The fog is once again approaching and it is bringing a veil with it. The X account just published the very first official poster for the upcoming ‘Return to Silent Hill’ movie and, frankly, the vibe is… well, just as one would expect. The mood is dark, hazy, and partly perfect. The only words in the caption were: ‘We’ve been waiting for you…’ and to speak frankly? They have. The gamers have been waiting for an eternity for the revival of this particular style of psychological horror. There was no doubt about the minimalist approach taken by the poster itself—it was nothing more than a picture of James Sunderland (one would think) in shades that were so drained and altered they rather seemed to be a ghost coming out of the town, along with the date of release: January 23, in theaters only. This project is being developed with the collaboration of Konami and Cineverse and the online reaction has been an exciting mix of sheer joy do the franchise-related, deeply rooted, and nervousness.
We are now allowed to evaluate the case. The public is prepared to take the poster for its traditional, spine-chilling appearance. The user MattZeeMiller dubbed it ‘classic horror vibes ..eerie’ and they are absolutely correct. The poster doesn’t resemble modern-day CGI over the top fantasies but it looks like a nightmare scene, which is exactly the idea one would like to get from Silent Hill. Another user, pisilovesfawes, very succinctly and simply, just typed ‘very nice poster’ which is actually a very great compliment considering the turmoil going on in X. Even the skeptics seem to give the visual tone a thumbs up. But, the excitement is, nevertheless, deeply laced with fear, and that fear is not of the creatures but rather of the movie missing the point.
The comments section is a realm where people keep saying they are not very much into a particular thing but when they come to the listening station, it looks like they cannot live without that thing. For example, the gamer tkn0801 is very straightforwardly saying ‘Excited to see this in theaters :)’ and Sector5Midgar who even said, ‘Can’t wait to see silent hill 2 on the big screen!’ That is mainly the thing coming from the people’s mouths: the film is set on the Silent Hill 2 storyline, which most probably is the most adored and psychologically intricate entry in the whole game series. It is an enormous load to carry, and this is exactly the reason why we get the comment from XNADUS_XNADONTS: ‘I want to believe in this movie so bad. Don’t think I can.’ This statement perfectly captures the mood among a large part of the fanbase. They have been hurt in the past (looking at you, later game entries and previous film adaptations).
On the flip side of it, there are those people who do not think the movie stands any chance whatsoever to be good. TaigasRevenge stated bluntly, ‘This movie is going to suck lol.’ or AaronF_1992 posted ‘Failed movie.’ It is a pre-emptive strike against potential disappointment. Nevertheless, my favorite type of reaction is a chaotic and self-aware one. User weedkitten expressed it nicely: ‘Ts gonna be terrible I can’t wait.’ That’s the attitude! It is akin to watching a train wreck in slow motion but you have the ticket because you are a train (or fog or psychological torture) lover. You get it.
However, the real essence of the discussion is within the replies to the replies. Here is the place where gamers delve into the skills of the adaptation and the user anonymousszz007 wishes the trailers are a ‘catfish’ and that the movie follows SH2’s story ‘to a perfection.’ That is a huge order for a two-hours long film. Another gamer, ArchAbhor, challenged that notion in a very thoughtful way: ‘A two-hour film isn’t going to be as good as the game so I think it’s a mistake for it to stick as close to 2’s story. Especially with the characters looking as strange as they are. Honestly, as long as they keep the spirit of 2 and go weird with it, I’d be happy.’
Bam! That is the central point of contention right there. Do you strictly adhere to the game’s plot points and risk it being rushed and unengaged? Or do you retain the feeling, the stifling atmosphere, the peculiarity, and the extreme sadness even if it means you have to alter some aspects? ArchAbhor’s point about the essence of it all is extremely significant. Silent Hill 2 is not merely about the Pyramid Head or nuns; it is about guilt, loss, and self-deceit. If the movie gets that right, the gamers might just put up with a lot, especially those on PlayStation and Xbox.
