Silent Hill fans will enjoy the 2016 horror movie The Void, which Lovecraftian/cosmic horror subgenre and features an eerie hospital where creatures are breaking loose. The movie was written and directed by Jeremy Gillespie and Steven Kostanski, who released funny horror films through the company Astron-6. After checking it out, many horror fans noticed that The Void reminded them of Silent Hill, and the film and video game have many things in common.
While The Void only has a 48% Audience Score on Rotten Tomatoes, it fared a little better with critics. The movie has a 78% score on the Tomatometer based on 76 reviews. It's generally considered to be a fun film that is reminiscent of 1980s horror. Fans of Silent Hill looking for a similar movie should check out The Void. Both have incredibly creepy atmospheres, and they really paint a vivid picture of the plight that the main characters are in.
What Is The Void About?
There are many Lovecraftian horror games in 2023 and The Void is a Lovecraftian or cosmic horror movie. The Void follows a group of characters in a hospital in a small town. This includes nurse Allison Fraser (Kathleen Monroe), Deputy Sheriff Daniel Carter (Aaron Poole), Dr. Richard Powell (Kenneth Welsh), and a few others who become more important as the plot goes on. And as the movie progresses, it becomes clear that there are horrible things happening in this town. As Beverly (Stephanie Belding) kills Cliff Robertson (Matt Kennedy) in a gruesome manner, the characters hide inside the hospital as a bloody scene plays out.
Several characters worship Dr. Powell and believe that he can do anything, which is one of the creepiest parts of The Void. As everyone tries to survive, they keep encountering scary creatures in the hospital. The Void was inspired by the best 1980s horror movies and it definitely has the same vibe of films from this decade.
While there are solid characters in The Void, the focus is more on the setting. And the hospital definitely delivers. Everywhere the characters turn, there seems to be a new threat, and that keeps things exciting and entertaining.
How Is The Void Like Silent Hill?
The horror movie The Void has many elements that make it similar to Silent Hill, which is one of the best psychological horror games. The two stories have a few things in common, mainly that they both have a creepy hospital and a cult that the characters follow loyally. The Void takes place inside a hospital, which makes it a horror movie with a great setting. The characters are definitely trapped, which adds to the terror.
In The Void, several characters are part of Dr. Richard Powell's cult. They dress in white robes and spend time at a farm that they refer to as "the church." In Silent Hill, there is a cult called The Order which is very dangerous. In both cases, the cult members hurt people without a second thought and their darkness contributes to the overall sinister tone. Heather Mason from Silent Hill is one of the best female characters in a video game and The Void's Allison Fraser is also a strong and tough character.
Both The Void and Silent Hill are inspired by 1980s horror movies. Silent Hill has terrifying creatures and so does The Void. While Silent Hill has the Abstract Daddy and the Incubus, The Void has horrifying creatures with tentacles.
How Does The Void End?
The ending of The Void sees Maggie (Grace Monroe) stabbing Daniel and seeming to worship Dr. Powell, who has been badly hurt and who doesn't have any skin anymore. Although The Void isn't considered a body horror movie, this is definitely one of the grossest horror movie scenes.
Part of Maggie's body blows up and creates what is called "the Sarah-Creature." Simon (Mik Byskov) is able to light the creature and Vincent (Daniel Fathers) on fire, which is unnerving to see. The ending of The Void moves at a faster pace than the rest of the movie.
The Void ending is a perfect example of the cosmic horror subgenre. It might seem strange and confusing, but it follows the confines of this subgenre and offers up a creative ending. The Void ending proves that no one can escape the power of this dark cult. Daniel and Dr. Powell get into a physical fight and then they are taken to "the void." The final scene is Allison and Daniel, together again, near a black pyramid in a world that isn't the same as the one that they were just living in. The ending of The Void brings up a lot of questions, but it also works and makes sense given what the story is about.