Silent Hill: Sean Bean Can't Survive Again

Title: Silent Hill: Revelations 3D
Director: Michael J. Bassett
Release Date: 26th Oct (US), 31st Oct (UK)

As a long term follower of the Silent Hill video game series I thoroughly enjoyed the 2006 movie directed by Christophe Gans. Not necessarily revelling in its artistic decisions to deviate from the original source but enjoying the visual experience of the movie and how it captures all the elements that I feel makes up Silent Hill.

Someone has really good artistic skills when it comes to leaving threatening messages written in blood.

So here we are again, hype and expectations for the second instalment are definitely at a high. Provided they can deliver a similar experience to the first movie, it can't go wrong. Here's where my concerns start, the writer has changed as has the director. Not a good start.

What To Look Forward To

However, the trailer has definitely peaked my interest levels with many scenes mirroring those in Silent Hill 3. Without giving too much away: Douglas coming looking for Heather, Sean Bean on the run from something, the mysterious artifact: the Metatron, Heather ending up in Lakeside Amusement Park.

Now to sell this baby on eBay.

The first movie's musical score was all done by the original video game's composer, Akira Yamaoka, so that aspect is intact and was definitely a plus for the movie. Not sure if he's returning which will be a damn shame - loss of the distinct haunting melodies of Silent Hill's music master.

Someone who IS returning however is the beloved Sean Bean after the last-minute decision to put him into the first movie, leaving his character a bit flat and uninvolved in the central plot, I'm certainly looking forward to him playing a bigger role in this new movie. Fans of the video game series will already have a heads up on what his role in this movie is going to be.

Looks perfectly inviting and not at all sinister, right?

Excited to see how they develop this new main character, Heather Mason (played by Adelaide Clemens), and bring her from her high school life to the delightful Silent Hill. Fans of Game of Thrones will also be happy to see Kit Harington making an appearance as Vincent although from the trailer he seems to be playing a much friendlier and less sinister role than in the Silent Hill 3 game.

You know nothing, Vincent Carter.

Not Looking Forward To

Pyramid Head. Seriously guys, leave him alone. It's established that Pyramid Head is the personal demon of Silent Hill 2, yet they insist on making him a part of every facet of the franchise now. But they haven't stopped before and it seems as if they want to continue cementing the fact that he is the Silent Hill mascot.

Raping at a cinema near you this October.

Sticking too close to the video game. I've played the Silent Hill games to death meaning that I already have the plot  of this movie loosely laid out in my head, it would definitely be nice to still be surprised by something - although this is a nitpick, many fans will probably want it truer to the source material. Although to those fans, I say, "Why do you want the exact same story told twice"?

The 3D. I will most likely not be seeing this movie in 3D, simply because I resent being made to pay more for something that adds so very little. Plus as a person who wears glasses, wearing a second pair ON TOP of them is, frankly, absurd. Another reason to avoid the 3D is that they are specifically catering towards it as you can see from the trailer, various things flying towards the screen and specifically toting the 3D tag in the movie name. Let's hope this gimmick dies out a little soon.

Worth Going?

If you enjoyed the first movie? Definitely. I know this movie is bound to give you a little of the magic of the first, I just hope it isn't oversaturated by action at the cost of the scenes of pure terror and the moments of building the disturbing atmosphere.