Dead Silence lacks a basis understanding of how to generate suspense and build tension.

This film just sits there with no energy, waiting for a few surprises -- which never happen.

Then when the movie appears to be ending, it feels half-finished and utterly empty, as if the last reel is missing.

Puppets can be darn scary, but they aren't this time around.

Oh, well. There's always Saw 4.

If you find ventriloquists' dummies scary, or ghost stories based on local legends creepy, then this is definitely not the movie for you.

Dead Silence is a dull atmospheric ghost story that is neither scary nor shocking and owes its entire fear factor to vague memories of haunted birthday parties or nostalgic vaudeville routines.

So, if you don't fit into those reminiscences -- then . . .

Dead Silence is a creepy killer-dummy dolls flick that makes little sense, in my opinion.

The story involves a detective who is looking into a murder and digs up the past of a town haunted by a mutilated ventriloquist.

I found this ghost tale delivers a few goose bumps and a few good visual changes, but, in the end, the silly, goofy dialog was more than I could take.