Film
What's on at the cinema plus reviews of the latest movie and DVD releases
Bookmark this pageSilent Hill (2006)
Director: Christophe Gans
Movie review
From Time Out London
French director Christophe Gans’s adaptation of the Silent Hill computer game is visually inspired and thematically ambitious, yet ultimately uninvolving. Distressed by her adopted daughter Sharon’s sleepwalking and talk of Silent Hill, her mother Rose (Radha Mitchell) drives her there. A former West Virginia mining community now poisoned by gases from an underground fire, it is also permeated by an ancient evil and peopled with disfigured demons, including a pyramid-headed giant, armless monsters and faceless nurses. Aided by motorcycle cop Cybil Bennett (Laurie Holden), Rose tries to unravel her daughter’s mysterious past. Gans’s fluid visuals make fine use of the striking set designs by Cronenberg collaborator Carol Spier and the fetishistic creature designs of Patrick Tatopoulos. Yet the nightmarish imagery, much of it reminiscent of ‘Jacob’s Ladder’ and ‘Hellraiser’, is more disturbing than frightening. Scriptwriter Roger Avary’s clumsy storytelling is also problematic, with confusing shifts between the haunted town’s different time/space dimensions.Author: Nigel Floyd
Time Out London
User reviews of this film
-
- Richard Marks said...
- Posted on Nov 27 2008 21:19 Excellent film; well crafted other-wordly feel; easy to get drawn into this disturbing time and place. Must see for anyone wanting to see a film unlike anything else ever made.
- Report as inappropriate
Cast & crew
Director: Christophe Gans
Cast: Radha Mitchell, Sean Bean, Deborah Kara Unger, Laurie Holden full cast
Rated: 15
Duration: 120 mins
UK Release: Apr 21 2006
Most popular on this site
Top Stories
Stephen Poliakoff discusses 'Glorious 39'
Stephen Poliakoff’s ‘Glorious 39’ is his first film for cinema since ‘Food of Love’ in 1997. Dave Calhoun met him
Is 'Paranormal Activity' the new 'Blair Witch'?
How does a film go from DIY experiment to box-office smash? 'Paranormal Activity' director Oren Peli explains
Steven Soderbergh on 'The Informant!' and 'The Girlfriend Experience'
We talk to Steven Soderbergh about his two forthcoming films: one featuring a porn star, the other a chubby Matt Damon
A gateway to all things 'New Moon'
In anticipation of 'The Twilight Saga: New Moon', Time Out is offering the chance to pick up a limited edition pack with three exclusive magazines and a free poster.
London Children's Film Festival
Read our exclusive reviews of films playing at the 2009 London Children’s Film Festival
The films that deserve a TV spin-off
With Roland Emmerich suggesting he'd like to make a '2012' TV spin-off, we propose some more movie-to-TV serialisations
The Coen brothers discuss 'A Serious Man'
Masters of contrary comedy, Joel and Ethan Coen have struck gold again with their latest, ‘A Serious Man’
Michael Haneke discusses 'The White Ribbon'
Dave Calhoun met with Michael Haneke in Munich to mull over the details of his Palme d'Or winner, 'The White Ribbon'
Ten inspirations behind 'Avatar'?
Time Out ponders the influences behind James Cameron's anticipated space-opera on the basis of the trailer
Time Out's 50 greatest animated films with commentary by Terry Gilliam
In celebration of the release of Pixar's 'Up' and Wes Anderson's 'Fantastic Mr Fox', read our rundown of fifty classic feature length animations
What do you think?
Post your review now