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Dead Silence (2007)

Director: James Wan

Time Out rating

Average user rating

5 reviews

Movie review

From Time Out London

This throw-back horror movie from Leigh Whannell and James Wan, the writer and director of ‘Saw’, fuses the theatricality of Hammer Horror with a modern sensibility. Its fog-wreathed graveyards and spooky sets are CGI-enhanced, but its twentysomething protagonist – though haunted by his family’s murky past – is very much of our time. Sadly, the overall effect is more creaky than creepy. Insipid ‘Home and Away’ alumnus Ryan Kwanten plays Jamie Ashen, whose claims that his wife was murdered by a ventriloquist’s doll fall on deaf ears where cynical cop Jim Lipton (Donnie Wahlberg) is concerned. Lipton follows Jamie and the doll to the moribund community of Ravens Fair, where Jamie uncovers a dark family secret. Even if you find the staring eyes and flapping mouths of ventriloquist dolls scary, there’s a homage-by-numbers feel to the ‘sins of the fathers’ plot, with its references to Mario Bava movies and Edgar Allan Poe. It’s affectionately done, but rather pointless.

Author: Nigel Floyd

Time Out London Issue 1924: July 4-10 2007

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User reviews of this film

ghita mihaiela said...

Posted on Jan 25 2009 15:54 cel mai tare film dead silence

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Dani said...

Posted on Jul 10 2008 18:35 Good film very scary. twist at the end I recommend!!!!

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hagz finally said said...

Posted on Jul 23 2007 18:16 sh!t film

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hagz also said...

Posted on Jul 23 2007 18:16 would have been better if a blind man directed it

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hagz said...

Posted on Jul 23 2007 18:15 shocking film, bambi was scaryer.

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