Christophe Gans’ cinematic adaptation of Silent Hill got a bad rap back in 2006. Critics mauled it. General cinemagoers were nonplussed. But fans of Konami’s survival-horror franchise? Well, they were largely satisfied.
Sure, while the the latter half of the pic falls into some narrative pitfalls with overly unwieldy exposition, and aspects of the dialogue could’ve benefited from another re-write, there’s still plenty to love about Gans’ filmic re-interpretation of the acclaimed psychological horror series.
Is it the best video game adaptation ever? Maybe. Does it help if you’re familiar with the original Silent Hill games? Quite possibly. But one thing is for certain: it’s no where near as terrible as you probably remember it is. (Now say that again, but this time with meaning.)
So, grab your static-filled radios and your rusty ol’ pipes as we break down three reasons to return to the familiar foggy lakeside town on its 15 year anniversary. Let’s get into it!
It Feels Like An Authentic Adaptation Of Silent Hill
3 Reasons Why You Should Watch the Silent Hill Movie on Its 15 Year Anniversary
No matter how many times I watch Silent Hill, Christophe Gans’ passion and respect for the franchise immediately shines through. As the plot unfolds it quickly becomes clear that Gans and his creative team really wanted to make a proper film adaptation of the video games. Sure, you may balk at such an obvious sentiment, but it’s genuinely striking how authentic everything looks and feels. And that has a lot to do with what happened behind the scenes while making Silent Hill.
You see, the French writer-director is actually a huge fan of Konami’s critically lauded horror series. Not only is he currently developing a new Silent Hill threequel, but before he even got his hands on the IP, he truly cared a lot about the source material.
In fact, it took Gans five years of pitching the idea to Konami before ultimately acquiring the rights to the property. Furthermore, the Brotherhood Of The Wolf director had to make his own short film – which was paid for out of his own pocket – before Konami would even bite. In other words, Gans wanted to make a Silent Hill movie, which helped the pic feel like more of a passion project. And it shows.
Add in a decent screenplay from Roger Avary – who co-wrote Quentin Tarantino’s Pulp Fiction – and throw in some top-notch acting chops from the likes of Radha Mitchell, Laurie Holden, and Sean Bean, and you’re left with one of the best video game movie adaptations yet. (Ok, not the highest bar, but still.)
Make no mistake: the first Silent Hill movie absolutely nails the tone, atmosphere and feel of the original survival-horror games to a blood-drenched tee.
