Dead Silence review

Why you can trust 12DOVE Our experts review games, movies and tech over countless hours, so you can choose the best for you. Find out more about our reviews policy.

At the heart of this dreary chiller lies an undead female ventriloquist with a vendetta against the townsfolk who tore her tongue out way back when. “Who’s the dummy now?” she rasps. Well, you are if you waste your hard-earned on this tepid retread of Dickie Attenborough's 1978 Magic, a curious stumble from Leigh Whannell and James Wan after the success of their Saw gore-fests. In fact, ‘Wan’ is as good a word as any to describe widower Ryan Kwanten's quest to discover why the mannequin left on his doorstep came alive and killed his missus. Unfortunately, by the time he's realised it's the work of its zombie mistress we're as sceptical as Donnie Wahlberg's wise-ass copper - one of the few actors here who doesn't behave like he's got a hand up his jacksy.

The Total Film team are made up of the finest minds in all of film journalism. They are: Editor Jane Crowther, Deputy Editor Matt Maytum, Reviews Ed Matthew Leyland, News Editor Jordan Farley, and Online Editor Emily Murray. Expect exclusive news, reviews, features, and more from the team behind the smarter movie magazine. 

Latest in Crime Movies
Cyborg and Batman together
Justice League stars Ray Fisher and Ben Affleck are teaming up for new thriller Animals
Thomas Shelby on a horse
Although Netflix is making the Peaky Blinders movie, fans need not to worry as it will be released in theaters too
Robert De Niro in The Alto Knights trailer
Robert De Niro is at war with Robert De Niro in trailer for new gangster thriller
The Italian Job
The 32 greatest heist movies
The Wolf of Wall Street
The 32 greatest Leonardo DiCaprio movies
The Matrix
32 movies that spawned iconic internet memes
Latest in Reviews
Lenovo Legion Go S with FlyKnight gameplay on screen featuring player character holding bow and arrow with enemy ant in backdrop.
Lenovo Legion Go S Windows 11 review: “my heart aches for this mixed up handheld”
Talisman 5th Edition game components
Talisman 5th Edition review: "The characterful imperfections of the original game remain clear to see "
WWE 2K25
WWE 2K25 review: "A colossal package even if you never go anywhere near Virtual Currency"
Altered: Trial by Frost booster box and packs on a playmat
Altered: Trial by Frost review - "Satisfying enough to offer highly varied gameplay"
Three SteelSeries QcK Performance mouse pads on a wooden desk
I didn't expect to prefer a coarser mouse pad, but SteelSeries' new QcK Performance range has changed my mind
Boro and Alta sit on a bench together in Wanderstop
Wanderstop review: "Exalting the transformative power of tea"