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The Village Our rating: Rate this movie   Your Comments: see all MPAA rating: PG-13 (for a scene of violence and frightening situations) Theater release: July 30, 2004 by Touchstone Pictures Directed by: M. Night Shyamalan Runtime: 2 hours Cast: Bryce Dallas Howard (Ivy Walker), Joaquin Phoenix (Lucius Hunt), Adrien Brody (Noah Percy), William Hurt (Edward Walker), Sigourney Weaver (Alice Hunt), Cherry Jones (Mrs. Clack) Related: Talk About It/Family Corner

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I remember the night quite clearly. My friend Mark and I wanted to go see a movie, but it was late. The only feature yet to start was something called The Sixth Sense. We were in Indiana, we were bored, and we had some disposable income. So we took a chance.

About two hours later Mark and I sat alone in the theater, staring at the screen as the last of the credits rolled past. I imagine that our mouths were slightly agape. We hardly looked at each other until the lights came up and attendants in their quasi-tuxedos started trolling for trash. I don't think we even talked until we got to the parking lot, at which time I offered an illuminating critique of the film along the lines of "What just happened?"

Such was my introduction to the storytelling prowess of one M. Night Shyamalan.

About a billion people had a similar experience and The Sixth Sense catapulted Shyamalan into the top tier of moviemakers. He's told us about a boy who sees dead people (The Sixth Sense), a regular guy who is really a hero of comic book proportions (Unbreakable), and a pastor who struggles with his faith while aliens invade Earth (Signs). His latest cinematic offering, The Village, is set in an idyllic hamlet circa the early 20th century—think calico skirts and bowler hats—where settlers have to deal with threats from the ominous creatures that prowl their borders.

Life in the village is simple, egalitarian, vaguely religious, and genuinely joyful. But visual cues such as mustard yellow robes, torches, and the bare branches of the forest suggest that this world is as eerie as it is inviting. When skinned animals are found around the community and large red slashes appear on doors, a violent confrontation between man and beast seems right around the corner.

Because Shyamalan "got one over" on the movie-going public with the twist ending of The Sixth Sense—and because he really enjoyed doing it—the hype surrounding his subsequent releases has centered on secrecy. This has been especially true of publicity for The Village. Those associated with the production were strictly forbidden from divulging the story line of the movie and the featured actors have been coy when giving interviews about the project. This might be a successful strategy on some levels, but this marketing tactic pigeonholes Shyamalan's stories. If you present yourself as the guy who always tells a story with a twist, pretty soon you lose the power to surprise anyone.

The Village does offer a few twists, but because the audience is ready for anything in a Shyamalan movie, they're often more heartbreaking than surprising. What's truly unexpected is that, in the middle of the tingles up your spine, The Village is a strong, engaging character drama. More than that, it's a love story.

With standout performances from newcomer Bryce Dallas Howard (Ron Howard's daughter), Joaquin Phoenix, Adrien Brody, William Hurt, and Sigourney Weaver, The Village is at its most engrossing when exploring and revealing the intentions and motivations of its characters. The ability of fear to control us, and the way we use it to control others, plays out across the span of the movie as does the driving and protective nature of love.

Make no mistake about it; this movie is creepy. More than once my hands hovered around my face, ready to cover my eyes should "Those We Don't Speak Of" jump out from behind the tree. But more than that, The Village is smart. Its characters are unique. Its story is thought provoking. Its depiction of love rings true.

In a time when Hollywood is more interested in remakes and sequels than in original movies, Shyamalan continues to tell new stories. And he's really good at it—there's no suspense about that.

Talk About It

1. Why do you think Lucius Hunt didn't fear going into the forest?
   
   
2. Do you agree with the decision made by the elders at the end of the movie? Why or why not?
   
   
3. If you were Ivy Walker, how do you think you would have responded to Noah Percy's actions?

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