. It's said best in the movie, "Mother is god in the eyes of a child". In addition, the ending of this movie is an original, but still very 'Silent Hill'. After viewing, you'll scratch your head and think, 'what the f***?', witch is what Silent Hill is supposed to do!
THE ACTING: VERY GOOD, 4 1/2 out of 5, but a little weak in certain spots. Personally, Jodelle Ferland playing Sharon kind of irritated me, but as Dark Allesa, she was brilliant. Radha Mitchell, Sean Bean, Deborah Karra Unger, Laurie Holden, and Alice Krieg give top-notch performances. Sean Bean's character, Chris was added on in pre-production because KONAMI wanted a 'male' figure in the movie. This could have worked and made a stronger conection to the 2nd game, but I feel that Christophe Gans(director) and Roger Avery(screen-writer) didn't capitalize on this, nor the tremendous acting ability of Sean Bean, so I felt the character of Chris was a little 2-dimentional.
THE VISUAL EFFECTS:PERFECT! 5 out of 5. The effects in this movie are amazing. That was one of my biggest worries about the film; would it have the dark atmosphere and the 'reality shifts' and still look convincing? the answer is absolutly YES! this movie literally 'drips' with atmosphere, from the 'fog' to 'the darkness' everything has a 'sureal' but convincing look to it. One suprising thing; with the exeption of the darkness shifts, the cockroaches, obviously, the finale, and a gentle nudge on the fog; very little C.G.I. was used in this movie!! A large amount of the effects in the movie were conventional effect(I know, it's hard to believe, wich is part of the reason this movie is so sucsesfull).
DIALOGE: DECENT, 4 out of 5. If I have an issue with this movie, it's the dialogue. Not that it's bad, There are just a few weak spots where the lines felt 'thin' and kind of irritating.
THE MUSIC: PERFECT, 5 out of 5. If there's one thing that could be better in this movie than the visual effects, it's the music. AKIRA YAMOKA?(forgive my spelling), who worked as the music engineer, as well as the producer of the games, hit the jack-pot! He took different 'songs' from the first 3 games and wove them perfectly into the movie. He was sucsessful at creating very disturbing, haunting, and yet ambient atmospheres that compliment the disturbing imagery, as well as the emotional drama.
OVERALL: 4.5 OUT OF 5. To sum it up: If your a fan of Lovecraft, Jacob's Ladder(two very clear influences),Hellraiser, Fulci's 'The Beyond', The Twilight Zone, and general fantacy horror, you will not be disappointed by Silent Hill. If you're a fan of realistic, brutal horror, you might not be into it, and needs a rent first.
Summary of Silent Hill (Widescreen Edition)
A TOWN'S TERRIBLE SECRET IS ABOUT TO REIGNITE A 30 YEAR OLD BATTLE WITH THE ULTIMATE EVIL WHEN A DESPERATE MOTHER COMES TOSILENT HILL INSEARCH OF HER MISSING DAUGHTER.Similar DVD Movies
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