Movie Review: SILENT HILL: REVELATION - 7 Stars

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I just saw SILENT HILL: REVELATION last night and I have mixed thoughts about it. If you are a fan of horror, the video game and heck, movies with a good story and characters than you probably won't be jumping for joy at the end of it.

However, I will say that the 3D looked amazing. The cinematography, 3ality Technica (3D camera rigs & expertise) and the visual effects saved whats left of the movie and actually salvaged a 7 out of 10 score from me. Without them we're probably looking at a 4 or 5 star movie.

Why? Where to begin. How about at the top - directing. Michael J. Bassett (SOLOMON KANE) just didn't get the job done here. What irked me most was when you have an actor of the caliber of Sean Bean and you have scenes where he does look all that good at all, you're in trouble. Bassett couldn't have had enough takes for these scenes or just couldn't edit it effectively.

Hit the jump for more...




**SPOILER**
Another example of poor directing is when Kit Harington's character Vincent literally tells Heather that he is part of the cult and was in fact sent into reality to bring her back to Silent Hill. HE TELLS HER THAT. Instead of showing her. Instead of having her suddenly come to that shocking revelation that he isn't what he appears to be. Instead of building up the psychological tension. *sigh*
** END SPOILER **

The acting was passable most of the time, but nothing memorable. Suspension of disbelief was broken in quite a few spots - too many times for my liking. For example the nurses looked real (great job!) but the spider creature I found to be too fake - not visceral enough for me. I did like the detail they put into describing how that monster came about though.

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The sound should have been much more too. It passed, but not remarkably so. Things like the town air raid horn should have used many, many more times to build tension - even little chunks of it worked into the score would have really given the movie that little extra push.

But the biggest two flaws of this movie to me was the lack of a compelling story and the almost total disappearance of the town of Silent Hill as an extra character. Yes, the location was so well done in the first two acts of the original SILENT HILL that it seemed to be alive and contributing to the telling of the story. It was that good. All that is practically gone in this one.

But if you enjoy 3D, some awesome visual effects and one particularly good battle scene at the end (with respectable background info to amp it up), then by all means go see it! Definitely in 3D. 

7 out of 10 stars.

Special thanks to Empire Theatres for the screening in RealD 3D. The screen was crisp and well lit as well as a perfect sound level!

New Poster For SILENT HILL: REVELATION 3D

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Check out the new poster for SILENT HILL: REVELATION 3D. I have high hopes for this movie and I suppose the story could go either way so fingers crossed. Of all the movie adaptations of video games out there, this one was the one that held the most promise for me. The first 2D movie delivered two solid first acts but more or less failed for me in the third, so I'm anxious to see the results of this one.

The great news is the cast and of course native 3D! We have Sean Bean, Carrie-Anne Moss, Radha Mitchell, Adelaide Clemens and Kit Harington headlining this thing and the very talented and industry leading 3D camera rigs of 3ality Techica (THE HOBBIT: AN UNEXPECTED JOURNEY, THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN, THE GREAT GATSBY, PROMETHEUS, TEXAS CHAINSAW 3D to name a few). I'm so amped about entering into Silent Hill again.

Here's the storyline for the movie:
Heather Mason (Adelaide Clemens) and her father (Sean Bean) have been on the run, always one step ahead of dangerous forces that she doesn’t fully understand. Now on the eve of her 18th birthday, plagued by horrific nightmares and the disappearance of her father, Heather discovers she’s not who she thinks she is. The revelation leads her deeper into a demonic world that threatens to trap her forever.

SILENT HILL: REVELATION 3D ratchets up the tension once again on October 26.

MUST WATCH: First Trailer For SILENT HILL: REVELATION 3D Remembers The Magic!

I am a huge fan of SILENT HILL from it's video game beginnings to the first movie. Now comes a much anticipated sequel and it looks to be captured some of that (dark) magic once again.

For me it wasn't the creatures as much as it was the town that got to me. I was really hoping for more of that feeling of dread in this one. The trailer reveals some of what I am looking for, but also a desire to show off creatures in full light - something that I am uneasy with, because I am a bit of a purist with this series. After all, it's more of a psychological horror than anything else. I won't go into specifics right now because I don't want to ruin the trailer for you, but all in all my anticipation is still very much there.

But oh, that town. The presence of a wicked unknown, bridging what's real with the supernatural. It's such a tricky place to finally reveal the evil behind the dread so I will reserve full judgement until after seeing the movie, to which I will be first in line. The falling soot and ashes will look SPECTACULAR in 3D, especially as this movie is being shot in native 3D using 3ality Technica rigs! Such a great setting, one of the best I have ever seen. SILENT HILL affects my location writing more than any other movie (yes, I'm writing!).

GAME OF THRONES talent clearly has an impact on the casting as Sean Bean returns to the franchise bringing Kit Harington along with him.

Here's the movie's storyline:
Based on the groundbreaking video game franchise, SILENT HILL: REVELATION 3D is the sequel to the hit film SILENT HILL, which opened to number one at the U.S. box office and took in nearly $100 million at the worldwide box office. Featuring an unparalleled horror experience, Konami’s Silent Hill franchise has captivated fans for more than a decade and has spawned a hit comic book series, graphic novels, collectible action figures and numerous soundtracks from rock bands. In SILENT HILL: REVELATION 3D, Heather Mason (Clemens) and her father (Bean) have been on the run, always one step ahead of dangerous forces that she doesn’t fully understand. On the eve of her 18th birthday, plagued by horrific nightmares and the disappearance of her father, Heather discovers she’s not who she thinks she is. The revelation leads her deeper into a demonic world that threatens to trap her forever.

SILENT HILL: REVELATION 3D opens on October 26.