REVIEW: James Wan’s ‘Dead Silence’ is dead on arrival
There is no doubt in any cinephile’s mind that James Wan is the future of horror. As a director, he knows how to create spine-tingling scenes and keep the audience guessing all the way to the shocking end. From the Insidious movies to The Conjuring and The Conjuring 2, Wan is the go-to person for well-earned scares in Hollywood.
In 2007, after his success with the Saw series, he delivered Dead Silence, a head scratcher of a film that is not the director’s best work. Based off a script by Wan’s frequent collaborator Leigh Whannell, the movie follows Jamie Ashen (True Blood’s Ryan Kwanten) as he attempts to solve his wife’s mysterious murder. Eventually a ventriloquist and her revenge-seeking dolls enter the picture, and Donnie Wahlberg shows up as a detective. Ahem.
Now I’m not opposed to horror films with scary, murderous dolls or puppets. As a teenager, I enjoyed Chucky like the rest of them. It’s not the premise of Dead Silence that is the problem; it’s the payoff. The movie has so many ingredients right: scary villain, a hero on a quest, a sordid history in an unusual town, those ventriloquist dolls. However, Wan and Whannell, who both wrote that the film’s screenplay is based on, can’t keep the elements together for a satisfying conclusion or enjoyable adventure.
Kwanten is an able and effective actor, someone who is still looking to branch out from his True Blood days. He plays Jamie Ashen in the correct manner: as a grieving husband who is shocked and saddened by the tragic turn of events. The actor also does a nice job shifting from down-on-his-luck widower to the only man who might save the day.
Judith Roberts, known to genre fans as the actress in David Lynch’s Eraserhead, is quite spooky as Mary Shaw, the ventriloquist who is mostly seen in flashbacks. The actress doesn’t overdo the part but instead tries to give some genuine hurt and emotion to the character.
The scares are tame in Dead Silence. They aren’t even in the same arena as The Conjuring or Insidious films. Although the movie is rated R, most audience members will find the experience of watching Dead Silence a much easier one than other Wan neo-classics.
Dead Silence simply isn’t the same as Wan’s other material. It’s a mildly enjoyable horror film that can be skipped.
By John Soltes / Publisher / John@HollywoodSoapbox.com
- Dead Silence
- 2007
- Directed by James Wan
- Written by Leigh Whannell; based on a story by Wan and Whannell
- Starring Ryan Kwanten, Judith Roberts, Donnie Wahlberg, Amber Valletta and Bob Gunton
- Running time: 90 minutes
- Rated R for horror violence and images
- Rating:
