***minor spoiler alert***It is the audience's opinion that really matters; not the opinion of those who are paid to proclaim the views of who pays them. In the critic's eye, this film has to overcome a lot of adversity. First of all it is a video game adaptation, therefore the critics will meticulously compare it to the game, and since it was an incredible game franchise, it has some high standards. Another thing is that it is a horror film; horror films tend to be over picked at, and judged with no mercy. Finally we come to the fact that it is a new director; critics will destroy <more> these directors unless they make Oscar material films, and Silent Hill Revelation may never see an Oscar; the only way it may is with the acting performance by Adelaide Clemens, which was very notable.The acting is a major step up from the first film, as the characters were believable, compelling and interesting, and the deliverance was incredible. The suspense is riveting if you find yourself enthralled by the story, but the film is tailored for an audience that already knows the story which can be a hindrance to new-comers. The sets were well done, and much better than the first film in which most of the first film was shot on a sound stage with CGI. The director is new, and it is noticeable; there are more jump scares in this film then there needs to be, which is what a new director would define as scary when really it's just cliché. The ominous soundtrack makes its return, and it is so very welcomed; such a perfect, creepy sound that brings the film to life. Again, the deliverance of the acting performances is the key to this film, and the music accents that very well.This film stays true to the story the first film created, as well as staying true to the video game Silent Hill 3. It was a tough task to tie the end of the first film into the beginning of this film while keeping the story of the third game in-tact. Although the transition between the two films wasn't seamless, it was definitely the most optimum way it could have been done. Before watching this film, some questions may come up like how is Chris Da Silva the same person as Harry Mason? And how is Heather Mason connected to him? You must trust that these questions and more will be answered, and those answers are believable. The protagonist and the antagonist are both the same in the film as they are in the third game, and Heather's outfit will make any Silent Hill gamer immediately recognize this. The monsters were paramount to the film; they were creepy, ominous, and just messed up. The monsters added a presence to the film that is portrayed through the horrors and screams of the characters, they were very well done. Red Pyramid is featured in a more prominent role, and the nurses are more "deadly" this time round. The new monsters will leave you enthralled, begging for more. Finally we come to Alessa, although her time in the film is limited, she will creep you out as only she can. Some of the best lines of the film are voiced by Alessa, reminding us of parts of the first film with remnants of that deranged little girl still inside her.Every film has shortcomings and Silent Hill Revelations has fell victim to this fact, as has every other film in history; you can't please everyone, after all nothing is perfect. The audience will not like the lack of Alessa, she is an integral character and should have an integral role. The lack of adventure will be a problem as well, Heather seemed to know exactly where to go at all times, something that an extra twenty minutes of run time could have fixed. And one more hindrance is the jump scares, they do not interrupt or ruin the viewing experience in any way, the only problem seems to be that a Silent Hill film should scare you by disturbing your moral fibre with brutality and sadism, not by jumping out at you. The beautiful thing about this film is that it recognizes the shortcomings and provides explanation with in the plot, the facts are in the dialogue and recognized by the characters, being dealt with accordingly. Another great thing about this film is that it avoids the stereotypical "this film is 3D" moments, not tailoring the film to be 3D, but rather just having the 3D exist naturally.Overall, this film is fantastic. Coming from a dedicated Silent Hill fan: it was so enjoyable, as I was glued to the screen the whole time, and left wondering when am I going to see it again. It is a great watch, and it is a great continuance of the first film, as well as a great adaptation of the third game. The critics bash this film, yet it has a very solid rating from the audience; with IMDb currently sitting at 7.2/10, which is an accomplishment among films. The box office results will silence the critics as they did last time around. After all, I just watched Silent Hill's sequel; something the critics proclaimed would never happen. Why should we start listening to them now when they were so wrong before? The Silent Hill fans will love this film, the critics will hate this film, and the new-comers will enjoy the ride. Go to hell critics. <less> |