Silenced (2011)

Very disappointing...

Absolutely the worst movie.

There is, somehow, an interesting story here, as well as some good acting. There are also some good scenes

The movie's not perfect, but it sticks the landing of its message. It was engaging - thrilling at times - and I personally thought it was a great time.

Without spoiling anything, let's just say if you hate bad people who live amongst you and look like normal normal, healthy people, then this is the movie for you.

Movie: Silenced (18)Rating: 4.75/5If you're into watching realistic movies, then you're bound to like it. SILENCED/THE CRUCIBLE is an effective & realistic drama feature that appeals because of the sincerity towards the film by its actors and the justice done to the script by the director. Such strong content- oriented films can definitely change the society and it's not a spoiler, it did. To find out more, search about it on Internet. SILENCED is by no means an ordinary film: it's a film which questions South Korean society, as well as the people of the world as humans, too.I don't think it would be right to tell what the film is about since that can be found out easily. But, wait. Why don't you simply see the film and recommend it to others? This is a realistic film, and the word is enough for you to understand what kind of a film it is. The topic is what is being commonly raised in our Indian movies too, but from a totally different perspective. I think this is the first of its kind. The film is made in a way that you'll end up rooting for the lead characters, their efforts and the young victims. I was indeed shocked to see how far can the devilish nature of humans go. Some scenes, rather many scenes might be, by no means an easy watch. But I support the director's reason for adding these realistic scenes: to make us feel angry, and I not just felt angry, but also happy that he succeeded in making us emote.SILENCED is a film which can end up raising hot debates and talks, and it would be a surprise if one doesn't end up liking the film. The film is a perfect example of films that can change the society, the country and eventually, the world. Even though I'm not a South Korean, I ended up liking this film very much. What happens in this film happens in India almost daily, but still it was refreshing to see such a realistic film from South Korea, the country from where we get terrific films everywhere.Technically too, this film is brilliant. I recommend catching it on Blu- ray. The dialogues are powerful. Gong Yoo once again proves himself and I don't need to say why. Jung Yu-mi is not just pretty, but a talented actress too. You can see it from her performance. The child artists surprise you with their acts, since you don't expect kids normally to do such a dark film. They all give terrific performances, eventually making you feel their pain. The pain in the torturous violence can be felt, and is thus not meant to entertain you. The cinematography is excellent. Visuals are excellent. The music supports the film and the editing is great as the film doesn't bore you for even a second. SILENCED is a very, very powerful film which deserves to be seen. Sadly I can't recommend it for kids, since they would be saddened but I recommend it to people around 15 and above to watch it. Such films don't intend to entertain you only, but also to make you aware and alert. It won't be right to call it an enjoyable film, but it's definitely thought-provoking, and at times, entertaining too.

Spoilers, Spoilers, Spoilers.Silenced (aka the Crucible) is a South Korean film that is not really an easy watch. It's quite good for the most part, but it will leave a bad taste in your mouth for sure. I do recommend watching it, but with the caveat that it will pretty much spoil your evening afterwards…So, you've been warned!I have a number of general rules that I try to live by, which allow me to go about my life in a civilized society with a clear conscience. These rules include simple mundane courtesies like saying thank you or opening the door for little old ladies or not flipping the bird to that idiot who doesn't know how to drive, to more serious matters like not disrupting someone else's marriage or abusing animals for kicks or cheating someone out of their life savings (which would, incidentally, be quite easy to do in my line of work). My list of rules escalate to not raping, torturing, murdering people…but, the list has always topped out with the following: DO NOT PHYSICALLY, MENTALLY, OR SEXUALLY ABUSE CHILDREN!If you don't know already, this movie is all about breaking my "golden rule" stated above. A school chock full of deviant teachers, principals, and employees, which has been systematically and repeatedly raping, beating, and torturing the child students there on a wide scale. To make matters worse (if that's possible), is the fact that this is a school for the deaf & mute, and, that many of these children are from broken homes, are orphaned, poor, etc… To top it off, this movie is based on a true story (a thought, which frankly, I could not get out of my head while watching the thing)…Now, I'm not privy as to what was depicted in the movie is actually factual, or what amount of dramatic license was invoked, or what have you…but, even if the tiniest bit of any of this is even remotely true, then, I am utterly disgusted…sadly however, I am no longer surprised by hearing stories like this in the world I live in.As for the movie itself, it basically revolves around a new teacher who comes to the school and soon uncovers the abuses within. He and a human rights activist he gets to know begin to work to help the children in harm's way, and, to punish those involved with the crimes. It's a straight up drama storyline and courtroom procedural for the most part…there's little to no action or vengeance involved, and, it's as un-exploitative and not anywhere near as graphic as it might have been (considering the subject matter) if this were part of some other type of film genre.Production, pacing, and story are all solid enough. Acting is pretty strong throughout (particularly from the children, which had to be bit uncomfortable performance wise for them). There's a side story involving the new teacher's child, which quickly takes a back seat to the primary plot point, along with the hinting of a budding relationship between said teacher and the activist. Aside from that, this film focuses almost exclusively on the evil deed at hand, what will be done about it once uncovered, and what efforts the community will go to in order to just make this all go away as quickly & quietly as possible. Oh, and this IS a Korean production, so (SUPER SPOILER), you might not want to get your hopes up for the happiest of endings. Bottom line: It's in the 7-8 out of 10 stars range for me…I'll give it an 8, because it is stuck in my brain (at least for now) after watching it, and, it was well done overall. And, after all, isn't that what watching cinema is all about?...If you want any type of a remotely "feel good/good time flick", watch something else!...but, if you're in the right mood to watch a solid and effecting drama about a sad and horrible topic, than this film comes fairly well recommended by yours truly!

"Silenced..." as the title suggests, is a powerful film about a mute and deaf school in Gwangju (South Korea).In 2005 Kang In-ho arrives at a school where children are deaf, but quickly realizes that something is wrong, as children were cloistered in a kind of autism. The reason is simple; they are suffering from pain through twin-principals and other teachers. Kang In-ho, first was blind towards the horrible acts, however, he wakes up very quickly and puts his life in the background to devote him entirely to these children in the deepest distress.Written and directed by filmmaker Dong-hyuk Hwang, who runs his second coil after My Father (2007), based on the novel by Jee-young Cong taking Novel in one hand and camera in the other, Hwang Dong-hyuk takes us into a hell where cruelty is watchword. Men who abuse children are already a disgrace, but when equipped with a handicap that prevents them to express them while we pass this stage to speak only to be demonic. Moreover, work is in addition to killing these demons, exposing South Korea where levels of justice are rotten to the point that despite overwhelming evidence, everyone comes out innocent or at worst a slight slap on the wrist. Such injustice deserved to talk about it, and if the literature does not always express them on a large scale, the cinema can more easily, and in 2011 the film has been a blow, pushing the government to close the school and start a new trial.Hwang Dong-hyuk, who directs his cast with strength and power, conveys a strong message with an eye opener. We can feel the players involved, everyone is in the place and nobody is ever too much, especially children, crying for truth, despite their silence, but the look says a lot about the work of management. No melodramatic pathos, not only the accuracy enhanced by fluid narration and exciting, equally divided between face to face with the horror and the trial, or rather mock trial. The director also quite unsettling talent to film scenes touching, working the image at the point of giving an atmosphere of morbid poetry returning the stomach (although almost everything is hidden), to the Unlike scenes about bullying that they go into bestiality at the lowest.Silenced is a work that takes you to the gut, but also a masterpiece at all levels, sad, very sad, because during filming (like writing a book) hopelessness was most certainly in the spirit all, nobody is expecting that the film can shake rotten legal foundation at this point to the bone. The arrival of this film is welcome, but it remains a work paradoxically awful cinematic should play a social role, rape, torture, and death stories of children who have so far had very little impact. We think Hwang Dong-hyuk has done considerable work, but we also think these children whose childhood or life, were stolen. The story is very centered and never leaves its intention, as I said earlier it is based on the true story, we can feel the sufferings of the characters.This is a take on the human with animal instinct and the actions will shake the base of humanity.Recommended to everyone who can digest the kinky truth.9/10