This film impacted me upon its release but doesn't impress at all. Its an exercise in cinematographic painting and lighting experiments, but there is not enough story to tell. Instead of the images transferring narrative information (Pure Cinema), it is simply a carnival of eye candy graphics. Ironically, the video game it is based on is rich in story, character development and emotional theater. This has the same basic premise but only the basics, which leaves it existing only as a premise.
It is a soothing experience watching the beauty enhanced actresses float through cold pastel backgrounds as CGI monsters do ballet to gore setpieces, but it has a limited understanding of directing that bogs it down. On top of that is very poor, amateurish editing. And again the script is empty and devoid of interesting action. It wants to use a slowburn minimalism for style AND an excuse to be lazy and half-cocked. Another director or producer could've nailed this. I guess the studio execs who bought the rights are the ones to blame. They have such dwindled taste in movies. And they only put faith in the lowest common denominator works of art.
Silent Hill is at least unique and has a vision, if muddled and ultimately inane. It does hold a place in history as a big bridge towards CG-enhanced horror, Video Game cinema & Mother-Daughter horror stories. Together these very bland genres come off okay. I recommend it for some decent moments and a lot of ambition. Its a little gem from a time where horror was at its most unoriginal and sanitized. This is not as much. I wouldn't be surprised if its a favorite of younger audiences and influencing today's more solid popcorn fare. Not a good film but it has some good ideas.
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