Coming soon on Netflix, the apocalyptic Horror Film “The Silence” is based on a 2015 horror book of the same title by Tim Lebbon. The film is also based on the screenplay by Carey and Shane Van Dyke.

The terrifying movie tells the story of a world under attack by terrifying, bat-like creatures which hunt their human prey by sound. It is a world of whispers, where people try to seek refuge and dare not make a noise of any kind. The story revolves around 16-year-old Ally Andrews (played by Kiernan Shipka), who has been deaf since the age of 13. She also has heightened senses, due to her condition.

As she and her family try to find refuge in a remote spot, they come across a sinister cult, eager to exploit young Ally’s heightened senses to their own ends.

Stars of ‘The Silence’

Besides Shipka, other actors in Netflix's "The Silence" are Stanley Tucci, Miranda Otto, Kate Trotter, John Corbett, and Kyle Breitkopf. The film was shot in Toronto in 2017 and is directed by John R. Leonetti.

Kiernan Shipka and sign language

Kiernan plays the deaf teenager and had to learn American Sign Language for her role.

Leonetti said in an interview that Shipka learned to sign for the movie and that she is now “flawless,” just as if she had been signing her whole life. He added that Shipka appears to have an “almost innate sense” of what it would be like to be deaf.

However, deaf celebrities, Marlee Matlin and Nyle DiMarco, along with other members of the deaf community weren’t too happy about Kiernan’s casting for the role.

According to them, her learning sign language undermined deaf representation, by casting a hearing actor instead of a deaf one.

View the trailer for "The Silence" below.

Reviews are in for ‘The Silence’

Engadget noted a striking similarity to the 2018 film “A Quiet Place.” They report that both films feature creatures hunting by sound and a family overcoming the disaster through the heightened senses of their deaf child.

Paste Magazine brought to mind Netflix’s last horror movie, the smash hit “Bird Box,” which is also an apocalyptic tale. They found some similarity to Sandra Bullock’s character and how her children in the film could not take off their blindfolds because if they saw the mysterious force, they would then commit suicide. That report is not sure whether Netflix can do it again with “The Silence.”

Global Road Entertainment acquired the US distribution rights to “The Silence” in December 2017 and the Netflix release will be on 10 April 2019, with the film releasing in cinemas in Germany on 16 May 2019.
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