The Silence: Silence

Sadomasochism, murder, wealth and kidnapping combine in this intriguing but ultimately disappointing psychological thriller. Tom and Karen Welford live on their exclusive Long Island estate with their enviable fortune and their quiet little boy, Ned. Too quiet, in fact; for the toddler is scared speechless, presumably by his parents' abusive rituals. Planning to leave her marriage, Karen turns to Victor Serafim, a loan shark whose schemes include nabbing Ned and murdering both Tom and Joe Haynes, Karen's secret lover, who conveniently also turns out to be Ned's real father. If Maclean (The Watcher) had spent as much time developing his plot as he did fleshing out secondary characters and delving into psyches, The Silence might have made more noise. (Feb.)