Criminally Underrated Horror Classic From ‘Saw’ Director James Wan is Now Free to Stream!
An early career effort from James Wan that didn’t spawn a franchise (or garner much of a fanbase for that matter) is now available to stream for free (with ads) on Tubi. I’m speaking of none other than the Ryan Kwanten-led chiller Dead Silence.
I’m going to go way out on a limb and say that in spite of its abysmal reputation, I love this movie. In fact, I penned an editorial a few months back singing the picture’s praises and championing it as a misunderstood and underrated effort ripe for reappraisal.
If you count yourself as a fan of James Wan’s Dead Silence, you’re amongst friends here. Dread Central managing editor Josh Korngut is also an outspoken champion of the flick and agrees Dead Silence is misunderstood but far from meritless
If you haven’t seen the light and can’t quite find value in this underappreciated offering, I implore you to head directly to Tubi and reassess it this very instant. It may help to try watching with an eye toward the filmmakers’ influences. There are distinct Argento and Bava nods throughout that justify some of the picture’s perceived eccentricities. Moreover, Donnie Wahlberg is an absolute delight as a scenery-chewing detective trying to solve a string of grisly murders.
If you need further convincing, here is an excerpt from my editorial on the flick: I think Dead Silence was misunderstood by the moviegoing public and by critics who didn’t connect with the film or its influences. That’s fine. Art is subjective. But just because a feature doesn’t land for most doesn’t necessarily mean there isn’t merit to the piece. In fact, I would argue that Dead Silence is James Wan’s most underrated film; a picture that delivers atmospheric chills, gorgeous camerawork, and some supremely effective jump scares.
The setup goes like this:
After his wife meets a grisly end, Jamie Ashen (Kwanten) returns to their creepy hometown of Ravens Fair to unravel the mystery of her murder. Once there, he discovers the legend of Mary Shaw (Joan Heney), a murdered ventriloquist whose eerie presence still looms over the town. As he desperately digs for answers, Jamie encounters the curse that took his wife’s life and threatens his own.
That’s all we have for you at present. Stay tuned to the site for more updates on which noteworthy horror films are available to stream and where to find them. Also, make sure to follow @DreadCentral on Twitter (X) so you never miss one of our cool updates.
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