Sean Bean reprises his role in "Silent Hill: Revelation." Adelaide Clemens plays his daughter, Heather, who must return to mysterious Silent Hill, W.Va., when her father is kidnapped by a cult.
CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- The first "Silent Hill" movie, released six years ago, remains the only respectable Hollywood adaptation of a video game. While it stumbled in some places, it still managed to nail the atmosphere of the games, whereas adaptations such as "Doom" and the "Resident Evil" series seem similar to their pixilated counterparts in name only.
Unfortunately, "Silent Hill: Revelation" falls victim to the same pitfall as the original: a mediocre script.
"Revelation" is the second "Silent Hill" film and a direct continuation of the first one. It is inspired by the "Silent Hill 3" game, which is a direct sequel to the original "Silent Hill" game. ("Silent Hill 2" and the other games in the franchise are unrelated, self-contained stories.)
Sean Bean reprises his role from the first movie. Having changed his name to Harry Mason -- the character's original name in the games -- he and his daughter Heather (Australian actress Adelaide Clemens) are attempting to have a normal life.
However, the mysterious town of Silent Hill, W.Va., soon begins to call to Heather, who has no memory of the events of the previous movie. Despite her father's warning not to go, Heather is forced to make her way to the dreaded town when he's kidnapped by a strange cult.
But she's not alone. The film incorporates an original character, Vincent (Kit Harington, "Game of Thrones"), who both accompanies Heather on her journey and serves as her love interest. Be prepared to groan when the film reveals his true nature.
There's not much else I can say about the plot without giving it away. Suffice it to say if you've played "Silent Hill 3," then you'll know exactly how things play out, though there are some minor changes to the fates of certain characters.
"Revelation" is a gorgeous movie. The set designs are creepy and atmospheric, and the 3D never seems like a gimmick. Rather, it immerses you in the world. You'll go into the movie more than things will come out at you.
The CGI, however, is very laughable. Thankfully, it's only noticeably used for one monster. The make up and costume designs are a treat, though, and the creatures look terrifyingly real.
Likewise, the acting is solid. Clemens in particular has all the makings of a star and portrays Heather wonderfully. I don't think there's ever been an actor in a movie adaptation of a video game who has stayed so true to the character.
The problem, as I said before, is the script. It's extremely dull, and the movie suffers for its horrific pacing. Whereas the first film was more of a slow burn, "Revelation" moves so fast you're likely to get whiplash.
As a fan of the game franchise, I have a lot of bones to pick with this movie because it fails to incorporate the psychological terror of the games and it misuses certain monsters. Even if I can set these problems aside, "Revelation" is still a lackluster movie that completely fails to terrify.
That said, since it does excel with atmosphere, design and acting, I still recommend the movie to people who enjoyed the first film. If that one didn't tickle your fancy, though, then definitely avoid seeing this.
"Silent Hill: Revelation" is certainly not the movie to terrify you this Halloween, but it will likely entertain you on some level. At any rate, it's another step forward as Hollywood tries to grasp the concept of a good video game movie.
CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- The first "Silent Hill" movie, released six years ago, remains the only respectable Hollywood adaptation of a video game. While it stumbled in some places, it still managed to nail the atmosphere of the games, whereas adaptations such as "Doom" and the "Resident Evil" series seem similar to their pixilated counterparts in name only.
Unfortunately, "Silent Hill: Revelation" falls victim to the same pitfall as the original: a mediocre script.
"Revelation" is the second "Silent Hill" film and a direct continuation of the first one. It is inspired by the "Silent Hill 3" game, which is a direct sequel to the original "Silent Hill" game. ("Silent Hill 2" and the other games in the franchise are unrelated, self-contained stories.)
Sean Bean reprises his role from the first movie. Having changed his name to Harry Mason -- the character's original name in the games -- he and his daughter Heather (Australian actress Adelaide Clemens) are attempting to have a normal life.
However, the mysterious town of Silent Hill, W.Va., soon begins to call to Heather, who has no memory of the events of the previous movie. Despite her father's warning not to go, Heather is forced to make her way to the dreaded town when he's kidnapped by a strange cult.
But she's not alone. The film incorporates an original character, Vincent (Kit Harington, "Game of Thrones"), who both accompanies Heather on her journey and serves as her love interest. Be prepared to groan when the film reveals his true nature.
There's not much else I can say about the plot without giving it away. Suffice it to say if you've played "Silent Hill 3," then you'll know exactly how things play out, though there are some minor changes to the fates of certain characters.
"Revelation" is a gorgeous movie. The set designs are creepy and atmospheric, and the 3D never seems like a gimmick. Rather, it immerses you in the world. You'll go into the movie more than things will come out at you.
The CGI, however, is very laughable. Thankfully, it's only noticeably used for one monster. The make up and costume designs are a treat, though, and the creatures look terrifyingly real.
Likewise, the acting is solid. Clemens in particular has all the makings of a star and portrays Heather wonderfully. I don't think there's ever been an actor in a movie adaptation of a video game who has stayed so true to the character.
The problem, as I said before, is the script. It's extremely dull, and the movie suffers for its horrific pacing. Whereas the first film was more of a slow burn, "Revelation" moves so fast you're likely to get whiplash.
As a fan of the game franchise, I have a lot of bones to pick with this movie because it fails to incorporate the psychological terror of the games and it misuses certain monsters. Even if I can set these problems aside, "Revelation" is still a lackluster movie that completely fails to terrify.
That said, since it does excel with atmosphere, design and acting, I still recommend the movie to people who enjoyed the first film. If that one didn't tickle your fancy, though, then definitely avoid seeing this.
"Silent Hill: Revelation" is certainly not the movie to terrify you this Halloween, but it will likely entertain you on some level. At any rate, it's another step forward as Hollywood tries to grasp the concept of a good video game movie.
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