Dead Silence (HD DVD, 2007)

"Dead Silence" (UNRATED) is the latest frightfest from the creators of the "SAW Trilogy"; and it most assuredly does not let down; or let you as the viewer escape it's nightmare.
An old curse catches up with a new generation when Newlyweds Jamie Ashen, (Ryan Kwanten), and beautiful wife Lisa, (Laura Regan), receive a ventriloquists dummy as an Anonymous gift.
Both grew up in a small town called Raven's Fair; hearing ominous tales of ventriloquist Mary Shaw., who lived with her intimate companions of over 100 dolls; and kidnapped and slaughtered a young child who challenged her dolls as not real.
"I can see you lips moving", the child reels from the audience; 65-years prior.,(as we are shown in cinematic black & white as a hindsight revelation; so well filmed.) The last words ever spoken by the child who turns up dead. Townsfolk, petrified of Mary Shaw's connection, track her down and murder her; burying her with her dolls., (expecting to rid Raven's Fair of Mary Shaw's EVILS forever; but never mention her name!! Townsfolk still whisper.)
When newlyweds Jamie and Lisa receive their anonymous doll "Billy"., they recall the curse legend as if a childhood joke remembered. Yet, when it quickly is gruesomely presented to us that "it's far from a joke"; Jamie must leave everything behind; and race back home to Raven's Fair. -
Dogged and tracked by Cynically Hard-Nosed Realist "Seen-To-Much-For-A-Lifetime" NYPD Homicide Detective Jim Lipton, (Donnie Wahlberg), Jamie returns to uncover the town still whispering of Mary Shaw' curse; and his father (paralyzed and remarried to a beautiful young woman named Ella (Amber Valletta); speaks openly of his involvement in Mary Shaw's revenge-driven execution 65-years prior.
The horrorfest is unleashed !!
Exceptionally well-choreographed and enraptured in throbbing, well-done sound-effects and intensely drone-settings of scene-prescence and presentation that is frankly "PERFECT"., this frightfest from "Saw" creators Leigh Whannell and James Wan draws upon immaculate pacing. Their formula for great success in chemistry leads to tension-packed cinematography and gifted storytelling; in tandum to their classics "SAW".
"You Scream., You Die," is the movie's tag line., as each victim's tongue is torn-out "IF" they scream (the scream is the mechanism that sets off the killer).
The black-and-white prologue that opens the film is so stylish and exceptionally well done, what follows is the gruesome inflictions only "SAW" creators minds could derive. Wan's visual instincts are the partners' greatest strength at this point in their career. Their storytelling ability is., once again., in full overdrive.
(For movie-enthusiasts: Catch the clip where; in tracking Mary Shaw to her lair in the haunting attics of a theatrical hall in Raven's Fair., Detective Lipton and Jamie uncover a room where all dolls have been unearthed from their burials and encased in a wall-to-ceiling case. The dolls revealing they are alive - in a brief shot catch the "SAW" - JigSaw Puppet propped against a wall!! - A visual tribute/homage to the first success' of "SAW". You can easily miss it., so look good !!)
Don't be fooled., "How scary can a puppet-movie be"?
I challenge you to try and sleep well !! - "Dead Silence" (UNRATED) has all the thrills, tension, horror and gore we would expect from it's "SAW" forefathers.
SEE THIS !!!! -- Guaranteed Success & Entertaining Nightmare !

Dead Silence

I love horror films and the Dead Silence previews had my hopes really high, maybe that is why I rate this film so low.

I just feel it could've been so much better. By like 1000%. It was creepy, the dools were scary, the effects were good, it just didn't deliver what I wanted.

It was worth watching but definitely not worth buying.

Final Verdict:

2/5

Worth Buying?: Not in my opinion.

"Beware the stare of Mary Shaw. She has no children, only dolls. If you see her in your dreams, be sure you never, ever scream or she'll rip you tongue out at the seam."

Having seen thousands of scary movies, I will have to say that this one is probably up there as being one of the scariest. The complete tone of this film well thought out and the whole feel of the film was meant to impress evil upon the film. If you dare to watch this and unlock the deadly curse of Mary Shaw upon yourself and others, enter at you own risk.

There is a great deal of potential for many scares, but our director James Wan wanted to wait for the finale to really give you a jolt. The mixture of creepiness, funeral homes, old people, dolls and ventriloquist dummies, broken down towns, and a rich man's mansion all set you up for a thoroughly visual nightmare that wins you respect soon into the film.

The use of black-and-white film within and during the opening credits add a particular nuance of spookiness and evil. The music soundtrack completely sounds eerie with the overlapping singers using ohs oohs and ahhs with deep voices like parts of the soundtrack of Stanley Kubrick's "2001:A Space Odyssey" when they found the black monolith on the moon.

The story about Mary Shaw was supposedly concocted many years ago, but is never been discussed in public, since there is much death attached to her name.

Newlyweds Jamie (Ryan Kwanten) and Lisa Ashen are the first to have a run in with the dummy named Billy, who continues to show up throughout the film. Lisa screams and then she dies horribly and is found without her tongue by Jamie who only left her to go to the store for a few minutes.

Detective Jim Lipton (Donnie Wahlberg) soon becomes involved with the possible murder of this young girl and remains on Jamie's heels all the way to the end of the film. Jamie goes back home to Raven's Fair where he talks to his father and finally discovers the truth of Mary Shaw (a very talented ventriloquist), who (turns out) met her death in a very strange and unnatural way.
Once known for it's grand display of luxury and wealth, Raven's Fair has now become almost like and old ghost town lying in a state of decay. Most of its inhabitants died mysteriously and brutally had their tongues removed, sometimes entire families found this way. Jamie go home to his wealthy father, only to find a young new bride (Amber Valetta) by his side. No one wants to talk about Mary Shaw, let alone whisper her name. If Jamie is going to get to the bottom of the Mary Shaw legend, he'll have to face the town's past alone.

This ghost story will have you guessing all the way up to the very end. I'll give this a 5/5 and will have to watch this over and over. Don't expect this to be like a "Chucky Film", but it could be a great deal more. Be sure and check out the Alternate Ending and the Alternate Opening. It will have your skin crawling.

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Great Price for a multi - format DVD movie! High Definition and regular DVD + Great movie. Fast shipping.

This movie is so freaking sick, the plot is a great mystery, filled with alot of those gasp moments, and a suprise ending that I did not see coming.

Firstly, the story isn't bad at all, although it'll hardly win any awards. It's pretty difficult for horror movies to continually be original, and this certainly has some moments in it. The villain seems to have some originality; it's not some Chucky imitation. The story lacks depth, and the characters aren't fleshed out at all. The real point of this movie is to be a horror film and nothing more. After the first few (poor) scenes, this movie does one of two things: keep you waiting to jump or trying to make you jump. From the rest of the audience's reactions, I'd say it did a pretty good job at that.

The acting was nothing to write home about, but for this genre, it's more good than bad.

Overall, I would say this a horror movie that deserves a trip to the theater. Compared to many of the sad horror attempts that come out, this isn't too terrible. And it doesn't rely on an abundance of gore like many others do.

I love this movie! It has been a looong time since I have found a movie that gives you such a creepy feeling! That is why I bought it and I cannot wait to have this in my collection of scary movies :))

I saw this movie at a friends house and fell in love with it. I am very satisfied with my purchase.

Well this is a classic film of Evil within things that we take or not take for granted... Puppets Dolls stuffed animals, you see these all the time in ppls houses, you see them in stores. but you never really think can there or is there a story behind them what have they seen, what owners have had them, is there evil there. This movie is one of those that answers it. Evil can be anywhere! this is a great movie the story can be worked on a little bit more... But all in all Great Movie! you also get the Saw Puppet its hidden so look for it! I would recommend this! A+

Decent horror flick, begins out slow but worth it in the end.

Has a pretty good plot and has many sudden shocking moments, if you like that type of horror.

Not too gruesome, but not something I would let a 12 year old see.

Overall good movie.

Saw this in the theatre. Wanted it for our new HD DVD player. It's a different kind of movie, with a very cool ending. A little twisted and strange, but worth seeing. heather