When it come to video game to movie adaptions, 2006's Silent Hill is considered one of the best. The main thing the games, billed as survival horror, had going for them was a deep involving story, unique visuals, and a metric ton of atmosphere. The filmmakers behind the first film saw this too, and brought those elements together to make a satisfying, if not perfect, cinema going experience. Unfortunately, judging from this sequel, the first movie seems to be a one off thing.
Six years after the events of the first movie, Christopher (Sean Bean) and Sharon (Adelaide Clements) are living under the assumed names of Harry and Heather, trying their best to escape the clutches of the evil cult that resides in the nightmarish world of Silent Hill. When her father is kidnapped, Sharon once again travels to Silent Hill to save her father, and confront the dark secret that connects her to the terrible place.
Loosely adapting the story of the third game, Silent Hill: Revelation starts off well enough, but soon gets bogged with exposition. Ironically, it's when Sharon gets to the town the movie is named after, that it falls flat on its face, alternating between scenes of our heroine walking through darkened rooms, and various characters explaining the plot to her for what feels like the hundredth time. The plot gets more complicated as the movie goes on, fizzling out with twenty minutes to spare, the movie devolving into what is essentially a boss fight from a video game. The acting also lets the film down, with the exception of Clements, who provides a likable lead. She is let down by her supporting cast, though, especially Malcolm McDowell and Carrie Anne Moss, who believe hamming it up like no one has hammed it up before to be the best course of action.
The visuals are the movies saving grace, with most of the monsters achieved using traditional make up effects, and the set design suitably creepy. The games' most well known creatures, Pyramid Head and The Nurses, are striking and fantastically brought to life, though, as is the case with the latter, just seem to be in there for fan service. As for the 3D, it adds quite alot to the experience, occasionally resorting to a cheap gimmick, with body parts flying out of the screen, but mainly used to really immerse the viewer in this strange and twisted world.
Another black mark against video game adaptions, Silent Hill: Revelation offers some unique and interesting visuals, but very little else.
