Weekly Review -- Disturbed to no end

Silent Hill (2006) -- I should have written this review earlier. No, not because I was enthusiastic about this film -- although it was good -- or because it was fresh in my mind, but because I was hoping to forget it as soon as possible. I will explain why later. The new film by Christophe Gans (Brotherhood of the Wolf) is an innovative horror/drama/fantasy based on the video game of the same name. Rose (Radha Mitchell) and Christopher Da Silva (Sean Bean) are growing increasingly worried about their adopted daughter Sharon (Jodelle Ferland). Not only does Sharon sleepwalk, she also seems to be plagued by nightmares involving Silent Hill, an abandoned town in West Virginia. After researching the town on the Internet, Rose decides to take a trip with Sharon to Silent Hill, in order to get to the core of her daughter's problems. When they arrive, Sharon disappears. As Rose searches for her, she starts piecing together Silent Hill's mysteries and secrets, until some ghastly truths are uncovered. Gans is a fantastic director, who manages to combine human drama, thrills and chills in a plausible manner, all the while giving the film an edgy originality. Mitchell is very good as Rose and she has already proved with Pitch Black that the horror genre is one of her strongest suites, so I hope she makes another horror film in the future. Bean is convincing as the beleaguered husband, while Ferland's performance shows promise. A stand-out, however, is Alice Krige as Christabella, the ultra religious and über-evil leader of Silent Hill's inhabitants; she spews venom with every word and every action. Christabella is the initiator of some of the most horrific and disturbing scenes and images I have recently seen on film, which I hope will fade from my head soon. Without spoiling anything, you will either be in shock or scream at the TV; there is no third possible reaction. The production design and cinematography are incredible, taking video game adaptations to a whole new level with visual realism. I also have to mention the music by Jeff Danna and Akira Yamaoka, which still haunts me and fits the film's twists with its gloomy sadness. On the whole, the film is not only a good horror film, but also makes some excellent points about the dangers of organized religion and the bond between mother and child. Everyone who likes cinematic horror/fantasy hybrids will like Silent Hill, but be warned -- there are some images you will not soon forget.

7/10