THE SILENCING review by Ronnie Malik – Nikolaj Coster-Waldau stars in a serial killer thriller

THE SILENCING review by Ronnie Malik – Nikolaj Coster-Waldau stars in a serial killer thriller

Director: Robin Pront

Cast: Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, Annabelle Wallis, Zahn McClarnon, Hero Fiennes Tiffin, Lisa Cromarty, Shaun Smyth, Jason Jazrawy, Brielle Robillard, Melanie Scrofano, Charlotte Lindsay Marron, Patrick Garrow, Mark Charles Cowling, Heather Stevenson, Tiahra Tulloch, Danielle Ryan, Gregory ‘Dominic’ Odjig

Rating: C

A “who done it” serial killer thriller, THE SILENCING, is a film that takes its watcher on an intense cat and mouse chase through its storyline as the hero works towards putting the pieces of the puzzle together in order to identify and catch a killer murdering teenage girls. Audiences are no strangers to serial killer films and in the past have been excited by such films as SEVEN, SILENCE OF THE LAMBS, and ZODIAC. Will THE SILENCING provide the same mystery, tension, and satisfaction as some of the classic murder mystery movies of the past?

The film focuses on Rayburn (Nikolaj Coster-Waldau), a former game hunter and alcoholic that lives an isolated life as he deals with the loss and disappearance of his daughter who has been missing for five years. Once an avid hunter, Rayburn now resides himself to protecting animals by managing a wildlife sanctuary. He spends his days in front of cameras monitoring the forest and chasing away hunters illegally tracking wildlife in the park. But, the project he has taken on does not stop Rayburn from drowning in self-pity and regret as he continues struggle with the emotional trauma of his daughter’s disappearance.

When a young girl turns up dead, Sheriff Gustafson (Annabelle Wallis) is called to the crime scene and she comes to the conclusion that the girl was hunted down before she was killed. The sheriff also takes note of a strange scar on the girl’s neck. Later that night alarms sound off and Rayburn observes on his security cameras that someone is trespassing in the sanctuary. A closer look at the cameras reveals that a girl is being chased by someone in combat gear shooting arrows at his target. Grabbing his riffle and ammunition, Rayburn jumps into action to get to the girl before the killer does. Rayburn and the Sheriff will become intertwined as both have the common goal of stopping the killing spree and identifying the madman hiding behind the mask.

THE SILENCING does a good job of giving the audience enough background information on Rayburn that provides a clear cut reason on what is motivating its main character. This part of the story telling is very effective at creating empathy for a man unable to cope with a tragedy that brought his life to a standstill. Nikolaj Coster-Waldau is extremely strong portraying a father that could come unhinged at any moment. His haunting eyes and the despair in his face are a convincing portrayal of man who feels his life no longer has meaning. There are many characters in this film that don’t really get much to do, so with little to no character development the remaining cast is pretty much wasted on the screen. Without Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, THE SILENCING’s storyline would just fall apart.

Unpredictable twists and turns are a saving grace to keep this movie somewhat interesting and not a complete fail. Erie creepy fight and chase scenes through a dark forest also helps give THE SILENCING some absorbing moments. Despite some of its good points, this serial killer production comes to a grinding stop in between scenes that completely throws off the pacing, which just brings the film to a screeching halt. The big reveal of identity and motive of the killer falls flat and leaves a rather disappointing and less than gratifying feeling once the movie is over. Anyone watching THE SILENCING will figure out what the strange scars on the victim’s necks signifies, but no detailed explanation is ever given through the storytelling. Fans of Nikolaj Coster-Waldau will enjoy his great performance and maybe nothing else. This murder mystery is not going to provide a moviegoer with a nail-biting or riveting experience. Falling short in many places, it might be better to keep this one on the back-burner and re-watch some of the classic cat and mouse films from days gone by.

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