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Amazon.co.uk Review
Billy in Dead Silence inevitably recalls other possessed dolls such as those in Devil Doll, but he is an entertaining dummy nonetheless. As a variation on evil-doll films like Child's Play or Puppet Master, Dead Silence stars a dummy who isn't a killer himself but a vehicle for a vengeful ghost. Previously owned by Mary Shaw, a ventiloquist who was murdered by local Ravens Hill villagers for kidnapping a boy to turn him into a human puppet, Billy houses Mary Shaw's spirit while she gets revenge on all those who killed her. Jamie Ashen (Ryan Kwanten) unravels Billy's mystery after Billy is delivered to his door to claim Jamie's wife's life, since she is pregnant with Jamie's son. Mary Shaw aims to obliterate his entire Ashen clan, since they were partially responsible for her death. Plot, from there, teeters on the ridiculous, as Mary (via Billy) rips peoples tongues out left and right. Jamie's futile attempts to stop Shaw's ghost result in his discovering a gruesome secret about his brutal, abusive father. Writer Leigh Whannell and director James Wan, of Saw, made this almost comical film about 101 dummies, all relatives of Billy's, who are slaves to their sadistic creator. With many direct references to '80s horror films, and a soundtrack theme song almost exactly like Phantasm's, Dead Silence's charm banks on its lack of computer-y special effects rather than its originality. Billy's sly violence is creepy but funny, making for a relatively lighthearted horror film that won't traumatize as much as it makes one chuckle. --Trinie Dalton
Synopsis
Old ladies, ventriloquist dummies, decrepit small-towns, and dolls are all exploited for their full creepy potential in Dead Silence, a relatively innocent but thoroughly scary horror feature from the makers of SAW. After a heavily stylised black-and-white opening credit sequence that shows the story's central ghost, Mary Shaw, constructing her beloved ventriloquist dolls back in her heyday, the film transports viewers to the present. As newlyweds Jamie (Ryan Kwanten) and Lisa Ashen potter lovingly about their apartment far from their hometown of Raven’s Fair, it is clear that something bad is about to happen. This dread is only further cemented when a knock on the door leads the lovebirds to discover an unmarked box containing a worn but eerily lifelike ventriloquist's dummy. When Jamie goes out to pick up some takeout, he returns to find his wife's mangled body (minus her tongue) propped up like the dummy seemingly responsible for her death.
With detective Jim Lipton (Donnie Wahlberg) on his heels, and a very guilty dummy in his passenger seat, grieving Jamie returns to Raven's Fair with the hunch that his wife's death is linked to the town's murdered ventriloquist, Mary Shaw. Once grand, Raven's Fair is now in a state of decay, and many of its inhabitants have died mysterious and brutal deaths in the years since Jamie was last home. Jamie arrives at his wealthy father's home, 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 on his own. Arriving in the midst of the gore/torture trend (Saw, Hostel), Dead Silence comes as a breath of fresh air. It's nice to see that a horror movie can still use gore with discretion and deliver a fright through old-fashioned scare tactics and a premise as simple as a ghost story.
With detective Jim Lipton (Donnie Wahlberg) on his heels, and a very guilty dummy in his passenger seat, grieving Jamie returns to Raven's Fair with the hunch that his wife's death is linked to the town's murdered ventriloquist, Mary Shaw. Once grand, Raven's Fair is now in a state of decay, and many of its inhabitants have died mysterious and brutal deaths in the years since Jamie was last home. Jamie arrives at his wealthy father's home, 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 on his own. Arriving in the midst of the gore/torture trend (Saw, Hostel), Dead Silence comes as a breath of fresh air. It's nice to see that a horror movie can still use gore with discretion and deliver a fright through old-fashioned scare tactics and a premise as simple as a ghost story.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
24 of 27 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
A decent horror from the guys who made Saw,
By
This review is from: Dead Silence [DVD] (DVD)
From the writers and directors of `Saw' comes `Dead Silence', a ghost story which begins when a young newlywed couple receive a ventriloquist doll.
Forced to go back to the sleepy town of Ravens Fair after the murder of his wife, Jamie Ashen finds that there is a little more to the doll than it being a little bit creepy. It all goes back to an old ghost story in the town about Mary Shaw, a ventriloquist whose life-long ambition was to make the perfect doll. Accused of the disappearance of a young boy, she is killed by the angry townspeople who then cut out her tongue. They bury her along with her collection of 101 ventriloquist puppets, including Billy - the one that was just posted to Jamie. This film isn't one to be taken seriously, but is still a very enjoyable horror movie. There are lots of shocks and scares and a really good twist at the end (just like in Saw). Definitely one of the better ghost horror films out recently, certainly better than the likes of The Grudge, The Ring and Boogeyman. If you like films like Darkness Falls and tv shows like The X Files, this is a film to look out for.
7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
A good watch if you think puppets are creepy.,
By angelpheonix (Co. Durham, England) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Dead Silence [DVD] (DVD)
I watched this film coz its from the directors of saw... I like horror films especially watching them with the lights off.
There was no blood and gore in this, but that was ok for me coz to "jump" in a film is just as good. I'd recommend this film if dolls/puppets creep you out as THERE'S ONE ON THE LOOSE! I'd watch it again.. possibly buy it. Its a good watch and I think its hard to come by films that can make you "jump" nowadays! It defenatly worth taking a chance on.
10 of 12 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
A proper horror film,
By
This review is from: Dead Silence [DVD] (DVD)
This is a great horror film. Creepy, jumpy and a decent plot. The only reason for not giving this a 5 was that I did guess the twist about half way through, it is a bit pradictable but if you love horror films then you will have seen that many of them that you can spot these things!!!
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