Dead Silence (2007) - Review and Analysis by Jason Pitt for Critical-Film.com

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Dead Silence A film review by Jason Pitt For Critical-film.com   I am very close to giving “Dead Silence” a positive review. But very close just isn't quite close enough. After watching “Dead Silence,” I was considering giving the film a passing recommendation based solely on the success of a few individual scenes, despite the inferiority of the film as a whole. I have since changed my mind, as there are just too few sequences worth seeing, throughout this surprisingly amateurish production.   The problem is the same as that found within the first “Saw” film. Director James Wan has an incredible grasp on the technical end of filmmaking, and is capable of crafting some surprisingly effective scenes with only his manipulation of the camera. This is even more impressive, given his age and lack of experience, with only one prior full-length feature under his belt, and a few short films. His shortcomings behind the camera, however, are apparent with his lack of control over his actors. The cast, which includes relative newcomers, such as the films protagonist, Ryan Kwanten, and veterans Bob Gunton, and Michael Fairman all seem like amateurs under Wan's direction.   Equally to blame however, is Leigh Whannell's atrocious screenplay, which is completely devoid of any intelligent dialogue, and is riddled with truly awful quotes, as when Bob Gunton utters the words, “I've changed, a stroke will do that to a man.” – I'm sure it fucking will. – Such trite dialogue only serves to emphasize Wan's utterly pedestrian attempt at directing his actors. Unfortunately, an interesting and enjoyable horror concept is not met by an equally interesting screenplay. There is a difference between writing and storytelling, and while Wan and Whannell's storytelling is right at home within the horror genre and “Dead Silence” certainly wouldn't seem out of place in a certain breed of 80's horror film, Leigh Whannell's screenplay is especially terrible within the more serious tone of the film.   Wan also apes some of his earlier “Saw” techniques, as the final reveal that serves to close the film, produces a flashback that explains some of the events that transpired earlier in the film. While it is completely unnecessary, it does serve to explain a relatively creative twist that is also very similar in effect to the original “Saw.” This being said, Wan shows little sign of maturation as a director, relying on many of the tactics that made “Saw” an enjoyable, yet flawed, and ultimately overrated film.   I will, however, give praise to the man's technical talents behind the camera, and his eye for wonderfully creative set pieces and compositions. He understands the genre of horror, and knows how to craft a genuinely suspenseful and downright creepy sequence. Wan displays an incredible amount of restraint in a film which I had expected to be no less than ‘in your face' violence and gore. He waits until the last possible moment to reveal any sort of violence or shock, leaving the mind of the audience to draw their own horrific imagery. This is the definition of suspense, and there are brilliant moments throughout “Dead Silence,” that showcase his understanding of the concept.   I will not reveal any of these scenes, for risk of lessening their impact, but they are the rare shining moments in the sea of shit that is “Dead Silence.” For every great scene there are countless sequences of poor plot and character development, atrocious dialogue, and acting that might be of a high enough caliber to appear on an episode of “Zoobilee Zoo.” Surprisingly, however, I found these sequences to almost… almost, make the film worthwhile, but in the end, a film has to be more than just the sum of its parts. Even the great Donnie Wahlberg can't do much with “Dead Silence,” so the film never lives up to the potential of a few great scenes. And yes… I do think Donnie Wahlberg is great. What's it to you?   (Two and a half stars)   This review was provided in HTML format, as your browser is not capable of displaying flash content. To experience Critical-Film.com the way it was meant to be seen, please download the flash player from <a href="http://www.adobe.com/shockwave/download/download.cgi?P1_Prod_Version=ShockwaveFlash&promoid=BIOW">Macromedia</a>.