"It's a Failure" – Critics Slam "Return to Silent Hill" Film
The creators of the film "Return to Silent Hill" have lifted the embargo on reviews from journalists who got to see the film ahead of others. High hopes were placed on director Christophe Gans, which, it seems, have not been met, as critics have unanimously panned the project. At the time of this news publication, the film has only 6% freshness on Rotten Tomatoes and 30 out of 100 points on Metacritic.
The new film adaptation of Silent Hill 2 is being criticized on all fronts – from the plot and acting to extremely weak special effects, with the music by Akira Yamaoka being noted as perhaps the only merit.
Below, we have gathered several notable reviews:
IGN — 50/100
"Return to Silent Hill" cannot be called a completely hopeless film. Compared to Silent Hill: Revelation, it is undoubtedly a more successful follow-up to Christophe Gans's original 2006 creation, but ultimately, it's just an adaptation that doesn't improve upon the source material and doesn't offer anything particularly new or interesting. Those craving a truly gripping psychological horror are better off just playing Silent Hill 2, be it the original or the remake.
The Guardian — 40/100
20 years later, Gans still hasn't figured out how to move beyond the game or even give it momentum. There are, of course, "cinematic" images here, such as a horde of disgusting creatures resembling a cross between shaved rats and xenomorphs from "Alien", or even less fantastical things, like the fact that James's therapist in the first half of the film appears almost exclusively in shards of a broken mirror. But the flashback material poorly serves the task of creating any foundation, making everything that happens seem like a ghostly hallucination, and the scary moments lose their power.
Perhaps it was this ambiguity that brought Gans back to Silent Hill. If so, James truly appears as the embodiment of the director – convinced there is something substantial here and ignoring all warning signs to the contrary. All that's left is to return here in another 20 years.
Collider — 30/100
It makes perfect sense that fourteen years after the premiere of Silent Hill: Revelation, the best way to make this series relevant again was to retell the best story from the game, and with the involvement of the original film's creator. But due to poor direction, terrible acting, and a flat world (most of which was clearly created on a computer), this is not the best way to bring Silent Hill 2 to the big screen. This powerful horror story has turned into an ugly, laughable adaptation that proves we probably shouldn't have returned to Silent Hill.
Pros:
- Director Christophe Gans ensured that some locations in the film match the game's source material.
Cons:
- "Return to Silent Hill" relies too heavily on the game while simultaneously straying too far from the source, hindering narrative cohesion.
- The entire film is largely comprised of CGI, and not the best kind.
- This film tries to be both scary and an intellectual horror but fails at both.
Total Film — 30/100
"Return to Silent Hill" might be an atmospheric horror film with original monster designs worthy of the legendary Konami franchise, but a convoluted plot, mediocre visual effects, and overacting make the new "Silent Hill" adaptation just as hit-and-miss as Christophe Gans's first attempt 20 years ago.
Pros:
- Interesting, original monster designs.
- Convincing and poetic body horror.
- Music by Akira Yamaoka.
Cons:
- Poor visual effects ruin the most memorable monsters.
- A meaningless plot.
- The acting.
Slant Magazine — 12/100
It's no exaggeration to say that "Return to Silent Hill" boasts some of the most pathetic green screens and special effects in modern cinema. Compared to the phenomenal cinematography and art direction of the first film and Silent Hill: Revelation, "Return to Silent Hill" feels more like a sequel to "Birdemic".
The only undeniable merit here is the music by Akira Yamaoka. The composer showcases the same newfound classical maturity he brought to his music for the Silent Hill 2 remake by Bloober Team. His music is gloomy and elegiac, yet completely mismatched with the film it's in.
"Return to Silent Hill" is already playing in Russian cinemas, while in the West, the film starts only tomorrow, January 23rd.