The Village (2004)
I kind of feel bad reviewing M. Night Shyamalan’s “The Village” without seeing it twice, but at the same time, I'm not positive I want to see it twice. As a film, it is exceptionally well crafted and the acting is superb; what can I say? – Shyamalan can direct. But I went into the film expecting a suspenseful thriller, and I ended up with a love story played out against the backdrop of a suspenseful thriller. Which isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but it definitely caught me off guard.
The story revolves around the small 19th century New England town of Covington, nestled within a wood in Pennsylvania. All appears to be quaint and serene, except for one problem: there are deadly creatures that dwell in the woods surrounding the town. The residents of Covington have struck a tenuous deal with the Creatures (dubbed “those we do not speak of” by the villagers) – as long as the villagers stay out of Covington Wood, the Creatures will stay out of the village. Enter Lucius Hunt, a bold, quiet young man who wants to go to the towns beyond the wood to acquire medicines for a sick boy. But at the same time, the villagers are given a foreboding reminder of the threat posed by the Creatures. And as interesting a dynamic as the Creatures play in this movie, the focus of the film seems to focus much more on the love between Lucius and Ivy Walker, a young blind woman who appreciates Lucius’s quiet, reserved nature.
The actors all play their characters with compassion and intense emotion. Joaquin Phoenix (Lucius), Bryce Dallas Howard (Ivy), Adrien Brody (Noah Percy), and William Hurt (Edward Walker) are all exceptional in their roles. The scenery is lush and beautiful, displaying the color and vibrancy of autumn, but also the decay and loss of the season. A single violin is often the only musical accompaniment to the film, but its haunting strains are more than enough to complete the effect of suspense that Shyamalan seems so adept at conveying. As with Shyamalan’s other films, the camera shots are all carefully composed, always showing the audience just enough so as to keep the tension of the scene at its height. And yet, Shyamalan still manages to cleverly intersperse some wonderfully dark humor throughout the suspense and drama of the film.
So what’s the biggest weakness of the movie? Probably the script. The film unravels very, very, slowly. Slowly enough so that I checked my watch once or twice during the movie. Given the subject matter, I don't know if there would have been any better way to tell the story, but the fact remains that the film seems to drag on. And again, I must emphasize that “The Village” is not a thriller. It’s not a chilling movie. Yes, there are a few shocker moments. But it’s mostly a drama, more so than the other Shyamalan films I’ve seen. So if you’re not the type for slow-moving dramatic stories, you probably won’t be a big fan of “The Village.” And when it comes to the big twist that all Shyamalan’s films seem to deliver, “The Village’s” twist is pretty weak. Certainly, if you haven’t enjoyed the movie by the time the twist rolls around, and you very well may not, don't expect the twist to knock you off your feet and somehow salvage the movie for you.
How shall I boil “The Village” down? It’s more suspenseful than scary, though it does have a handful of terrifying moments. In the end, however, like Shyamalan’s other films, it’s not about creatures, or ghosts, or aliens, but about the very human characters who must deal with these supernatural situations. And while “The Village” might have more interesting things to say at human level, it leaves something to be desired on the supernatural one.
7.5/10
To Movie Reviews
To GPFI Home Page