"My expectations were too high": viewers slam new "Return to Silent Hill" trailer

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A new trailer has dropped for the film based on the cult early 2000s game, and instead of thrilling horror fans, it's sparked a wave of criticism.

40 seconds of footage showed James Sunderland, a fog-shrouded town, nurses, and Pyramid Head — everything familiar from the game. But viewers found the trailer too formulaic: "action movie atmosphere," "jump scare overload," and "unnecessary CGI" — comments like these racked up dozens of likes.

What the trailer showed

In the clip, hero James Sunderland, played by Jeremy Irvine ("War Horse"), receives a letter from his dead wife Mary (Hannah Emily Anderson) and heads to the cursed town.

The camera captures shots of foggy Silent Hill, creepy nurses, and the familiar figure of Pyramid Head — the franchise's main mascot. On paper, it's all just like the game, but viewers called the visual execution "too sterile" and "Hollywood."

What the movie's about

The film's plot is based on the cult classic Silent Hill 2. James loses his wife, but three years later receives a letter from her. She seems to be calling him to their "special place" where they spent their honeymoon.
Return to Silent Hill movie trailer
The search leads our hero to Silent Hill, where fog conceals monsters and his own fears. The film was directed by Christophe Gans — creator of the first 2006 adaptation, still considered the best video game movie ever made.

Viewer criticism

Comments under the trailer speak for themselves:
  • "My lowered expectations were too high" — @mjschlosser
  • "Why does James look like a character from 'Supernatural'?" — @phil7865
  • "CGI is the enemy of the people. The more CGI you use, the worse your movie will look" — @marcanthony8873
  • "Weird seeing the bottom of Pyramid Head's helmet [it's just covered with black cloth]" — @Jamesviolaofficial
Fans admit: the recognizable shots are exciting, but the teaser's editing and tone raise red flags. Many worry the film will turn into another collection of jump scares without the original's depth.

The source — the game

Silent Hill 2 (2001) became the gold standard for psychological horror. The game first showed that the main character could be an ordinary person, and fear comes not just from monsters, but from personal guilt. In 2024, a successful remake by Bloober Team was warmly received by players, reminding everyone just how powerful James's story really is.
A man stands by a wooden stand with a house visible ahead
Shots from Return to Silent Hill movie trailer
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That's exactly why expectations for the film were especially high. Especially when you remember the disastrous "Silent Hill: Revelation" (which was actually based on the third game in the franchise). Critics received it ice-cold: on Rotten Tomatoes it has just 8% "fresh."

Worth waiting for the premiere?

"Return to Silent Hill" hits theaters January 23, 2026, twenty years after the first adaptation. And despite the trailer criticism, interest in the film is huge: the franchise's cult following is still alive, and Silent Hill itself remains a symbol of nightmare and psychological pain.

The full movie will decide everything: will it become a worthy heir to the legend or repeat the fate of forgotten adaptations? Earlier on zoomboola.com we covered the trailer for "Anemone," where an aging Daniel Day-Lewis discovers a fantastical creature.