Silent Hill: Revelation, Directed by Michael Bassett (the most unknown director ever) is the sequel to 2006’s Silent Hill and an extension of the famous survival horror video game series of the same title. Interestingly, Roger Avery, who is known for writing Pulp Fiction and Resevoir Dogs, was originally the writer for this film but then he got nicked for manslaughter. So that’s a bit of a shame, it could have actually had a good story. This film stars Adelaide Clemens, a relatively unknown actor but she has a remarkable likeness to the character she is playing in the original Silent Hill games, Heather. Kit Harrington (Game of Thrones) plays the love interest, Vincent. Sean Bean (also from GoT) shows up as Heathers Father, Harry, and they all go on a rock and roll adventure into wonderland, er I mean Silent Hill.
The film has few good points to it, to find any is a victory in itself, but lets delve in. The scene is set very well, it definitely feels like a horror movie, you have the usual tropes of words on the wall in blood, scary monsters and all that. Everything feels very odd which is a good thing, it adds to the atmosphere of the film. And when we take the transition into ‘The Other World’ the special effects are great, it really does match the game brilliantly in that respect. But, that’s the thing…
The film is based on the game series yes, but we need more of a first act, there isn’t enough that tells us about what silent hill is, not much is explained, things happen and people on screen are scared, but we the audience aren’t, because we don’t understand what’s going on. The story itself is incredibly limp and flimsy, essentially the main character Heather is needed by the Silent Hill townspeople to rid them of a horror. That again is not very well explained, and all the set pieces are very forced, there is no flow to the film. At one point they are in a motel, then they are in a mental hospital, then in a fairground? What’s going on here?
Overall the film is not great, despite having Sean Bean in it, and relies too much on the audience having played one of the games. For the people who did play the games there are lots of interesting little things they will get, pyramid head being in it is interesting. The costume for Heather is also reminiscent of early games in the series. And there are other pointers to both Silent Hill 3 and Silent Hill: Downpour, which will make Silent Hill fans look around at their friends seeing if they noticed it too, then look smug when they notice no one else has. So if you like horror films, and haven’t played the game, do not buy this film. Even if a friend invites you round to watch it, refuse it at all costs!
Silent Hill: Revelation (2012), directed by Michael Bassett, is released on Blu-ray disc and DVD in the UK by Lionsgate, Certificate 15.
