Not too Thrilling Thriller- 'The Silencing'

 

My house is full of movie night fiend, especially a thriller, so over the past few weeks I have seen quite a few thriller, crime, psychological films. Most recently a new one I hadn't seen before called 'The Silencing' staring that incest twin from 'Game of Thrones' Nikolaj Coster-Waldau.  

The film was a classic teen girl abducted from a small remote American hunting town, the parents are now split up mum leaving the drunken dad and a new city cop thinking she will be Sherlock Holmes. So to begin with the plot wasn't exactly something to write home about. However the abductor murderer was something relatively creative, only ever seeing something similar in an episode in 'Criminal Minds'; he let his victims go in a vast forest and then proceeded to hunt them for sport. 

Where ever this film was filmed was beautiful, with spanning shots of the isolating landscape. Cool tones and an almost twilight appearing skyline did create an eery atmosphere to backdrop this thriller. I'd normally comment on the music or sound production yet despite only watching yesterday I cannot remember a single detail on this, presumable meaning it wasn't anything note worthy as I have already forgotten. 

Obviously the setting, look and sound of a film are very beneficial for the thriller genre but the writing is the centre stone; if the story isn't the thrilling, it ain't a good thriller. This film did not have good writing. Significantly early onto the film the female sheriff played by Annabelle Wallis sort of revealed who the disguised murderous hunter, it was then ridiculous that she could not be correct. Then became a big of a guessing game for who else it could be, but based on the fact not many characters had been introduced it didn't leave much room for suspects. This plus the fact Im a fucking genius meant I'd successfully guessed who the killer was literally half way through the film so was only watching to confirm my guess. The film had loads of potential, with some strengths and good performances from all the cast the writing is really where this film lacked. 

I did very much enjoy the scenes when the disguised murderer appeared out of nowhere in the forest shrubbery. The choice of murder weapon was interesting, something I'd never seen before and I love that kind of 'historic' very rare way of murder choice. Yet this film will become a film I quickly forget, no where near the best thrillers I have ever seen including 'Gone Girl', 'Prisoners' and 'Seven'. This film is no where near.

No matter what I have to say about this film, the one thing that's most note worthy to mention is the fact the film should have a trigger warning for Hero from the 'After' franchise rocking up about ten minutes in.

Evie 10 October 2022