Actors: Adelaide Clemens, Kit Harington, Sean Bean, Carrie-Anne Moss, Malcolm McDowell
Directors: Michael J. Bassett
Rated: R (Restricted)
Studio: Universal Studios
DVD Release Date: February 26, 2013
Run Time: 95 minutes
Film: 3 out of 5 stars
Extras: 1 out of 5 stars
When I first saw “Silent Hill”, I wasn’t really blown away at first. The film has grown on me since but still isn’t near perfect. With the sequel I was really hoping that this was going to fix all the issues they had but with the first film but they leave way too many loose ends and focus too much on the back story. There are also flashbacks to the first film countless times, I would have like to seen them take the film it is own and new direction instead of holding onto the first film like a crutch. The film is still entertaining though and visually beautiful (like the first).
If you have played the games then you know they are scary as shit. This film (and the first) never really captured that fear aspect. The creepiest part in the film was the nurses but nothing really scary here. Pyramid Head plays the role of the anti-hero more than a villain. When it comes to gore, there are some decent gory moments, but not very many. Maybe I am desensitized but I was missing some major “What the F***!” moments here.
Let’s get to the aspect of the 3D. I have to say I was very impressed with the 3D. It feel like it was used well and almost sparingly. It delivered some great in-your-face moments without going cheesy, while also providing some amazing depth to the town of Silent Hill. I loved any shots with the falling ash since I felt like they really stood out well. I might even go as far to say that the 3D was in fact the best part of this film. Having also seen the film in 2D, it plays well but misses that depth that really binds it all together with the extra dimension.
In the video game world, “Silent Hill: Revelation” is a take on the game “Silent Hill 3”. Sean Bean returns from the first film, but really feels more like a cameo. It is similar to the appearances from Radha Mitchell and Deborah Kara Unger, who also return from the first but only one scene in the whole film. Carrie-Anne Moss is almost unrecognizable playing Claudia Wolf, the head priestess of the order. Adelaide Clemens takes the lead in this and does a good job playing Sharon Da Silva / Heather Mason, but I couldn’t get over her resemblance to Michelle Williams. Lastly there is another fun cameo from genre favorite Malcolm McDowell.
Official Premise: Return to a place of insanity and blood-curdling chills in this shocking sequel to one of the most surreal and gruesome horror films ever created. Heather Mason (Clemens) and her father (Bean) have always tried to stay one step ahead of the malevolent forces intent on their destruction. But on the eve of her 18th birthday, a dangerous revelation leads her deeper into a demonic world that threatens to trap her in a nightmarish landscape forever.
When it comes to the release itself though, Universal has all option covered here and delivers the goods. There is a Blu-ray 3D + Blu-ray + DVD + UV Digital Copy. I mean what else can you ask for? Everything format is covered and you have the option to what this film whenever/wherever you go. The 1080p transfer is very nice with the dark colored film and works well with the 3D presentation. The audio track is also solid here with its DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1. It definitely delivers the score well and adds a lot of eerie aspects to the film.
The special features or should I say lack there of is another knife for “Silent Hill: Revelation” though. There is only one VERY short behind-the-scenes featurette, running about three minutes. The good thing is that it is actually presented in 3D, which is rare for extras but it doesn’t last long enough to deliver anything worth actually watching. Where are the rest of the extras? I would have loved to seen a visual effects featurette and even a commentary track.
