Silent Hill: Revelation 3D (15)
Dir. Michael J. Bassett
Reviewed by Matt Adcock
Welcome to back to Silent Hill, a place formed by the twisted psyche of those who have suffered unimaginable horrors, an alternate dimension ruled by demonic forces…
If that sounds like the sort of place you fancy spending some time then Silent Hills Revelation 3D, the second movie based on the classic PlayStation game series, delivers an eye-popping 90 mins of frightful fun. Just don’t expect any sense of a coherent plot, set your cheesy dialogue filter to ‘on’ and sit back and let the lavishly grim visuals sweep over you.
"this is where you normally press 'x' to duck'
The Silent Hill series won gamers over by its use of disturbing symbolism and psychological dream-state horror visual flair. The problem when it comes to bringing this to the big screen is that it a very different medium – and a very different experience to watch characters being chased by freaky monsters rather then have them actually (virtually) chasing you!?
For those who have never experienced Silent Hill either in game or film form up until now – this is a story where metaphors of the madness and fragileness of sanity abound, pretty deep stuff. Alas Silent Hill: Revelation 3D – which tries to shoehorn most of the third game into the sequel plot to the first film – ends up as an exercise of ‘flash visuals, shame about the film’.
"what's it all about?"
Basically Sharon (who has now renamed herself Heather and is played by Adelaide Clemens) was saved from Silent Hill by her mother (who didn’t make it out)… Her dad (Sean Bean) is doing all he can to hide her from the monsters in Silent Hill but before you can say ‘cash in’ she’s back in the netherworld with Red Pyramid (a giant sword wielding muscled executioner with a pyramid shaped helmet) and demonic pals.
Silent Hill once again brings some seriously grisly shocks and mind bendingly grim creatures to the screen – even making decent use of the 3D for some visual flourishes - which is all well and good for horror fans and those who loved the games. But unfortunately, this follow up just doesn’t match the first one or the games in any respect other than giving more screen time to the fan favourite Pyramid Head (he even pops up after the end credits).
So this second cinematic trip to Silent Hill yields diminishing returns, this is a film that would feel more at home on DVD.
Out of a potential 5 you have to go with a Darkmatters:
öö – scary visuals but little more
2 – weak but Red Pyramid is a character than deserves his own film
Awesomeness ööö – There is one awesome climactic fight
Laughs ö – Not funny
Horror öööö – Gruesome in places
Babes öö – Clemens looks just like the videogame character
Spiritual Enlightenment ö Limited darkness
Darkmatters Review of SILENT HILL
"Adelaide Clemens - nice smile"
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