User reviews

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.

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.

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.

Well acted. Well put together and paced old style movie. 80s murder mystery & suspense. Few flaws in script and a few little jumps to go with with it all the way. But keeps you going throughout, Few little turns that were unexpected that added to it and not predictable. All in all scraping into the 7s. But it's solid entertainment and far better than a lot of Netflix muck.

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.

The story really moves along in the first two-thirds of the film, and the direction is not too shabby. However, the end is a let-down, and you certainly feel like you missed out. However, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau does a great job, as do most of the cast.

Solid 6 star film. Not great not terrible. Dragged a little here and there but was still watchable.

First of all comparing this to Wind River is not a useful critique. Wind River addresses the high rate at which Indigenous Women in North America/Canada go missing around exploratory mining sites.

This movie was a look at individuals who are flawed and who eek out their own idea of justice, to exact revenge or protect others. It's not a box office hit but it is underrated.

After 20 mins I forgot all about Jamie Lannister and Grace Shelby.

I recommend watching, if you enjoy story telling and can put away preconceptions.

Had some very good moments that were fresh, exciting and different. For anybody thinking about watching, it's worth it. Don't know why so many are hating on this movie. It delivers some gore. It's got some creepy elements to it. Cinematography was great. A Few scenes shocked me and had me yelling out loud. The movie kept moving along and didn't bog down with a lot of dialogue. I Thought Jaime from GOT was really good. It does have a "Wind River" feel to it. It is a viscerally depressing and sad movie that has a lot of emotions to it that are believable and palpable. This was a complete random watch and it was a winner.

Although the last twenty minutes of the movie is somewhat too predictable, overall this is a decent crime thriller. I would have preferred we be given more background details, especially concerning what happened before the beginning scenes of the movie.

But there's a very good cast here, and there's enough mystery and suspense to keep the viewer's interest.

Everything is nice except it's a tad bit slow at times, lacks much action.... the movie on the whole is nice and definitely worth a watch on a lazy Weekend.

Ive seen better movies on this subject/topic, and that is because there are too many inconsistencies and loud screams of ludocrisity done by the caracters in the plot. a superindependent sheriff that does the lonesome ride everywhere danger is, and the parkkeepers lack or will of communicating with police and others in dire situations, a w/t or a cell might have given some truthfulness working or not, or a simple houseline phone or better. its also hard to understand the police juristictions and the way law enforcement are dealt with, it just becomes deadwater where there are no push to be found.

acting wise, and the filmographic presentation are well done, much thanks to the choice of locations and nature scenery, but the story are plotted like good old ''twin peaks'', extremely slow, and wait till next weekend to get another clue.

its a film that will enerve some and make others bite nails from the nerves, the grumpy old man liked the first one third the rest is for you to decide. its a recommend anyway

The alcoholic owner of a wildlife sanctuary (Nikolaj Coster-Waldau) and the new Sheriff of a northern Minnesota county (Annabelle Wallis) discover evidence of someone possibly hunting girls. The former craves vengeance and the latter wants justice while questioning her troubled little brother's involvement (Hero Fiennes). Zahn McClarnon, Melanie Scrofano and Shaun Smyth are also on hand.

"The Silencing" (2020) is a wilderness crime mystery/thriller along the lines of "The Vanished" (2020), but with elements of "Kiss the Girls" (1997). Some armchair critics are rash to point out supposed flaws, but practically everything is logically explained with a little imagination. Sure, there are movie-isms, like in the last acts of "A Simple Plan" (1998) and "The Virtuoso" (2021), but that's par for the course in cinema, particularly this genre.

Nikolaj makes for a quality masculine protagonist and it's always a pleasure to see Annabelle Wallis. There's a surprise or two along with the formula. The fact that the melancholic story keeps you guessing is a plus, not to mention the picturesque cinematography.

The movie runs 1 hour, 33 minutes, and was shot in Greater Sudbury, Ontario, which is about an hour's drive due west of North Bay.

GRADE: B.

There were so many plot conveniences, unmotivated actions, plain stupid decisions, and even a few blatantly impossible inconsistencies, and unfortunately Nikolaj Coster-Waldau's (admittedly decent) performance can't save it. I was also very disappointed in Annabelle Wallis's performance, as I really liked her in Peaky Blinders. She somehow manages to sound bored while holding a killer at gunpoint. The film's only other saving grace is the gorgeous scenery.

'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.

The are a lot of positive things to write about The Silencing, although not everything was perfect, but the positives outweigh the negative. The story is interesting and captivating to follow. The acting is very good and that from the entire cast. Nikolaj Coster-Waldau as the leading character did a very fine job. The cinematography was also top, good editing and quality images. But the story could have been a little bit better what could have result in a higher rating. For example when somebody gets an arrow in the heart region and gets shot in the stomach, or another steps in a bear trap, and they both can walk around or even run and fight like nothing happened to them it's just not that believable and that brings the quality down. Other than that it was very enjoyable to watch, with the right amount of suspense and a nice twist that could have been more elaborated though.

A murder mystery thriller set in a community that has no shortage of issues. As a result, the characters have plenty of their own issues, which gives the film a dark and depressing vibe throughout.

'The Silencing' is not bad, and quite enjoyable, but as others have said, is a pale comparison to similar films such as 'Wind River'.

Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, most known as Jamie Lannister in 'Game of Thrones', is believable and plays his character well. Annabelle Wallis is a decent actress and she is okay in this, although there were a few line deliveries that were noticeably bad.

A note taken from the film.... In this world, only people can be evil.