Holy crap was I ready to love this movie.
I remember the day my brother brought the game Silent Hill 2 home. I was getting ready for bed when he pounded on my door and he said, "Don't go to sleep yet... Not until you see this!"
We stayed up all night playing that game, and several nights after that... I'd rush home after school to find Dan already playing. We were both obsessed.
The first time Pyramid Head showed up, I almost wet my pants.
There was no point in even trying to go to sleep... We were both so scared... It was easier to just press on.
That week was one of the best weeks of my life. Dan and I totally bonded over that game. Neither one of us could hide our fear from the other.
Since then, i've inherited Dan's PS2, and have gone back and played all the Silent Hills. They're all fantastic, but none of them were as exciting - or as frightening - as Silent Hill 2.
Anyway, Dan was home this weekend, and he had that same look in his eye as the day he brought the game home... We were eating dinner and he said, "Wanna go see Silent Hill?"
I couldn't finish my dinner fast enough.
We drove out to the movie theatre, both of us were laughing at how stupidly excited we were.
And then the movie started.
The music - straight out of the first Silent Hill game - started up. Good way to start.
And then it was all downhill.
The plot - based on the first game - is a solid premise. It could, SHOULD, have worked... But it doesn't. The execution is terrible. I don't know if it's the dialogue, the stilted acting or what. I never fully involved with the characters, i never really cared about any of them.
That being said, the atmosphere of the movie; the look, the feel, the TONE was fantastic.
This is, hands down, one of the creepiest films i've ever seen.
It captured the look and the feel of the video game perfectly. It's beautiful and stunning to watch. Pyramid Head is something to behold.
There were moments were i was in complete awe but it was such a heart-wrenching film to watch. It could have been so amazing. It looks like an amazing film... But the story just doesn't work.
Look, i recommend this to everyone. Go see it. It's worth it just for the experience. If anything it warrants the discussion: What went wrong? How could they have made it work?
I hope there's a sequel. I want more. I want it done right.
