The Silencing - Senza voce

'The Silencing' had all the things I love in a film. It had unexpected moments sprinkled throughout, a lead character I liked and wanted to be alright in the end, a whodunnit element and some twists. What more could you ask for from a thriller? This was the type of movie that was coming out every week back in the 90s, and they were all great, yet these days you're lucky if you get one every couple of months and they're not usually as good as they used to be. So when I come across one as well done as this film was it is a rare treat.

Nikolaj Coster-Waldau from 'Game of Thrones' plays the lead role, and he was a remarkably good lead-man. Not only is he naturally likeable but he is also very easy to sympathise with. His character has had something awful happen to him and so he has become an alcohol and can be quite unpleasant to his ex-wife's husband for example. Sometimes these characters can be very hard to get onboard with if they're played by the wrong actor, but in this case I was happy to look past his flaws and get on-side with him.

As mentioned earlier I really like a good whodunnit. They're incredibly out of fashion these days unfortunately, but 'The Silencing' is a great reminder of how well they can work in cinema. I really enjoyed this movie and would highly recommend people give it a watch.

You can definitely tell the writer and the director were heavily influenced from the True detective series for this particular film which is a good thing imo. The visual style, thematics, and plotting aspects are executed in similar fashion as the show. The overall story is relatively run of the mill as far as the murder mystery, and seeking revenge in tracking down the killer. Still it stays interesting enough and never gets too stale with enough intensity and suspense to keep attention. The actors are all decent and keep a level of intrigue throughout. Also some very well done cinematography and fantastic scenery/settings. There are some moments that seem a tad cliché like a big reveal towards the end, but overall it does what it needs to as a basic thriller.

Everything about this movie is "okay". The story, the characters, etc. are all okay. None of it is bad. But none of it is fantastic either. It does the bare minimum a good movie should do. Good acting. Good writing. Good pacing. Good filming. Good editing. From a technical, movie 101 perspective, everything is textbook and it doesn't make any huge mistakes.

However, where the movie prevents itself from being very good, is in the following two things:

1. Ruins one very good opportunity and turns it into a pointless plot device. Midway through, a discovery is made which raises the stakes tremendously. From that point, the film could have done something very good. But in the end it's rendered useless as the plot jumps onto something else. And the villain emerges with very unconvincing motive.

2. It's a carbon-copy of a much better movie called Wind River (2017). I couldn't help but notice the similar look/feel within the first few minutes. The setting, the music and how the story opens was very similar. And much to my disappointment, the borrowing of ideas didn't stop there. The rest of the movie is practically the same. So if I could recommend one thing, is to go and watch the that other movie (Wind River) instead. Wind River is everything that this movie wishes it could be. In every department, that movie is fantastic.

Decent directing, excellent cinematography, but the writing needed more "oomph" and a more cohesive plot with less plot holes and technical issues. A good watch, but nothing spectacular. Would've been better as a short film, as the 93 min runtime with the slow pacing made this film feel much longer.

It's always interesting to see what the stars of big and beloved shows do after their characters leave (or when the show ends, sometimes in a manner that's anything but beloved... Yes, Benioff and Weiss), so a thriller with Nikolaj Coster-Waldau (Game of Thrones) and Annabelle Wallis (Peaky Blinders) was anticipated with intrigue. The setting and plot topped the cake off with a cherry. And so, "The Silencing" is quite the decent thriller - never reached the stars and pales considerably in front of its spiritual similars and perhaps inspirations (True Detective, Wind River etc.), but no aspect really in this movie is below the average.

Nikolaj portrays Rayburn Swanson, a reformed hunter living in solitude in a wildlife sanctuary, troubled deeply by the disappearance of his daughter years ago. A deadly game of cat and mouse ensues, as he and the town Sheriff Alice (Annabelle Wallis) set out to track down a newly active serial killer who may have also kidnapped Rayburn's daughter. The story provides most of what one would expect, chases, clues, violence, investigative and other misconceptions, offering also some minor plot turns that could raise a couple eyebrows. Though serious and working on heavy themes, "The Silencing" lacks suspense and the atmosphere that could've been, as plot largely functions on familiar tropes and leads to a rather clichéd final act. Where the first feature screenplay by Micah Ranum doesn't realize its full potential, the performances, geographical backdrop and visual work tries their best to make up for it. I took some issue with the character of Alice, and Annabelle Wallis didn't have a whole lot to shine on, whereas Nikolaj's offering of Rayburn felt like the most fulfilled character, and acting performance within "The Silencing". Shot in Ontario, Canada, "The Silencing" utilizes the landscapes and small town's drab charms well, though this backdrop eventually plays a role smaller than I'd wish to see. Cinematography's solid if not exactly impressive, though throughout I was thinking it'd do better with a little less greys in color grading.

"The Silencing" feels lesser than it should've been, but it's never bad or truly boring. Decent, but forgettable, lands in the middle, one of those many movies that feel disappointing for... not being disappointing. Fans of rural thrillers, devious small town shenanigans and serial killer mysteries should be able to find a kick or two in "The Silencing". My rating: 6/10.