Overclocked On Caffeine v.1.1

Forbidden Siren

92 minutes

Doing an adaptation of a game is a dangerous thing. It seems to get stuck in the writer/director's heads that it's a game first, and a story second. So, rather than embellishing the story that's already there, they follow the structure of a game, to the point where you can usually pick out exactly when the next 'boss fight' is about to occur. And that's when the film actually tries, most just take the path of 'well it's only a game, it's not like anyone's actually going to care' and just screw around for 90 minutes, making you feel dumber with every second. It's gotten to the point that, with one or two possible exceptions, it's easy to argue that there has never been a decent live-action game adaptation.

Into the ring steps Forbidden Siren, an adaptation of the crushingly hard survival horror games of the same name. Released to coincide with the second game on the PS2, Forbidden Siren tells the story of a girl and her family who move to the remote Yamajima Island. The family is there to seek treatment for the little brother, who is unwell for some vague reason. While there, the girl is told that there is one rule amongst the islanders that she must never break: if she hears the sound of an air raid siren, she is never to go outside. After finding a diary describing some worrying events, and dealing with the strangely suspicious locals, she eventually hears the siren, and tries to get to the bottom of the strange grip it has on the villagers.

This is a film filled with fanservice. Lots of little references to the games have been thrown in everywhere if you know where to look: the shots taken from the viewpoint of characters stalking Yuki, the heroine, are shaky and feature heavy breathing, just like the trademark sightjacking ability from the games that lets you see things from another's perspective. The song featured at several points features the same music as used in the ritual at the beginning of the first game, and as sung by a character in the second. The red water is another big nod, being a key plot device in all of the games so far, and the island itself is supposed to be the same one visited in the second game. The problem is, it all feels so tacked on. It's the same problem with films like Constantine and Wanted: you're left with the nagging feeling this was an unrelated script someone changed a few details on to make closer to the source material. Beyond the visuals and the like, there's really nothing linking this to the games at all.

Okay then, as an adaptation, it's tenuous at best. How does it rank as a film then? Well, sad to say, not that much better. The biggest problem lies with the pacing. By the point where you think the story's starting to pick up, there's only 20 minutes left. The buildup goes on way too long, and by the point they finally start answering questions, it's already too late. Then there's the ending, pulled right out of an M. Night movie. I'm really not joking, the Big Reveal tries to turn the whole movie on its head, and instead, comes across as laughable. Yes, it explains why the townspeople were acting so weird the whole time, but it's such a hackneyed twist, it's laughable. Throw in a final 'Or Is It?' moment at the end, and you'll be rolling your eyes the entire time. At least the direction is better, with a nice use of red (another element from the game) in every scene. It's subtle at first, but as the movie continues, it becomes more and more prevalent, the final shots using it as a malign invading force.

Forbidden Siren could have been better. It should have been better, considering the excellent storylines seen in both games.The film just sort of happens with no feeling of threat or tension, and virtually no shocks at all. Considering this is a film based on a horror game that prides itself on both, that's unforgivable, and the lacklustre final twist ends up feeling like the twist added in a kid's campfire story, right up there with 'because it had turned to wood" and "but who was phone?" It's not a bad film, but then again, it's not particularly good either. An interesting curio, but little else.