The Village (2004)
When a willful young man tries to venture beyond his sequestered Pennsylvania hamlet, his actions set off a chain of chilling incidents that will alter the community forever.
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I don't understand a single rating on this movie under an 8. An original idea with an outstanding cast and a memorable plot deserves some credit. It is the most original movie I have seen in at least a year, probably more.
Current rating, which is 6.5, may suggest this is a very poor movie but it's not, actually. The music is just great and I would refuse to listen to the OST once in a while. The story line is so-so but hey, you can find many worse movies at 6.5...Personally I will give this movie a "7" but as it is so underrated, let me say 8.
Wonderful atmosphere, magic and reality perfectly mixed on a film with plenity of political and social points of view.
On a Monday night, as a sleet/snow storm loomed here in the NYC area, I watched another film from M. Night Shyamalan--my second Shyamalan film in two days, following "Unbreakable"--and it was another one that I greatly enjoyed: 2004's "The Village." In this one, a small, rural, Amish-like community, in what would appear to be the late 19th century, lives in mortal fear of the surrounding forests and the creatures that inhabit it. The writer/director keeps the suspense ratcheted up fairly high throughout, leading to another of his patented surprise/twist endings. Actually, I knew what the ending was before I watched the film; as with "The Sixth Sense," it is almost impossible NOT to have heard about this ending before going in. Still, that did not interfere with my enjoyment of the film, and actually allowed me to marvel out how adroitly the director plays fair with the audience throughout. The picture is gorgeous to look at in high def, and features a most impressive cast of pros: (Ron Howard daughter) Bryce Dallas Howard (whose performance I had enjoyed in the recent "Jurassic World"), Joaquin Phoenix, Adrien Brody, William Hurt, Sigourney Weaver, Jesse Eisenberg and Brendan Gleeson. I really don't know why this film has been so savaged by critics. Roger Ebert apparently detested the film, putting it on his "Most Hated" list, while the Maltin guide calls it "downright ridiculous." I suppose that the film is a bit contrived in parts, but that didn't take away from its artful qualities and ability to frighten, for me. Most assuredly recommended!