Dead Silence

Name: Dead Silence
Genre: Mystery, Thriller, Horror
Released: March 16, 2007
Duration: 89 min
Rating: 34
Cast: Amber Valletta, Donnie Wahlberg, Ryan Kwanten

2007

METASCORE

Generally unfavorable reviews based on 15 Critics

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USER SCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 123 Ratings

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6.4

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6.4	Your Score
6.4	User Score Generally favorable reviews based on 123 Ratings

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Dead Silence

Movie Details & Credits

Universal Pictures | Release Date: March 16, 2007

Starring: Amber Valletta, Donnie Wahlberg, Ryan Kwanten

Summary: From the writers and director of "Saw," comes this ghost story set in the sleepy town of Ravens Fair about Mary Shaw, a ventriloquist who went mad. (Universal Pictures)

Director: James Wan

Genre(s): Mystery, Thriller, Horror

Rating: R

Runtime: 89 min

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Awards & Rankings

46	#46 Most Shared Movie of 2007

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Critic Reviews

New York Post - Kyle Smith

The dialogue isn't ridiculous, and sometimes it's witty: A cynical cop (Donnie Wahlberg) doesn't buy Jamie's theory that the doll had something to do with the murder: "The mystery toy department is down the hall. This is the homicide department." Read full review

Boston Globe - Wesley Morris

This new movie is a more credible, less grisly act of filmmaking , but it's a less compelling exercise. It doesn't have the ruthless moral reasoning of the first two "Saw" pictures, however grotesque and specious that reasoning was. But it does have a plot that revolves around a ventriloquist and her demon doll. Read full review

The Hollywood Reporter - Frank Scheck

Boasts nothing new under the sun, but it does provide a few decent scares. Read full review

The Globe and Mail (Toronto) - Jason Anderson

The movie's uninteresting characters, boneheaded dialogue and flagrantly nonsensical narrative detract considerably from the virtues of the visual design. Read full review

TV Guide Magazine - Ken Fox

There are no two ways about it: A chubby-cheeked dummy doing stuff it shouldn't be doing is spooky stuff. But Wan isn't on such sure footing with his actors -- Wahlberg is stilted as the tough-guy cop, and Kwanten is blandly uninteresting. Read full review

Premiere - Glenn Kenny

Too slack to do much harrowing and falls back on some very raggedy commonplaces at the points when it should be delivering knockout scares. Read full review

Los Angeles Times - Ed Gonzalez

A conflation of the horror genre's laziest tropes, plot angles and shorthands, this inept creation isn't so much a film as it is a smorgasbord. Read full review

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User Reviews

CalvinH.

Apr 20, 2007

I don't give a crap what the critics say, I thought the movie had its scary moments and as always in any of James Wan's movies there is a great twist.

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Donna

Jan 18, 2008

The acting had me in stitches. As did the dolls. It's kind of a Chucky meets Nightmare on Elm St. But I liked it! It even made me jump once, which movies never do. The ending was... imaginative... think that's the nicest way of putting it! It was a big twist, but one of those The acting had me in stitches. As did the dolls. It's kind of a Chucky meets Nightmare on Elm St. But I liked it! It even made me jump once, which movies never do. The ending was... imaginative... think that's the nicest way of putting it! It was a big twist, but one of those silly ones that tries to make you go "ooooh!", unfortunately it didn't quite work that way.. Rather than being shocked by the ending, I was amused to see how far the writers had stretched it. Nonetheless, I thought it was a great film and will be watching it again! Although I'm yet to figure out why I enjoyed it so much..… Expand

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Sam

Mar 18, 2007

Relied more on atmosphere than plot, which ended up raising the movie above all the other horror fodder that's out there now.... despite the lame twist at the end.

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AMovieCritic

Jul 15, 2007

Pretty decent horror movie. James Wan (Saw 1) is a really good director who can really build to some great scares. Unfortunately, he's working with a pretty dumb script and scenario, and the movie can't escape its "B-movie" feel. The twist ending at the end is REALLY stretching Pretty decent horror movie. James Wan (Saw 1) is a really good director who can really build to some great scares. Unfortunately, he's working with a pretty dumb script and scenario, and the movie can't escape its "B-movie" feel. The twist ending at the end is REALLY stretching it, although I'll praise it for being, at least, unique. Still, the movie itself feels a little slow at times, James Wan yet again reverts to the "clowns are scary" technique to scare people (they're not scary.) and there aren't really many likable characters here. Still...decent horror movie. I would have been disappointed if I saw it in a theater but it makes pretty decent DVD entertainment.… Expand

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eljefe651

Oct 16, 2016

Dead Silence gets by on its style alone. The visuals are artful and expertly shot. It is worth watching for the visual design (if you appreciate that kind of thing), despite the thin plot line.

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Marica

Aug 27, 2014

"Remember: whatever happens, don't scream."

I like Horror-Mystery movies..but this is..bad.I don't know but i didn't like this movie.Seriously, i can't watch this movie again, is borinnggggggg.

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

Ellie

Mar 15, 2007

A simply stupid film. Repetitive, boring, and not even amusing in its stupidity. Very bad.

0 of 0 users found this helpful

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