When it comes to horror films, your first experience is probably never a good one. In my case, being tricked into watching Silent Hill by two older brothers is just a small inkling into the lives of the younger siblings. The scariest film I had seen by 11 years old was probably War of the Worlds, and those of you who have seen it probably know its pretty neutral apart from the odd bit of scary music popping up to keep the audience awake. The first time I watched Silent Hill however, I‘m pretty sure I burst into tears and vowed to never watch TV again.
Little did I know that this was the start of a long reign of absolutely loving horror films. From the supernatural end of the scale such as Sinister (if you thought the little girl in the ring was scary, you have not experienced creepy horror film children just yet), all the way to the goriness of the classic Saw movies. The creativity and special effects used in this genre are phenomenal, and the ability to think up such twisted storylines is incredible – albeit a bit weird.
Re-watching Silent Hill as a 19 year old, I thought I would find it almost laughable. To my surprise, I found myself covering my eyes when the generic scary music was played in the scenes that are meant to make you jump. It tells the story of a young girl who sleep walks a lot, who speaks about a town called “Silent Hill” with no recollection of these events. The mother decides to take her daughter to this town, despite finding out it is known as a ghost town due to a fire wiping out the residents. The creepy atmosphere is built up with headless, slimy looking creatures appearing out of the fog, alongside the fact the daughter goes missing.
The first time I watched Silent Hill however, I‘m pretty sure I burst into tears and vowed to never watch TV again.
Throughout the film, I was awaiting the one scene that stuck with me all from the first viewing, whereby a man was chained up in barbed wire, all around his face and body, crawling across the floor toward the mother in dilapidated abandoned school toilets. When the scene finally arrived, the expectation was definitely not misjudged; it managed to successfully scare me enough that I muted the film for a good 5 minutes whilst it continued playing.
All in all, I recommend a watch of Silent Hill, but not when you’re 11 years old. The film is somewhat slow to get started, but the creepy atmosphere and multitude of faceless creatures skinning people alive certainly grab your attention. The worst thing about this film? Sean Beans attempt at an American accent.