The Village
Reviewed by Rich Drees
The films
of writer/director M. Night Shyamalan suffer a rather particular handicap.
Given that his films generally contain some sort of plot twist towards the
end that turn the preceding events on its ear, audiences have come to
anticipate such climaxes, trying to out think the film. This is a shame as
in his latest film The Village, such second-guessing will not only reveal a
fairly obvious "twist" ending, but may cause viewers to over look the one
good thing about the film, the performances.
An unnamed village sits nestled in a green valley, surrounded by dark foreboding woods. The residents live a quiet, self-sufficient communal life supporting each other’s in times of happiness and grief, such as the film's opening funeral scene, where a tombstone informs us that it's 1897. But the tranquil life of the village has come at a price. As village elder Edward (William Hurt) explains to the children, there has been a pact made with "Those We Do Not Speak Of", creatures that inhabit the surrounding woods. In exchange for not entering the woods and an offering of meat now and then, the creatures will leave the villagers alone. Yellow banners mark the territorial line between the Village and the woods, with torches lighting the line at night.
After the death of a child, young Lucius (Joaquin Phoenix) volunteers to brave the creatures in the woods in order to reach a near by town for medical supplies. Although the elders of the village flatly refuse his petition, Lucius is still intrigued by the possibility of passing through the woods. At the same time, skinned livestock and strange markings on the doors of homes have begun to appear around the village, causing the villagers to become increasingly apprehensive. It soon becomes apparent that the Elders of the village are hiding secrets and that keeping these secrets may cost lives.
Shyamalan's films are known for the thrills that they deliver, and The
Village is no exception. His steady, deliberate pacing my strike some as
slow, but it effectively builds up a sense of dread and sets up the scares
that ensue. He also makes excellent work with sound design. Several scenes
with the blind character Ivy (Bryce Dallas Howard) use sound to illustrate
how she perceives the world around her. This pays off when Ivy sets out to
make her own journey through the woods and Shyamalan uses simple noises such
as the creak of tree in the wind to help convey Ivy's growing feelings of
dread and fear.
Shyamalan has assembled another top notch cast for this film, with many of the performances having the reserved delivery that one has come to expect from Shyamalan's films. As the stoic Lucius, Phoenix manages to give a powerful performance mostly using just facial expressions to hint at his emotions. Newcomer Howard acquits her self-admirable in a role that would even pose a challenge to more seasoned actors. Brody and Hurt also give fine performances, as can be expected from them. The only drawback in this surfeit of talent is that Sigourney Weaver winds up being underused in the film.
Unfortunately, all the great character work is hampered by a basic premise, the big reveal at the end of the film that strains credulity to the limit. While an interesting idea, it doesn't blow away the viewer so much as leaving them saying "Huhn." It's something that doesn't hold up well under scrutiny and even leaves a rather large plot thread dangling unresolved. Coming at the end as it does, this plot twist leaves a rather bad taste in one's mouth that threatens to overpower the memory of the fine acting that preceded it.