It's Halloween and everybody likes a good scary movie. Capital 8 theaters is loaded with movies to suit your needs. For the kids there's "Hotel Transylvania" (see my previous review) and for the adults who like a good scare, there's "Sinister" and "Paranormal Activity 4". Then there's "Silent Hill 2: Revelation" new this past friday in theatres. So, which one is the right one to go see in order to get your scare on?
In 2006, the original "Silent Hill" was released and had a unique and well constructed story with a twist and a slow boiling tension throughout the film. "Silent Hill" is based on a highly successful video game series and the movie release, in my opinion, was one of the better adaptions and is still a very good movie to check out if you ever get the chance.
"Silent Hill 2: Revelation" follows up on the story from the original. A premise that leaves mother and daughter, Rose (Radha Mitchell) and Sharon (Jodelle Ferland), trapped in the mysterious town of Silent Hill. Meanwhile, father and daughter, Christopher (Sean Bean) and Sharon (Adelaide Clemens), now named Heather, are in the real world and on the run from a strange cult who wants Sharon/Heather. Yes, Sharon is in both worlds, her soul and body split into two and that is why the cult wants her back.
You may gather that the movie's storyline is confusing and convoluted. Well, it is. It will help to watch the original movie from 2006 to understand most of it. Walking into "Silent Hill 2" without having some understanding of the game series and/or the original movie, would be a large mistake. Even if you have seen or played the things related to this movie, you will find the storyline completely scattered and even at times nonsensical. I have seen and played some of these and even I found the movie confusing and scatterbrained.
"Silent Hill 2" does some things right. The monster effects are tremendous. The deadly homicidal nurses who move and freeze based on sounds were well done and the spider monster was incredibly cool, especially in 3D. The 3D effects in general were some of the best I've seen. When the ash from the burning town falls across Silent Hill, it feels as though the ash is falling right in your lap. The actress Adelaide Clemens did a great job, even if she does look frighteningly like Michelle Williams.
On the bad side, the game series of "Silent Hill" is about puzzle solving and mystery. The movie tried to have puzzles and mystery, but nearly all of these were poorly handled and didn't give the audience a chance to play along. Most of the movies plot movements were illogical. One moment, Heather states that she doesn't know where the town Silent Hill is, but 2 scenes later they are there. She doesn't know anything about Silent Hill as well, yet the first person she sees there, she instantly states that she knows who she is.
Ultimately, "Silent Hill 2" is a trip through a haunted house and it has the same effect as well. Some of the jump outs scare you, but for the most part, it is a not-very smart follow up to a very smart original. Not to mention, the ending was anti-climatic and illogical. A very disappointing Halloween movie. So to answer my original question. I hear "Sinister" is very good and I know that "Hotel Transylvania" is a good and fun movie for the kids.
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