Time: 99 Minutes
Age Rating: R13
Cast:
Joel Kinnaman as Detective Frank Shaw
Sandra Mae Frank as Ava Fremont
Mekhi Phifer as Mason Lynch
Mark Strong as Detective Doug Slater
Director: Brad Anderson

I first heard of The Silent Hour when I saw a trailer for it. It looked like a standard action movie starring Joel Kinnaman and Mark Strong, but it looked pretty entertaining. I’m glad to say that having seen it, it definitely delivered on being that.

The Silent Hour is yet another movie about the main characters stuck in a building and having to  go up against a lot of enemies (like The Raid or Dredd). It is a little too conventional and generic despite some of the plot elements, and is definitely on the more predictable side, especially with one particular reveal later on. However, for what this movie is, it definitely succeeds. It has some steady enough build up in the first act, and once both lead characters are going up against a group of killers, it’s tense and entertaining right to the end. The film is kept at a good pace, and benefits from being kept at under 100 minutes in length. I do like how the movie utilises the hearing impairment of both of the main characters (with one completely deaf and the other slowly becoming deaf), and how they have to navigate their way and communicate during this life or death scenario.

The actors are good in their parts. Joel Kinnaman and Sandra Mae Frank are really solid in the lead roles, and they share a good dynamic. Mekhi Phifer and Mark Strong are also decent in their supporting parts.

This film is directed by Brad Anderson, who previously made The Machinist. His work on The Silent Hour is quite good, he delivered an efficient mid budget thriller, with some well choreographed and shot action.

The Silent Hour is a typical, but nonetheless decent, straightforward, contained, and very well directed action thriller with solid performances.