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The Village - 7/30/04 - PG-13 - 108m
Joaquin Phoenix - Lucius Hunt
Bryce Dallas Howard - Ivy Walker
Adrien Brody - Noah Percy
Director: M. Night Shyamalan
Written by: M. Night Shyamalan
Studio: Touchstone Pictures
Official Website
LYN
Nutshell: Okay, there is this village that’s like in this opening surrounded by woods, and in these woods lives some kind of creatures. Now there is this arrangement, the people don’t go into the woods, and the creatures don’t come into the village. Fair enough. Why? Well who knows? I guess if the people go into the woods, the creatures will eat them? Or if the creatures go into the village, then they can eat the people? So what’s the down side for the creatures?
First and foremost I have to say, I am fan of ‘M. Night Shyamalan’ and I quite enjoyed “The Sixth Sense”. “Unbreakable” was okay, and “Signs”, well…not so much, but this film? I did enjoy it for a while, and the acting was nothing less than superior. But the story, and the twist that M. Night is so know for, was how should I say…silly? I mean I kind of saw signs along the way of what it might be leading up to, but all in all…kind of a let down. I’d get into this in more depth, but I would be giving away too much of the story, and be ruining it for others that would choose to see the film even after my review. I can’t imagine how that could be possible, but there are probably two or three people out there I just couldn’t reach. 
The cinematography however was wonderful, and like I said the acting was superb, especially that of ‘Joaquin Phoenix’, ‘Adrien Brody’, and relative newcomer ‘Bryce Dallas Howard’ were simply a pleasure to watch. Although I have to admit that I’m getting quite tried of ‘William Hurt’ repetitive performances. I’ve seen this two-dimensional character time and time again and…yawn.
And finally to ‘Mr. Shyamalan’ himself, and I have to wonder, was “The Sixth Sense” a fluke? A flash in the pan? Considering that his films in my opinion have been steadily going downhill from that time since. The acting is always great, however the story loses so much steam by the end that the expected twist seems almost inane. ‘Hitchcock’ had a gift for the unexpected, but ‘Shyamalan’? I just don’t see it happening, and this film will definitely affect me seeing his next film…sorry to say.
Lyn
