You guys don't seem to get what I'm saying. I'm not talking about 'what the director has said outside of the movie' or anything like that. I'm saying that the movie is vague enough that it can be interpreted, and without prior knowledge of the series the more obvious interpretation for most non-fans is more along the lines of a 'deal with a nameless evil'. What I am saying is that it will be nice if the second movie steps in and supplies clearer information to help people to interpret it.
Oh, we understand what you're saying, and I've even stated repeatedly in this very thread that I agree the symbolic content was so overwhelming that it leads people to ignore or make up unsupported theories to explain the very few pieces of evidence that Alessa had powers. And as I've also said before, I agree that Bassett needs to fix that. All I did was point out that "retcon" is not the correct word for expanding on something that's already canon, and that somehow led to you claiming there's nothing in the film showing Alessa had powers before Dark Alessa arrived, which is simply untrue. Repeat as much as you like that people didn't get it, but it doesn't change that the evidence
is there, and that the filmmakers did make an active effort to show people what was really going on, despite youur insistence that they did not. Not anywhere enough of an effort in the face of all the symbolism, but still an effort.
Even with psychic powers, there's a difference between making some flowers wilt and turning an entire town into an intricate nightmare.
What is the main question behind the movie? Why is the world changing? Who's making it change? Who does Dark Alessa say has the power to "change the world"? Alessa. You're also ignoring the fact that Alessa brutally burned a nurse and cast her into an undead state, which is pretty freaking powerful, if you ask me. And again, this occurs before Dark Alessa ever shows up.
I for one have always interpreted not just the movie but the games as well as having some bigger evil presence which Alessa acts as a vessel for, even if it's something as abstract as 'the power of evil', or as literal as 'a piece of hell'.
And you would be wrong on both counts.
The wilting flowers, you act like there's never been a movie where a demon appears in small stages. The Exorcist began with strange noises in the attic, Paranormal Activity begins with quiet bumps and cold breezes before it escalates into people being dragged down hallways and bitten.
There is ZERO evidence of this, and it stands in direct contradiction to Dark Alessa's statement of "That's when I came". Movies don't work backwards, and there's no reason why Dark Alessa would lie to Rose about that, so no, there's no possible way Alessa's powers came from Dark Alessa.
I can't see how casual audiences are supposed to accept that a little girl can have psychic powers strong enough to turn a town into hell, I think there's something more than that. A greater power underneath the town, I think Silent Hill had just as much to do with it as Alessa; they needed each other.
Except there's not one iota of evidence in either the movie or any outside sources saying such a thing. It's as much unproveable fan fiction as saying Alessa probably wears pink pajamas to bed every night.
It's not awful dialogue to leave something open to interpretation, in fact it's always been a staple of Silent Hill. Those 'Alessa's powers' scenes were probably omitted for the very reason that it gets speculation like this going and that people like me can interpret it either way.
Or because the original cut was 3 hours long and the studio demanded they trim scenes with the female characters. Or because Gans wanted to make Alessa seem more innocent. I find it highly unlikely that he would specifically cut that for interpretation purposes, and then make it clear what the correct meaning is in basically every single interview. Not once has he ever said he intended Alessa's story to be left open for interpretation.
The devil-symbolism in the dialogue and visuals just give people other things to anchor off of when interpreting it, I think the idea that a non-specific 'evil force' was channelled by Alessa is just as valid, "I have many names, right now I'm the dark part of Alessa", how much clearer could it be what that was supposed to mean? She's not just 'Alessa's anger in a person', she's the evil that men do, she is hate, personified. She's a manifestation of vengeance. Devine retribution.
That's not the canon definition of her, and unless Bassett pulls a huge retcon, it never will be. According to the canon interpretation, she is not an outside entity, just the angry side of an ultra-powerful psionic girl. It may come off as valid to most movie-goers due to the overabundance of metaphor, but it's not true, which was my whole point in telling you that explaining what's already canon isn't retconning anything. "I have many names" could mean about a thousand things, everything from Alessa herself having many names to Dark Alessa telling Rose the cultists have many names for her to the dark side of the psyche being comprised of many emotions, etc etc. The only thing that is certain about that statement is that Gans never meant for audiences to take it as meaning Dark Alessa is literally the devil, seeing as he's been very outspoken about the fact that the movie can't be understood if the viewer doesn't get that Alessa is split into 3 entities.
If Gans didn't want this he wouldn't have taken out scenes which reinforce the other explaination(s). I think it's supposed to give game fans an interpretation closer to the games, and casual audiences clues to form a more simple interpretation, hence the removal of certain scenes and the devil symbolism.
Except he's specifically stated that the movie cannot be understood at all if the audience doesn't understand that Alessa exists in 3 bodies. Which means that, no, it was not intentional. He also put a crapload of symbolism of Rose being the Virgin Mary, Alessa the Christian God, and Sharon as Jesus, but I'd hope no one believes any of those people actually are what the symbolism says they are.