Dead Silence

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Dead Silence

R

2007

1h 29m

Horror

Mystery & Thriller

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

20%

Tomatometer

79 Reviews

51%

Popcornmeter

100,000+ Ratings

After his wife meets a grisly end, Jamie Ashen (Ryan Kwanten) returns to their creepy hometown of Ravens Fair to unravel the mystery of her murder. Once there, he discovers the legend of Mary Shaw (Joan Heney), a murdered ventriloquist whose eerie presence still looms over the town. As he desperately digs for answers, Jamie encounters the curse that took his wife's life and threatens his own.

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Critics Consensus

More tasteful than recent slasher flicks, but Dead Silence is undone by boring characters, bland dialogue, and an unnecessary and obvious twist ending.

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Nicholas Barber

Independent (UK)

Sep 13, 2023

Dead Silence is a guilty pleasure, especially if you have a gottle of geer beforehand.

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J. R. Jones

Chicago Reader

Dec 3, 2007

Wan and Whannell have a carnivalesque sense of fun and a sure instinct for recycling classic horror tropes, but their characters are so flat and their plotting so listless that this low-budget feature fails to generate much suspense.

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Adam Smith

Empire Magazine

Jul 27, 2007

1/5

For the love of Chucky, avoid this insipid attempt at reviving the killer doll horror.

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Eddie Harrison

film-authority.com

Mar 19, 2026

4/5

‘…the result plays like a Twilight Zone/Outer Limits short story, and one with a punch-line…’

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Cheryl Eddy

io9.com

Jun 6, 2025

Dead Silence agreeably ties up most of its plot threads by the end.

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Sebastian Zavala Kahn

Me gusta el cine

Mar 31, 2025

2.5/5

It ends up feeling like a horror experiment that is not lacking in interesting elements (such as stylized and attractive photography by the experienced John R. Leonetti), but that at the end of the day, falls short. [Full review in Spanish].

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Jinnifer F

@RT68322444 Oct 29, 2026

I know critics aren't happy with this film but it's still a cult classic no matter what.

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Robert P

@Superbad Oct 5, 2026

Dead Silence is a 2.5 star Movie!

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Alex B

@AlexBioni Oct 2, 2026

Now, who's the dummy This is one of those movies I discovered in high school when my friends and I got into our horror movie craze. I've seen it countless times and it still creeps me out. The first time I saw it, I had nightmares for weeks. The concept is so original. You scream and Mary Shaw rips your tongue out. So simple, yet so effective. This is masterfully crafted by James Wan with an original story by Leigh Whannell. The dolls are creepy, and I can't help but get the creeps from them. I really like the music. The main theme is unique, mysterious, and catchy. This movie is different the first time you watch it compared to the second. I like the Mary Shaw lore and the horrors of small town legends. What happens to the victims is wild. The set design, from the cemetery to the theater, makes everything feel spooky. Is this movie unrealistic? 100%. Do I care? Absolutely not. The ending is cheesy, but it's still a doozy, and I unapologetically like this one.

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B P

@Bradster69 Sep 3, 2026

Not Bad, but Not My Favorite

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Bob D

@345bob Jul 31, 2026

Honestly I liked the whole movie but the ending

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diogo13 T

@Tua_mera Jul 12, 2026

It’s a mediocre horror movie that divides opinion. The mysterious atmosphere surrounding the ventriloquist dummies and the legend of Mary Shaw is quite creepy, but the plot loses its way a bit. It delivers good scares, but the story's development leaves something to be desired.

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James Wan

Director

Ryan Kwanten

Jamie Ashen

Amber Valletta

Ella Ashen

Donnie Wahlberg

Det. Lipton

Bob Gunton

Edward Ashen

Michael Fairman

Henry Walker

Dead Silence: Official Clip - Kill Billy

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Synopsis

After his wife meets a grisly end, Jamie Ashen (Ryan Kwanten) returns to their creepy hometown of Ravens Fair to unravel the mystery of her murder. Once there, he discovers the legend of Mary Shaw (Joan Heney), a murdered ventriloquist whose eerie presence still looms over the town. As he desperately digs for answers, Jamie encounters the curse that took his wife's life and threatens his own.

Director: James Wan
Producer: Gregg Hoffman, Mark Burg, Oren Koules
Screenwriter: Leigh Whannell
Distributor: Universal Pictures
Production Co: Twisted Pictures, Evolution Entertainment, Universal Pictures
Rating: R (Horror Violence and Images)
Genre: Horror, Mystery & Thriller
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Mar 16, 2007, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Nov 19, 2013
Box Office (Gross USA): $16.5M
Runtime: 1h 29m
Sound Mix: SDDS, DTS, Dolby SRD
Aspect Ratio: Flat (1.85:1)

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