Imagine Final Destination 5 meets Rise of the Planet of the Apes and you might get Project Silence. This time, we’re dealing with some hyper intelligent killer dogs instead of apes, all while being trapped on a collapsing bridge. I was looking forward to this Korean disaster flick – considering how it was part of the lineup at last year’s Cannes – so imagine my disappointment when I found myself so incredibly underwhelmed.
Here’s the biggest problem with Project Silence: It’s nothing we haven’t seen before. Sure, the presence of vicious canines adds a new twist, but the rest is utterly uninspired. It’s already 2024, and if a disaster flick is still using well-worn tropes, it ends up being pretty unremarkable. God knows it’s crucial for disaster films to keep reinventing themselves in order to keep the genre fresh, or they risk becoming forgettable.
Comparisons to Train To Busan are inevitable – given the shared focus on a father-daughter relationship and their struggle against formidable creatures within confined spaces – but, where Train To Busan succeeded in creating genuine tension and terror, Project Silence falls short. Even the dogs fail to provoke the visceral fear one might expect, ultimately diminishing the intended impact of the disaster narrative.
First of all, the credibility of the inciting event is questionable. We’re led to believe that cars would indiscriminately collide into one another and cause a massive pile-up without anyone hitting the brakes. Yes there’s a thick fog that’s impeding visibility, but sure that means that no one is driving at full speed. This incredulity extends to the characters as well. Why would someone still chase after a minuscule amount of money (64.40 won, to be exact, because we’re reminded of it repeatedly), when there are lethal canines on the loose? If the film had approached these elements with a sense of irony or self-awareness, it would’ve been easier to swallow. But since Project Silence takes itself so seriously, these absurdities become even more grating, leaving us to question if any of it is meant to be taken lightly. (Spoiler: It is not!)
The character choices in this film are another reason why this was such an aggravating watch. All of them are constantly making stupid decisions. It’s certainly common for disaster movies to have characters representing the good and bad sides of humanity. That said, it becomes very annoying when they recklessly endanger themselves to save pets or personal belongings despite being in life-threatening situations. If someone tells you to stay put, just stay put.
I found myself sympathizing with and rooting for the menacing canines rather than the humans. I was even let down by the lack of graphic intensity in the kills, and frankly, I wished more characters had met their demise because they truly got on my nerves. By the time some characters show a semblance of growth and wisdom (in the latter half of the movie), it is far too little too late and I had long stopped caring about their collective fates.
There was also no need for so much comic relief. I get that this is also a common character trope in disaster movies, but in this case it did a lot more harm than good. Apart from the main character, Jeong Won, played by the late Lee Sun Kyun, you can’t really describe any of the other characters with more than one line.
We recognize the unique purpose they serve – such as the tow truck driver with his master keys, the celebrity golfer with golf clubs and indispensable skills that come in handy – but these traits are insufficient to form a meaningful connection with them. Consequently, any attempt to evoke any emotional depth falls flat. They try to develop something significant within each character, yet don’t delve deeply enough for it to go anywhere or mean anything.
Is the film a hard watch? Not entirely. Project Silence remains an engaging film that delivers scares from time to time, and notably, it never lapses into boredom. The visual effects are alright, and the decision to build a set rather than rely on green screens lends the film an admirable sense of authenticity and realism. The aforementioned car pile-up scene, while somewhat perplexing, still provides an exciting visual spectacle. There are even a few one-liners that might get a chuckle out of you. The acting is solid across the board, with Lee Sun Kyun offering the most compelling performance. However, with a budget of 18.5 billion won (USD 13.4 million), it’s disheartening to see so much potential left unexplored. With smarter characters, wiser decisions, a better-established setting, and fresh ideas, Project Silence could have been a standout film. Sadly, these elements are nowhere to be seen.
By the end of it, I felt silenced by sheer frustration. The film feels like it’s all over the place and suffers from an obvious identity crisis, pushing it into the worst category of disaster films: forgettable. Ultimately, it’s just a shame to witness such a promising premise squandered by underdeveloped execution.
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