The live-action film *Return to Silent Hill*, based on Konami’s classic game *Silent Hill 2*, is set to hit theaters this Friday. Although the trailers released so far feature many scenes and monsters that are extremely faithful to the original, this film adaptation has not been well-received by critics and has even received extremely low ratings.
This new reboot, directed by Christophe Gans—who also directed the first *Silent Hill* film—was first announced in 2022 and is scheduled for release on January 23, 2026. It is worth noting that this film has little connection to the first two *Silent Hill* movies released previously; instead, it focuses more on an adaptation of the original video game *Silent Hill 2*.
Due to budget constraints, the studio did not promote the film extensively. In fact, filming had been completed as early as 2023; however, because internal test screenings received poor reviews at the time, and studio executives lacked confidence in this video game adaptation, a release date was never set.
But it wasn’t until the 2024 release of *Silent Hill 2 Remake* received widespread acclaim—coupled with the enthusiastic response to last year’s *Silent Hill f*—that the studio realized the series still had a significant fan base and finally set a release date for *Return to Silent Hill*. However, after media reviews were officially released earlier this week, it became clear that the film still seems unable to break free from the curse of video game adaptations.
As of now, the film has a 6% approval rating based on 17 reviews on Rotten Tomatoes, while the first two installments of the series—film adaptations released in 2006 and 2012—scored 33% and 8%, respectively, meaning this new version has once again set a new low.
Many film critics believe that while the film delivers an excellent performance in terms of art direction and visual effects, the overall plot is too chaotic and boring. Its most fatal flaw, however, is that as a “horror movie,” it completely fails to deliver the scares one would expect, and even the protagonist’s characterization fails to resonate with the audience.
Ross Bonaime of Collider said:
“Just like the 2006 movie, the director went all out to recreate the game, but for players who’ve experienced the original, *Silent Hill: Return* feels like a cheap live-action cosplay. The director did pay attention to some details, striving to make a few scenes match players’ memories exactly, but this only allows the story to barely scrape by. It’s as if *Return to Silent Hill* assumes the audience is already familiar with the game’s plot, so they could cut corners during production.”
Justin Clark of Slant Magazine, however, criticized:
“Christophe Gans’ film completely abandons the psychological and sexual metaphorical layers found in *Silent Hill 2*.”
The only film critic to offer a positive review so far is Dominic Baez of *The Seattle Times*; even so, he pointed out in his review that the film has numerous flaws, with only the ending being somewhat acceptable, and his highest praise went to the “stylish” end credits.
But as an adapted film, fan reaction seems to be what matters most, and when adaptations of well-known IPs receive negative reviews in the media, it occasionally sparks some controversy. For example, the 2014 DC film *Suicide Squad*, the 2023 *The Super Mario Bros. Movie*, and last year’s *Five Nights at Freddy’s 2* all sparked widespread fan dissatisfaction due to negative reviews from critics, who were even attacked on social media by fans. Ultimately, these films all achieved solid box office results. As for how this film will fare in terms of audience reception and box office performance, it remains to be seen.
Source: KOCPC Chinese