Silent Hill: Restless Dreams

I saw this edit a few years ago, so I can't speak to any newer version. Nevertheless, this is a simply *outstanding* edit that greatly enhances the film.

As a fan of the franchise since the original playstation game, I felt that Silent Hill was a mixed bag. The visuals and sound design were excellent, and it often stayed true to the spirit of the games, but wherever it deviated, it did so clumsily. In the end, it felt like a b-movie that mostly failed to fully translate the brilliance of the source material.

Aztek's edit goes a long way in rectifying this, not only making it a better film, but a better representation of the Silent Hill universe. The edits appeared seamless to me, tightening up the pace and strengthening the central experience while trimming needless (corny) dialogue. For me, this edit is the definitive version of this film and the best way to experience it, whether you're a newcomer or someone who wants to rewatch with a fresh perspective.

I watched the original Silent Hill only once and remember not liking the theatrical cut at all--the narrative was jumbled, the acting left a lot to be desired and the direction was poor.

Aztek463 manages to completely turn this movie around with his excellent edit. He removes all the lousy dialogue and the completely unnecessary scenes with Sean Bean. Best of all, the film now has a very clear flow which totally creeped me out--because it keeps you In Silent Hill and never lets you leave. I've played the original Silent Hill game on PS in the past, and this fanedit totally evokes the mood and feel of the game, which is a great thing.

The original film constantly tried to take you OUT of the film via Sean Bean's character for some reason, but this edit fixes that. The audio and visual editing is flawless, I could not see any issues. The visual effects in the original was not the greatest, but by strengthening the overall narrative, I easily forgot this and was immersed in the story.

All in all, this IS the version Silent Hill was always meant to be--and should be the one to watch over the original. It is not often I that I say that. Kudos to Aztek463!

Review by @steFANedit — August 21, 2012 @ 12:09 am

Well after all the fine reviews above I don’t know if there is much to add.
(beat)
Just want to say that this is a must have for any fans, of the original cut or/and the video games. Personally I liked the blue ending the best and, well, guess that’s it.

CUT TO BLACK

THE END

Review by Menbailee — July 1, 2011 @ 8:24 am

*This rating was given before reviews were required*

Review by baileym43 — July 12, 2012 @ 2:07 am

I just got a chance to watch this the other day. Sorry it took so long. I truly did myself a disservice waiting so long to watch. I’m a huge fan of the games (well, ok, The Room, not so much.) and the studio really missed the mark. They clearly never played the game. Aztek did and it shows. I’m not going to repeat what other people have said. It was amazing, start to finish. The endings were great and fell right in line with the games.

This movie, Restless Dreams, just feels right. And I didn’t notice a single jump or stutter which is a testament to the artist. Well done, sir. This is my official go-to for this movie. I have no problem giving a 10.