Silent Hill (2006)

Director:

Christophe Gans

Writer (WGA):

Roger Avary (written by)

Release Date:

21 April 2006 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Fantasy | Horror | Thriller

Tagline:

Enjoy your stay.

Plot:

A woman goes in search for her daughter, within the confines of a strange, desolate town called Silent Hill. Based on the video game.

Plot Keywords:

Flashlight | Nudity | Fog | Maternal Instinct | Night

Awards:

4 nominations

Cast

Radha Mitchell	...	Rose Da Silva
Sean Bean	...	Christopher Da Silva
Laurie Holden	...	Cybil Bennett
Deborah Kara Unger	...	Dahlia Gillespie
Kim Coates	...	Officer Thomas Gucci
Tanya Allen	...	Anna
Alice Krige	...	Christabella
Jodelle Ferland	...	Sharon / Alessa
Colleen Williams	...	Archivist
Ron Gabriel	...	Old Mechanic
Eve Crawford	...	Sister Margaret
Derek Ritschel	...	Young Police Officer
Amanda Hiebert	...	Gas Attendant
Nicky Guadagni	...	Distressed Woman
Maxine Dumont	...	Christabella's Aide

Also Known As:

Centralia (USA) (fake working title)
Silent Hill (France)

MPAA:

Rated R for strong horror violence and gore, disturbing images, and some language.

Runtime:

127 min | Philippines:123 min (cut)

Country:

Canada | France

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital | SDDS

Certification:

Germany:16 (nf) | Sweden:15 | Hungary:18 | Singapore:NC-16 (edited version) | Portugal:M/18 | Brazil:18 | USA:R | Japan:PG-12 | France:-12 | Mexico:C | Chile:14 | Switzerland:16 (canton of Vaud) | Norway:15 | Canada:13+ (Quebec) | Italy:T | Singapore:M18 | Ireland:15 (DVD rating) | South Korea:18 | Australia:MA | Malaysia:U (DVD) | Hong Kong:IIB | Philippines:R-13 | Switzerland:16 (canton of Geneva) | Canada:18A | Ireland:16 | New Zealand:R16 | UK:15 | Finland:K-15 | Romania:I.M.-18

Filming Locations:

Brampton, Ontario, Canada

Company:

Silent Hill DCP Inc.

Trivia:

Christophe Gans originally wanted Cameron Diaz to play the part of Cybil.

Goofs:

Continuity: When Chris arrives at the police barricade, the angle of the gates at the bridge changes a few times between shots.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Rose: Sharon! She's not here! Oh, god. Christopher, can you see anything? Sharon! Sharon!

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Path of Darkness: Making 'Silent Hill' (2006) (V)

Soundtrack:

Theme of Laura (SHF6)

A very surprising, dark and gruesome movie!

You have to approach any movie adaptation of a video game with extreme trepidation. Think of the other corkers we've all caught on TV in the past: Super Mario Bros., Mortal Kombat, Resident Evil. Stinkers, one and all. Doom was vapid, but at least got close to the source material.

So what about Silent Hill? The movie opens with music lifted straight from the game itself - in fact, the entire movie contains original tracks from the game as well as some remixed score. Just as it was a fantastic and brooding background when playing the game, it works very effectively on screen.

As for the film itself, the story is a composite of story elements from the first and second games, but the final act is a monstrous and highly original thirty minutes that kept me guessing (as well as being completely grossed out). Indeed, the violence is pretty gruesome.. clever mixtures of CGI and fully made-up monsters which really add to the foreboding atmosphere.

At first, I felt nervous watching this.. not because of the visuals (which are absolutely SPOT ON.. I've never seen ANY movie adaptation that is this close to the source material.. all the comic book movies from the past few years still stray furiously).. but because of the weak opening. After I'd resigned myself to the fact that the movie was going to be disappointing, I was pleasantly surprised as soon as the main character Rose gets to Silent Hill itself. If you're a fan of the game, you won't be disappointed. If you're a horror hound, you'll love the creatures and the visuals. If you're expecting a deep movie about the relationship between estranged mother and daughter.. you're in the wrong theatre.

Highly recommended. Best horror movie I've seen in a long time.