MovieChat Forums > Silent House (2012) Discussion > I am one of the few who enjoyed the movi...

I am one of the few who enjoyed the movie

posted 12 years ago by alpha1603
27 replies | jump to latest

OK, just saw this on Blu-ray. I'm been watching horrors and thillers for a long time. The way I review movies are: (1) watched it at the theater but that's it, (2) rent it, (3) download/rip it and keep it on your hard drive for a while, or (4) buy it on DVD/Blu-ray. I would put it in my (3) "rip it" category. Here are the rest of my thoughts:

American thrillers/horror movies (and movies that don't necessarily fit into one of these genre) typically are about 1) sick people/schizophrenia, 2) serial killers, or 3) paranormal stuff. I saw the schizophrenia/sick stuff near the beginning of the movie. Unfortunately, the writers typically weren't creative enough to hide this as they simply used the same type of movie making technique as similar character-is-sick type of movies.

Now, if you get the sick person part, then the plot is now established. This becomes a movie where she see things, imaginary person who doesn't exist, and people she thought were intruders who are actually just a rehash of her memories. And she's pretty much terrified, not knowing what to do, seeing a bleeding wall/bed, etc.

[SPOILER ALERT]

In the end, she leaves the house. Doesn't matter what happens to her or the house. You can use your imagination as she kills her father and leaves her actually-a-person-who-should-have-helped-but-really-didn't type of uncle alive.

From a performance review, Ms. Olsen is very good at looking terrified. From a movie technique, I liked the fact it was made to look as if it was done in one cut. Overall, I enjoyed the move--but from a "I rather just download it from the warez sites" perspective and maybe delete it from my hard drive after a few more viewings.

Last thought. For some really good schizophrenic terror, I'd recommend the following movies:
1. High Tension (2003)
2. The Uninvited (2009)

[–] icaptainchaos 12 years ago

I agree up to a point ... I was just disappointed in the "reveal in the last 10 minutes or so", when it changed from a psychological thriller into a standard issue plot twist. Shame, because I did enjoy the rest once it got going.

"Kill them ... Kill them all ..."

[–] LucasBa2000 12 years ago

felt like it was good, but could have been way better. It was to predictable in the end.

[–] SWLinPHX-2 12 years ago

I really liked it too!! THANK GOD it was NOT one of those stupid man-with-knife-running-around-chasing-and-killing-everyone films (yawn!). And get a clue people. It was NOT advertised as a "horror" movie. It was advertised as suspense/thriller, which it surely was, and quite effectively at that! I loved "Open Water", "Open Water 2" and I like this too. Single-scene/shot films that can keep you glued are very effective and far too rare. You experience it all with the protagonist(s) real time (again as with the two "Open Water" films). "Silent House" itself is the house of secrets, where the dad and uncle could go to molest the girl with no one knowing, telling or being within reach of them (silent) -- get it??

Unfortunately there's lots of dumbed down film-goers out there who need their stupid slasher films and claim something's "boring" if there isn't a cheap jump scare every 5 minutes (which is what ruined "Woman In Black" for me). To me cheap stuff like that IS the definition of tired, lame and boring.

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[–] PACman66 12 years ago

As did I... I also liked it.
It took me a while to get used to the fact that it was just one lone scene with no edits... Usually this kind of film making is reserved for the "found footage" genre...
But overall... I liked it-Good flick.

Trust me,
Swan
My, you're nosey, aren't you?

[–] SWLinPHX-2 12 years ago

Kfipaul, did you see "Open Water" or "Open Water 2"? They are (mostly) one long scene except for brief periods at the very beginning and end (and they are NOT "found footage" films).

twitter.com/swlinphx

[–] SWLinPHX-2 12 years ago

[–] PACman66 12 years ago

I said "usually"... Not always.....and no... I have not seen those. Any good?

[–] gggim25 12 years ago

The first one is a masterpiece, I haven't seen the 2nd. As for Silent House, I gave it an 8. I thought it was great, not perfect, but really really good. Hey, what can I say, I love it when pedos get sledgehammered!

[–] rupert-ian 9 years ago

"Hey, what can I say, I love it when pedos get sledgehammered!"

Exactly. Even in a civilized society, that's one thing that deserves a big @ss hammer to the dome!

[–] LalocheziaAddict 11 years ago

Actually almost all (and I say almost only because someone will chime in with an exception if I don't) found footage films have scenes where they turn the camera off and then back on later either as a character choice, or the need to change the battery or what have you. Can't think of a continuous scene found footage film.

"My plan is sheer elegance in its simplicity."

[–] nitznitch 12 years ago

SPOILER ALERT
Thank you for mentioning the real point of this movie.It is not schizophrenia horror but a realist case of the resolution of child abuse where the suppressed memories became separated out in the girl's consciousness.The director showed the, as you pointed out, "silent" house, as a character itelf in the plot, with lines and shadows and door angles running along the walls.

[–] nitznitch 12 years ago

SPOILER ALERT
Further to PhxStudMuffin - In the remake of The Last House On The Left the authority figure is the doctor father. He gets to murder the bad guys who abused his daughter. In Silent House such a father authority is, rightly, murdered by the daughter he abused.

[–] strummer2808 12 years ago

agreed , i was really into the film and loved the performance by liz olsen , then the reveal spoiled it for me

[–] csw_aviation 12 years ago

i enjoyed it. it took a while to get going and was a headscratcher for a while. the ending didn't ruin it for me but the very ending where she just walked out of the house...i felt there should have been SOMETHING more. Still it was not a bad thriller.
Ms Olsen did a fine job and portrayed someone in genuine terror.
i do agree that this method of filmaking is getting overused lately. I think that a mix of this and more traditional filming would have been more effective. just use the docu-cam effect as things get moving. or to emphasize a live terror moment.

Just my 2 cents worth (used to be a dime but inflation...etc.)

[–] tl12 12 years ago

I would guess you are. I LOVE Good Horror/ Thriller/ Mystery Pics and have a huge collection. I love to laugh at terrible films. However, this film is irredeemably bad for one simple reason. When the female wants out of the house, she only ever chooses windows which are boarded up from the inside and outside as she knows before she ever steps foot in her Uncle's closed up home.

What is wrong with this. I would be scary to be trapped in such a home, but not if you can just WALK OUT OF THE DOOR YOU CAME IN. Gee, this did not occur to her.

May I have a show of hand of those who would only try boarded up windows and not walk out of clear doorways???

I did like the "one take" approach in the film. That was indeed the first and last thing that I liked. I could not ever sit through this. Maybe it redeemed it self at some point. But I do not see how.

It's rather like many hunted house movies (i.e. The Amityville Series). If you live in a home that is clearly haunted (as only occurs in the movies). Why not try the radical solution of going out the door? Does this take an IQ of 200? Give me a break!

tl12

[–] alexarkin 12 years ago

I juts finished watching and liked it too. Tight thriller. A nice cross between "Ils" (Them) and "Haute Tension" (High Tension).
I wish I could've watched the original Uruguayan movie instead, but it's not available on Netflix.

As for tl12, maybe you dozed off for a second, but going out the front door is the first thing she tried. It was locked and the key was gone...

And to be fair, she actually locked herself in. She wanted to deal with the issues that had resurfaced with the house now being up for sale. All the memories she repressed were now "acting out"... which made the ending perfectly suitable: she killed her abuser (her dad), and left the uncle to bear witness.

I also liked the use of one "continuous" shot. It addressed the movie's subject in a very effective way: we witness an alternate reality purely from one person's point of view (the repressed "normal" Sarah). Only at the end do we understand we've been misled the whole time, as the events unfolded quite differently, and we switch to what is actually happening.

[–] MyOpinions 12 years ago

I liked it just fine. I felt Olsen's character's fear almost like being there with her when she was hiding and running from the ones she thought were after her. And I didn't see the ending coming, possibly because I watched it at 2 in the morning and was tired but, still, enjoyed it.

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[–] eh-earle 12 years ago

Instead of the Uninvited, I'd recommend its original, a Korean film called "A Tale of Two Sisters" which is a genuinely brilliant, chilling well-done horror film. It's one of my favorite films of all time, done by a director called Jee-Woon Kim. The Uninvited tried to remake it with American audiences in mind, the only problem being, in my opinion (and based soley on the vast majority of american horror and "psychological" thrillers out there, before everyone gets all up-in-arms about me american-bashing) american audiences are typically of pretty average intelligence. The dumbed-down version of "A Tale of Two Sisters which is "The Uninvited" reflects this. On the subject of Silent House, I was SUPER impressed with the one-take idea, because while it is similar to Found Footage style films, it manages to take it to a cinematic level without detracting from the storyline. I was engrossed: and I would consider that a success. I felt let-down at the end, and thought the last roughly 15-20 minutes of the film felt like a rushed explanation for the events of the tension-building other 60 odd minutes, but it was nevertheless quite well done. Anywhoo, in my flatmate's words, "It was a *beep* explanation for a brilliant premise. Total respect for the execution." Well put, Gregg.

[–] remylass 12 years ago

The ending wasn't the best, but I also really liked the movie.

[–] CaoilfhionnAibigeal 12 years ago

Agree with chap above, on "A Tale of Two Sisters" is fantastic film. Haven't known many who have seen it, definitely worth seeing!

[–] sleeping_gorilla 12 years ago

I enjoyed it. It was filmed in a creative way, had a strong performance from the lead actress, and the plot was better then it had to be.

Horror movies are a good genre to be experimental with. The single shot style made it more interesting to watch.

While most will agree the ending fell flat, I appreciate that they took the "Others" route rather than "Jason XV." I actually think it would have worked better as a slasher movie. But good on the film makers for at least tempting to tell a deeper story.

This was a difficult role, and Elizabeth Olsen proves she is far more talented than her sisters (who can't even play convincing twins.)

[–] ZombieHolocaust2012 12 years ago

I enjoyed it too, in the sense that I found it uncomfortable and disturbing. It probably helped that I had very low expectations in the beginning, but actually I don't get why people don't like it.