Dead Silence (2007) Review

"Don't scream."
-Detective Jim Lipton



After receiving a strange package a with ventriloquist doll inside, Lisa Ashen (Laura Regan) is brutally murdered.  Her husband, Jamie (Ryan Kwanten), is the prime suspect.  The ventriloquist doll is a bad omen in Jamie's hometown.  To prove his innocence, Jamie returns home to learn more about the tragic town legend and the horrible secret that connects everything back to him.


What Works:

Donnie Wahlberg is by far the best part of the movie.  He plays a cop (as per usual) and chews the scenery every chance he gets.  I love how he almost pretends not to care about the case at all, but still travels a long way to continue his investigation.  He's a funny character and adds some life to the film.

This movie is directed by James Wan who is a very good director and, even though this isn't a good movie, his talent still shines through often enough.  There are some really visually striking shots and I love Wan's use of red.  We also get some cool lighting, cinematography, and transitions.  It's not enough to save the film, but it's something.

Finally, there are a few creepy images throughout the movie.  Tongues are a focal point in the story and I like the ultimate reason for that being the case.  Most of the dead bodies also have a memorable look to them.


What Sucks:

Most of this movie is simply dull.  The story and characters aren't all that great.  Writer Leigh Whannell has openly discussed how much he didn't like the film and had a miserable time writing it and you can tell.  There are some creative ideas, but it wasn't a fully realized story.

Apart from Det. Lipton (Donnie Wahlberg), none of the characters were interesting enough for me to care about.  I felt nothing when anyone died.  I was never fearful for them.  I just didn't care.

A few of the CGI effects haven't aged that well and the movie as a whole feels like a generic mid-2000's horror movie.  That was a rough time for horror movies and this one certainly fits right in.


Verdict:

Dead Silence has a fun performance from Donnie Wahlberg and a talented director at the helm doing what he can, but the movie is mostly dull with uninteresting characters and a generic story.

 4/10: Bad 

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