Reviews

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  ★★★★★ review by Naughty aka Juli Norwood on Letterboxd

  The shocking but true story depicting the horrifying abuse and molestation of deaf children by the very people whose job it was to protect and care for them.. What happens to them afterwards is even more horrifying! It moved me to tears, I know it will move you!

  The film took great pleasure in playing Whack-A-Mole with my heart! At one point I was absolutely livid! Surely there must have been smoke coming from my ears! I know I was so distressed and agitated that I longed for someone to be there for me and talk me down from this precipice I found myself standing on!

  It is a devastating watch! Trust me I'm a tough old broad and I've seen a lot! But this film takes the cake for being one of those rare films that can reduce me to a quivering pile of goo!

  Afterwards all I wanted to do was shout its praises from every rooftop in town!

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  Recommended by Vikey via "Movie Request Hotline" list - Thank you for rippin my heart out of my chest and stompin it to bits this AM.. and for the relentless tossin and turnin in bed! For reminding me we still need to stand up for others! Fantastic Film Vikey!
  
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  ★★★★★ review by Peaceful Stoner on Letterboxd

  There is a simple sign language to greet the current law system.

  Raise both your hands to the level of your shoulders with both the palms facing upwards. Now make a clenched fist in both the hands. Grind your teeth and let the anger broil inside you, to the extent of evanescing your benign law abiding self. Now this is the most important part. From the tightly clenched fist raise both the middle fingers and show it to the lady who is blind folded, to the balance scale she holds and to the substance which feeds her and makes her scale tip to such deplorable depths, money.

  This film had me enraged, touched my heart, made me shed tears at the terrible plight, had me stunned with astonishing performances and reinstated my faithlessness in the world's laws, whilst simultaneously leaving me stranded on whether to be happy regarding the Goodness of the Human Condition or be devastated by its wretchedness. It is such an important piece of cinema whose significance cannot be described by words. It caused a national uproar in Korea and brought about a change in their ordinance. Everyone MUST see this. This true story deserves to be witnessed.

  PS, I do not know whether I believe in God or not. But I sure am a believer in Fate, Karma and Conscience. To all those people who think they can get away unscathed after committing such savagery I can determinately and faithfully say,

  "Justice is coming to all of us. No matter what the Fuck we do."

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  ★★★★½ review by Invincible Asia on Letterboxd

  "Silenced" is one depressing and important piece of South Korean drama cinema. Based on real events it tells the story of a young man who gets a job as an art teacher at a school for deaf children. He's shocked by the abusive behaviour of his colleagues towards the children but the truth he uncovers is even more terrifying. And such is the helplessness he faces when public authorities don't want to take him seriously and the legal system does anything but it's job.

  As I mentioned in my review of "The Hunt" starring Mads Mikelsen I consider child abuse the most horrifying atrocity a human can commit. That there are adults that force themselves upon children and even find pleasure in that enrages me like nothing else on the earth. With the children here being deaf, mute and orphans and the violators being teachers and the school director the protective and caring role adults should play in children's life gets perverted to no end.
  
  And then there's the system that should finally bring justice when it's already too late and you can't even rely on that.
  
  "Silenced" sheds a light at all this cruelty and injustice and shows the horrible helplessness of the children as much as of the young teacher. It shows how people with a good reputation and lots of money can do as they please. How easy people are corruptible. And how despicable humans can really become when the lack of heart and soul and the lust for power turn against the weakest of our own.

  The acting is fantastic, especially considering the big amount of child actors and the extreme situations they had to play. Gong Yoo as the young teacher and Jung Yoo-mi as a friend and human rights activist do an amazing job as well bringing warmth to their characters as much as conveying impotent anger and despair.

  "Silenced" is a well made film but it's first and foremost an important film. A film that exposes an inefficient legal system and corruption and that is a call to stand up and fucking do something should you ever come across someone who harms a child. You might not win the fight, but that's never been a reason to not start fighting. And if there's anything worth fighting for it's the heart and soul of a little child and ensuring it's safety.

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  ★★★★★ review by Bri on Letterboxd

  One of the most depressing movies ever made

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  ★★★★★ review by Varghese Eapen on Letterboxd

  A beautiful and heartbreaking experience with scenes which are not easy to forget containing some stunning performances from the entire cast...Such monsters do not deserve to live,they should be simply castrated on the spot..the ending is something unexpected and that's what makes it so powerful.

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