Dead Silence

Dead Silence is one of the best movies I've seen in a long time. It has all the elements necessary for a quality film. Drama, suspense, action, and even the occasionally witty comment by the all-star cast are present. Drama and action, specifically, are present in spades. James Garner truly shines in his role as the conflicted FBI agent John Potter, as does James Villemaire, who portrays the character Sonny, one of the kidnappers of the deaf children. Dead Silence is a one of a kind, edge of your seat movie, sure to keep you guessing till the climatic finale. I recommend this film to all, as everyone should see this exemplar of modern film-making.

If you're a fan of Jeffery Deaver novels then you will have read 'A Maiden's Grave'.

And you will not be dissappointed by this screen interpretation of the novel.

It sticks closely to the plot.

The screenplay is crisp and clear and the characters well portrayed.

A group of deaf students and their teacher have their bus highjacked by three escaped criminals and they are then held hostage in an old slaughterhouse.

The duel between the seasoned hostage negotiator (played by James Garner) and the hostage takers is superbly crafted.

There is an added twist at the end.

If you've read the book you will love every minute, if you haven't then you will still enjoy an excellent thriller.

Well done.

I have always been a huge fan of James Garner. His movie work at times has been as good as his "Rockford Files" TV show, and this is one of the best examples. I was not familiar with the novel by Deaver on which it is based, but I will say that the story does not disappoint. The actors are all excellent, and there is a good deal of suspense. I disagree with some other reviews here on Garner's performance, as I bought the DVD largely because of his role. Another good movie he did near the same time was "Fire In The Sky", which fans should also check out. This movie was filmed in Canada, near where I live, and you can somehow always tell a Canadian production just by the look. Perhaps the portrayal of America never feels quite genuine.

"Dead Silence" has a real grabber of an opening, and rarely lets up thereafter. The hostage drama plays out in a somewhat logical manner, until the end, where credibility gets stretched to the max. It is interesting to see the way James Garner manipulates the situation to his advantage, only to have the whole thing unraveled by what appears to be nothing more than a tacked on ending. Nevertheless the film delivers a lot of tense moments, and is entertaining, despite the rush to a rather unbelievable conclusion. The movie is well acted, and the on location photography is acceptable. I recommend seeking this one out. - MERK

Pretty good Matlock'ish movie. James Garner is a missed gem. Awesome to also see Scott Speedman in a very early role prior to Underworld. Nice twist at the end!