Return to Silent Hill review – video game horror series births another middling movie

Silent Hill Reborn: A Half-Hearted Horror Revival

Twenty years after its lackluster debut, Christopher Gans returns to the haunted world of Silent Hill, bringing with him a new story based on the popular video game Silent Hill 2. The result is a middling horror film that struggles to find its footing in a genre it's familiar with yet often fails to deliver.

Gans' decision to revisit this unpromising series may be admirable, but his return also raises questions about whether anyone else would have taken on the task. James (Jeremy Irvine), the protagonist of Return to Silent Hill, is an affable everyman who stumbles into the eerie town of Silent Hill after a chance encounter with Mary (Hannah Emily Anderson). Despite some initially intriguing moments, their relationship feels glossed over, making it difficult to become invested in their romance.

The movie's central plot revolves around James' desperate search for Mary, drawing him deeper into the town's supernatural mystery. However, as the narrative unfolds, it becomes apparent that Gans struggles to replicate the game's tension and forward momentum. The film meanders through a visually distinct landscape, presenting an assortment of bizarre and frightening sights.

One notable aspect is the incorporation of cinematic imagery, such as the grotesque creatures reminiscent of Alien. Yet, this is often undermined by the lack of a clear narrative foundation. The use of fragmented mirror scenes to depict James' therapist (Nicola Alexis) serves only to further confuse the viewer, making it challenging to distinguish reality from the supernatural.

Gans' return to Silent Hill may be driven by an unwavering loyalty to the series and its fanbase, but it's clear that he still grapples with the challenges of adapting a video game into a cohesive film. The result is a horror movie that lacks the depth and purpose it desires. Even die-hard fans of the franchise may find themselves checking their watches as Return to Silent Hill limps toward its conclusion.

As James' journey progresses, he becomes increasingly entangled in a web of mystery and terror. Unfortunately, his stubborn determination often puts him at odds with logic, leaving the viewer wondering if he'll ever escape the clutches of Silent Hill's malevolent forces. With a release date set for January 23rd, it remains to be seen whether Return to Silent Hill will find its footing in the horror genre or continue the tradition of underwhelming film adaptations based on beloved video games.

Wow The fact that they're trying again after 20 years is already a bold move, but it sounds like it's not paying off this time . I mean, I love Silent Hill too, but it's just hard to get excited about another retread when the first one didn't exactly set the world on fire . And yeah, I can see how the romance thing would be glossed over if they're trying to prioritize the horror elements... interesting

I don't know why they bother reviving this series . It feels like they're just phoning it in at this point. The movie looks pretty, but that's about where the excitement ends for me . I mean, who wants to watch a dude run around a creepy town trying to find some chick? Sounds boring to me... or was it Silent Hill 2 that had the romance part? I just don't get why they can't make a good horror movie without all these weird twists and turns. And what's up with the mirror scenes? That just adds more confusion for me . Overall, it looks like another lukewarm attempt at bringing Silent Hill to life on the big screen...

OMG, 20 yrs is a long time to come back to this series ... I'm all for revivals but this one feels like a mess . The game is iconic and the movie should've been so much more . They're trying to recreate that Alien vibe but it's not quite right . And omg, the therapist scenes are CRAZY confusing ! I'm a fan of Jeremy Irvine but even he can't save this film . 1st Jan release date better be good or else fans will be super disappointed

omg I'm so meh about this movie ... like I get that they're trying to revive Silent Hill but this just feels like a lazy cash-grab . I mean, 20 years after the original and it's still not delivering? That's some next-level disappointment . The plot is all over the place and James' character development is super lacking... I don't even care about his love interest Mary anymore . And can we talk about how convoluted the mirror scenes are? like, what's going on with that?!

I'm a huge horror fan but this just doesn't cut it for me. The visuals are cool and all, but the lack of tension and pacing is gonna put me right to sleep . I think they're trying too hard to recreate the game experience without actually understanding what makes Silent Hill so iconic in the first place . I'll stick to playing the games, thank you very much!

idk what's up with these movie adaptations lol, they're just so...meh . silent hill is a classic game, but this one seems like it's trying too hard to be scary but ultimately falls flat . james' character feels kinda generic and i didn't really connect with him or mary, which made it hard for me to care about their romance . the film's pacing is all over the place too, sometimes it's tense but other times it just feels like they're dragging out scenes forever . can't wait to see what others think of this one though

meh, i'm just gonna say it - silent hill is one of those franchises that's hard to get right . 20 years after the original debut, and they're still trying to figure out how to bring it back? it's like they're stuck in a never-ending nightmare . chris gans' return is admirable i guess, but can he really deliver? the whole thing just feels so...half-hearted . the game's tension and forward momentum are what made silent hill great, but gans seems to be missing that magic . even die-hard fans might find themselves checking their watches . if you're a die-hard fan, you might want to wait for the home release, tbh

I can feel how disappointed you must be with this movie review It's like, I get that they're trying to revive an old series and all, but it just doesn't feel like a good execution to me... like, the whole thing feels kinda half-baked? And yeah, I can see why James' romance with Mary would be glossed over - it just doesn't seem like there's much depth to their relationship.

I'm also kinda with you on how the movie just meanders around without a clear narrative foundation It's like, they're trying to be all spooky and creepy, but it's not really working for me... and don't even get me started on those mirror scenes . Like, I get what they're going for, but it just ends up being super confusing.

I think the only good thing about this movie is that it's visually distinct, like you said But yeah, it's not enough to save the whole film from feeling kinda... meh . Maybe die-hard fans of Silent Hill will still enjoy it, but for everyone else, it just feels like a letdown

I went into this movie expecting a whole lotta scares and some deep exploration of the Silent Hill universe, but what I got was just...meh . The pacing is all over the place, it's like Chris Gans is trying to cram in as many jump scares as possible without giving us any real payoff. And don't even get me started on James' love interest Mary - she's practically a prop, you can barely see her beyond being some random girl James meets . I mean, I know the game's story isn't exactly well-known outside of die-hard fans, but come on, can't they at least try to make it work? The visuals are cool, don't get me wrong, but they're not enough to carry the whole movie. Overall, I'd say this one's a skippable horror flick for anyone looking for a real scare fest ️.