Halloween Countdown (Day 22: Film Reviewer For A Day)

In a way, deviating from the horror movie review formula for this month's blog posts does give me ideas to try out a few things, even if it is just trying to keep up with the daily quota. Okay, maybe it is cheating when I use a film review I wrote six years ago, as part of a college assignment where I had to contribute to a group effort in producing a magazine. But then again, it gives me an idea for a blog entry. Not to mention the rare chance of writing an article before I watch the movie in question, which I also haven't seen in six years.

I will get the chance to watch the sequel to "Silent Hill" at this year's Horrorthon (entitled "Silent Hill: Revelation", taking a cue from the "Resident Evil" school of sequel naming). I believe the film is also in 3D, but given the cinema where it's screened, I'm guessing it will be a 2D fare. But hey, at least I'll get a chance to watch it before its release date.

As I stated in the opening paragraph, the review below was part of an ongoing assignment in college, where I "studied" journalism. There was this guy in our class who actually worked for a local newspaper where he's from, so he actually had the necessary contacts to get potential work, such as reviewing films before their release date. There were two opportunities in the class for one of the students to review movies, one of which was some Antonio Banderas film that sounded rubbish (and apparently it was) but I can't remember the title, nor the other one.

To this day, I don't know why I didn't volunteer for these jobs, as I always wanted to be a film reviewer. I did have aspirations to be a music reviewer, but years of disillusionment with the state of the music industry knocked that on the head. But I always had a love for film, as you can tell with these blog entries this month. If I was to hazard a guess, I guess it was a combination of reluctance, lack of self confidence, and, as stupid as it sounds, the films themselves were uninteresting.

Apparently I wasn't the only one that thought that. During one class, our lecturer was notified that the students who agreed to review those two movies never showed up to the screening. So the class had one last chance to take up an offer to attend a press only screening, and if nobody turned up to that, no more will be given. While I was hard on myself for not volunteering in the first place, I thought it was stupid for the others to no-show these screenings. So I was willing to put my hand up to volunteer, no matter what movie was up for grabs. To my surprise, that film turned out to be "Silent Hill". I immediately volunteered for the job.

The screening took place on a Tuesday morning, where I was to wait outside the Savoy Cinema, along with a handful of journalists at around 10 o'clock. I mentioned my name to the guy with the guest list, and I took a seat in the main screening room, of which I've never seen so empty, in comparison to the many times I've sat there as a paying customer. It was a weird feeling to be around members of the press, as I look at them with their notebooks and pens with lighters attached. The surreal nature of this did make me feel out of place, but at the same time, I got a kick out of it. Especially as I was about to watch a movie that not only was yet to be released, but it was the type of movie that I would have paid to see anyway.

Granted, I didn't think it was a particularly good movie, but I didn't care. I got to see it before anyone else. And it was the only time that I ever felt like a proper journalist. I never did pursue a career in that field, for a variety of reasons, and what with the downturn in print media, and the rise of the internet, it would have been difficult to make a living doing that. Again it could be to do with confidence, but I don't feel my opinions have that much weight, in comparison to the hundreds of people writing their views in blogs such as this one.

I may never get the chance to do something as cool as that again, although I do get the chance to see films before their release date, through film festivals and such. But looking back at the article below, it reminded me of the joy I used to have in writing about films, no matter how good or bad they were. I guess that passion could be seen in the amount of articles I've dedicated myself to this month. So at least I know it's still there.

Above is a link to the full "Silent Hill" (which may or may not be taken off YouTube by the time you read this).

Below is the review I wrote around March 2006, which I found on an external hard drive, along with other articles and notes I saved from my college days. No alterations were made to the text below. I would post a screenshot of the article itself, but I don't know where I would have kept the magazine it was used for. Not to mention I'm too lazy to go and look for it. 

SILENT HILL (16)

Director: Christophe Gans

Starring: Radha Mitchell, Sean Bean

Release Date: 21^st April 2006

Movies based on popular computer games are hit and miss affairs. While some have turned out to be rubbish (Doom and Resident Evil: Apocalypse for example), there are others who do manage to capture the essence of the video game.

The movie starts off with Rose (Radha Mitchell) bringing her daughter to a place called Silent Hill, a place that she mentions every time she sleepwalks. After a near collision with someone on the road, Rose is knocked out when her car swerves out of the way. When she wakes up, she sees that her daughter has disappeared.

When she begins to look for her, Rose finds a fog drenched town that is completely deserted and raining ash, and she is chasing after a figure that resembles her daughter. Once the town goes into complete darkness, the scenery changes and she comes face to face with its ghoulish inhabitants. Not only does she set out to find her daughter, she also learns more about what is going on around her.

The film captures the atmosphere and the tension of the computer game. What makes the film work is that it tries to disturb you as opposed to give you sudden shocks. This is accomplished with the mixture of the monsters and the special effects used to create the hellish surroundings when the light goes out.

The main problem with the film, as with most films based on games, is with some of the characters and the dialogue, which uses cryptic messages and bible passages which sound wooden and hammy when delivered.

The movie goes downhill once police officer Cybil, (Laurie Holden) comes into play. Her performance is deplorable and as a result, you begin to care less about the main character. After a battle with a demon wielding a huge knife, when Rose says: “Hey, it’s going to be alright”, you can’t help but burst out laughing!

The subplot involving worried husband Chris (Sean Bean), where he finds out more about the mystery of Silent Hill, works well along with the main story. Unfortunately, for someone who is the more recognisable of the cast, he is underused in this film.

After a promising start and interesting story, it is a shame that the movie finishes with a vague ending that can only serve as a means for a sequel. I’m sure this movie will please its fans, but for those who are not in the know to begin with, may feel that it could have been better.

And on a final note.....

As with the "Resident Evil" series, my knowledge of the "Silent Hill" games are limited, and the only one I ever completed was "Silent Hill: Shattered Memories" for the PSP. This was apparently a remake of the first game, so at least I can move onto the second and third games if I ever get the chance. Anyways, I found this short video funny, especially towards the end.