Return to Silent Hill Stumbles Out of the Gate With Just 6% on Rotten Tomatoes
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Well, here we go again. Just when you thought movie studios had finally figured out video game adaptations, 'Return to Silent Hill' wanders into theaters and instantly reminds everyone of the bad old days. Yeah, the ones where video game movies were basically one long embarrassment.
So, how bad is it? 'Return to Silent Hill' is sitting at a miserable 6% on Rotten Tomatoes as of this writing. That's not a typo. Single digits. If you were hoping this movie would redeem the reputation of video game films, uh… sorry.
Our own review didn’t pull any punches, either. The verdict? Basically, the movie takes the once-legendary story from 2001’s 'Silent Hill 2' and rips out anything complex or emotionally interesting, swapping it for cheap, meaningless scares and plot nonsense. If you wanted a thoughtful meditation on guilt and horror, you won’t find it here.
"Return to Silent Hill's nonsensical story strips its 2001 source material of all moral and emotional complexity, leaving only elementary shock value from its original story of a widower tortured by guilt."
The weird part is, in a world where even the laziest video game movies now usually reach 'eh, that was fine' levels, there’s something almost nostalgic about one truly crashing and burning. It’s a throwback, but not in the way anyone wanted.
Still curious? Here’s what you’re signing up for: Jeremy Irvine stars as James Sunderland, who shows up in the endlessly creepy, fog-choked Silent Hill after getting what looks like a letter from his supposedly dead wife, Mary (played by Hannah Emily Anderson). If any of that sounds familiar, that’s because it’s basically the plot from 'Silent Hill 2'—but, if you believe the reviews, with all the drama and nuance vacuumed out.
To be fair, one of the trailers did nail a few visuals from the original game, including a pretty unsettling version of Pyramid Head. But visuals alone can’t save a movie where nothing else works.
Where is Silent Hill now?
- The games are still looming large: The highly anticipated 'Silent Hill 2 Remake' is supposedly a return to classic horror form. Meanwhile, 'Silent Hill f' put a creative spin on the series and reminded everyone the franchise can still surprise.
- The movie front isn’t a total disaster: If this year’s Silent Hill misfire crushed you, there’s still hope. There are a bunch of other upcoming video game movies on the way, including 'The Super Mario Galaxy Movie,' the long-awaited 'Legend of Zelda' adaptation, and 'Sonic 4.' With any luck, at least one of those won’t have you running for the exit.
- More nostalgia inbound: A remake of the very first Silent Hill game is also on the horizon, so who knows—maybe someone will finally get the adaptation right.
Bottom line: If you can’t look away from a trainwreck, 'Return to Silent Hill' is worth a curiosity watch. Otherwise, it’s probably better to keep your expectations in the fog.
And if that didn’t kill your enthusiasm for horror or games, there are always more promising upcoming horror movies and PS5 releases around the corner.