Yeah, well i didn't update on Saturday like I would, but here we are now. There's something about knowing that possibly no one reads these blogs is kind of disheartening, but, oh well.
Dead Silence was released last Friday. The story revolves around Jamie Ashen (Ryan Kwanten), a man who loses his wife to a horrific murder, but not before receiving a dummy by mail. His wife, who like him is from a town called Raven's Fair, recites a poem from that town about a old woman and her collection of dummies. "Beware the stare of Mary Shaw. She had no children, only her dolls. When you see her do not scream, for she will rip your tongue out at the seam."
After the murder, Jaime heads to Raven's Fair for his wife's funeral and some answers to her death while being followed by Det. James Lipton (Donnie Whalberg), who suspects Jaime of his spouse's death. What follows is a creppy and chilling series of events that turns out to be good old horror fun.
Instead, of trying to concentrate on repetitive stock scares and mindless gore and violence, writer Leigh Wannell and director James Wan put their efforts into creating a suspenseful horror film that excels at what it does. Many times throughout, the film will build up on suspense and the tension of the atmosphere to lead to a scare rather than jumping out and yelling, "BOO!" at the audience. Frankly, it is scarier to have the hairs on the back of your neck stand up for a prolonged period of time rather just getting scared for about a second and then moving to the next jump scare.
As far as acting goes, Kwanten as Jaime does ok, along with Amber Valetta and Bob Gunton as supporting characters. However, you'll find that Whalberg's portrayal of Det. Lipton is the best played just because we can see that Whalberg is having a blast playing the humorous but likable skepticist. On top of this, the original score by Charlie Clouser manages to give the film the darker and spookier edge it needs to distinguish from the other derivative horror films of today.
What's best about Dead Silence is that it's old school horror that relies on tension rather scares. While too many movies rely on unnecessary shock gore, stupid plots with stupid characters and stupid people, and totally unnecessary nudity by somewhat attractive blondes in their twenty somethings, Dead Silence less gore (really, there's not that much blood and gore) and more horror...just as it should be.
I give Dead Silence an 8.5 out of 10.
Check back this Friday for a full review of The Hills Have Eyes 2...heck yesss!
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