Based on a the best selling video game, Rose (Radha Mitchell), a desperate mother, goes in search of her daughter Sharon in an abandoned and strange, desolate town called Silent Hill. It is her daughter’s near death sleep walking episodes and constant remarking of a place called Silent Hill that has here seek out this place and return her daughter to it to find out answers and a solution as to why her daughter is sleep walking. However, in this ashen town with a history of mass death from a coal fire, she finds far more than she bargained for!Also stars Sean Bean (in a lesser role) as her husband who desperately searches for his wife after she disappears into Silent Hill. The film’s beginning builds quickly into creepiness only to implode in outrageous coincidences and a failed plot. As the town first goes to black and the creatures begin to meander, it produced some genuinely scary moments. However, as things moved along the characters encountered in the town of Silent Hill and the story line itself was plain silly. The effects were good (not great) and only the demon truly was scary – All-in-all, this is a teenage horror flick that will bore most adults. Acting was its typical mediocre for this genre of film. Yes, Rose played the desperate mother but I never really felt her pain. But like an unlikely superhero, she deftly and unbelievably navigated this creature filled gauntlet.

Video

This 2.35 anamorphic release has a stylized look to it, primarily of a gloomy, white cast. In having such, colors are much muted and contrast is intentionally compromised. I’d estimate 75% of the film has the soft, white look to it. Almost like a black and white film in some ways. That said, contrast is adequate enough but certainly not exceptional. Some film grain is noticed throughout but for the most part, the picture is relatively clean. Blacks are deep but lacking in many scenes as this film is shot mainly in dimly lit buildings and hallways. This darkness adds to the creepy factor. Some shots are out of focus and some sharpness of details is lost in the stylized look, particularly in the wide shots where details just blend into the scenery. In scenes without the white cast, we have a typical look to the film with vibrant colors and solid contrast. All-in-all, this carried a very appropriate and menacing look.

Audio

I selected the DD 5.1 track for viewing. Recorded level for this film is quite hot; I watched at -7 from THX reference. I recommend engaging the THX mode in your processor for this film. At higher levels, the soundtrack can come across as a bit bright at times. That said, dialog is always clear and well integrated. Surround activity is quite active with voices and effects coming from all over the room. The effects give the film its drama and eerie moments as well. The sound of a loud warning horn that blares through the city signifying the awakening of the terrorizing beings is somewhat unsettling as it seems to really take over the room, just like you are there. Dynamic range is first rate. As with any horror flick, much its drama relies on impacting surprises and effects. Silent Hill delivers in this regard with down right scary impacts and sounds that will have you jarred in your seat. The effects laden musical score also delivers on some scary undertones, but it is not the strongest score I have heard in this type of film. That said some sequences (e.g. the crashing sword in the elevator) come across as very bright and a bit loud and edgy. Bass here is used often and is quite deep. Towards the finale, bass pushes into the 20 Hz zone and throbs deeply and loudly. The bass has a somewhat compressed character to it that seems to hold it back. Don’t get me wrong, the bass is solid in this film, but seemingly could’ve been better.

Special Features

None – except for previews of Resident Evil: Apocalypse, Basic Instinct 2 & Underworld: Evolution.

Final Thoughts

Is it impossible for Hollywood to make a good horror flick? I mean a film that lacks idiocy, impossible strokes of luck and, most importantly, a genuinely scary, solid plot. A convincing soundtrack that helps to add drama to this horror flick – but still, Silent Hill is a failure on all counts. Like many horror flicks, it starts out with an interesting sort of tease, but in the end drops you cold. Acting is spot on average to poor as is expected in these types of films but a good technical soundtrack salvages some entertainment. The lack of Extras is another strike against this film. If we could get more films like The Ring that genuinely are creepy by the story and direction alone, I’d be a happy camper.