Few people know that Silent House is a remake of an Urugayan film also known as The Silent House. That's because Uruguayan cinema hasn't hit it big in America… yet. I'm just joking; The Silent House is probably the only Uruguayan film you'll ever hear about. While the remake is essentially a gimmick film from the pair who brought us the abysmal Open Water, it does have a few things going for it… namely the presence of Elizabeth Olsen… aka the hot Olsen.
The movie's big selling point is that it is shot as one continuous 88 minute take. Oooh. Neat. What isn't neat is that the takes are cobbled together from eight shots that average about ten minutes apiece, which are cleverly spliced together by having the camera move behind doors and walls. While some people may get their nuts pumped for this gimmick, the fact is that the film probably could have been better without it. Still, the amount of choreography and preparation that went into rocking out these scenes must have been pretty exhaustive.
Silent House tells the story of a girl, her father, and her uncle who are attacked in a house that they are preparing for sale. That's the entire plot. Luckily, Elizabeth Olsen wears a shirt that prominently features her bosoms, so it's not as boring as it sounds. What follows is essentially scene after scene of characters doing dumb things, hiding from mysterious killers, and continually trying to escape the house whose windows are boarded up and doors are locked. There are some shitty twists later in the film, but I won't ruin them for you… although the film itself will probably do this for most people with a brain, as there's some pretty heavy-handed hints throughout the movie.
Chris Kentis and Laura Lau do a fine job of bringing this film to life. Visually, Silent House is a dark masterpiece. The shaky cam works fairly often, and there are only a few times where the jittery camera work will break the spell of the movie. The pacing of the movie is fine, and Lau and Kentis create a ton of tension. Still, their handling of the film's ultimately unsatisfying twist leaves something to be desired. Also, it's tough to say these guys are doing a good job when the movie is clearly just a shitty gimmick… and because they're responsible for that annoying ass Open Water movie.
Elizabeth Olsen delivers a standout performance as Sarah, the chesty babe who is the focal point of the film. Olsen does a fantastic job of being terrified, and while some of the scenes of her being scared in the dark sound like she laughing instead of crying, it still works. The rest of the cast is inconsequential, as the movie is essentially watching Olsen run around, cry, and jiggle occasionally. At this point, Olsen might have the brightest star in Hollywood.
As far as horror goes, Silent House is built upon tension, and not gore. The movie is quiet, tense, and mostly bloodless. There are a few nice treats to be found in the film, but this one is all about atmosphere.
Of course, at the end of the day, Silent House is nothing more than a gimmick that is worth watching once, if you like horror flicks. It's the Crystal Clear Pepsi of horror flicks. You'll bring it up with your friends ten years from now as a joke.
Final Synopsis: Silent House is only for horror fans who appreciate atmosphere. Anyone else will be disappointed with the simplicity and the shitty twist at the end, which is miserably telegraphed.
Points Lost: -1 for excessive telegraphing of the ending, -1 for being a stupid twist to begin with, -1 for too much gimmickry, -1 for a lack of a good supporting cast, they're not bad, but not particularly great either
Lesson Learned: Never look in the lunchbox.
Burning Question: What do you keep in your lunchbox?
Silent House
6/10
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Tags: 2012, adam trese, chris kentis, elizabeth olsen, eric sheffer stevens, gimmick, horror, horror movie reviews, latest movie reviews, laura lau, psychological horror
