The Village is M. Night Shyamalan’s best work since The Sixth Sense.
The Village (2004)
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Reviews Counted:194
Fresh:82
Rotten:112
Average Rating:5.4/10
Consensus: The Village is appropriately creepy, but Shyamalan's signature twist ending disappoints.
Rated: PG-13 [See Full Rating] for a scene of violence and frightening situations
Runtime: 2 hrs
Genre: Horror/Suspense
Theatrical Release:Jul 30, 2004 Wide
Box Office: $114,170,863
Synopsis: M. Night Shyamalan's THE VILLAGE finds the renowned writer-director crafting a suspenseful story of a small community whose inhabitants are plagued by fear of the unknown forest that surrounds... M. Night Shyamalan's THE VILLAGE finds the renowned writer-director crafting a suspenseful story of a small community whose inhabitants are plagued by fear of the unknown forest that surrounds them. For years, they have kept a truce with mysterious creatures in the woods by vowing never to breach a clearly defined border. However, when a young man (Joaquin Phoenix) becomes determined to explore the nearby towns, his actions are met with menacing consequences. Shyamalan continues his remarkable streak of entrancing and entertaining thrillers (THE SIXTH SENSE, UNBREAKABLE, SIGNS) with THE VILLAGE. A meticulous filmmaker, Shyamalan displays his penchant for setting up a fascinating atmosphere in every aspect of the movie, from its distinctive color scheme to its intentionally genteel dialogue to its outstanding cinematography, courtesy of Roger Deakins. Renowned cast members Phoenix, William Hurt, Sigourney Weaver, and Adrien Brody are excellent, but the true standout is Bryce Dallas Howard (daughter of director Ron Howard), who embodies the heart of the film with her vulnerable but fiercely vital performance. Like Shyamalan's other movies, THE VILLAGE has a distinct twist that offers shocking revelations, but this film's overwhelming sense of menace is what is sure to resonate with viewers long after it's over. [More]
Starring: Joaquin Phoenix, Bryce Dallas Howard, William Hurt, Sigourney Weaver
Starring: Joaquin Phoenix, Bryce Dallas Howard, William Hurt, Sigourney Weaver, Adrien Brody, Brendan Gleeson, Michael Pitt, Cherry Jones
Director: M. Night Shyamalan
Director: M. Night Shyamalan
Screenwriter: M. Night Shyamalan
Producer: Scott Rudin, Sam Mercer
Composer: James Newton Howard
Studio: Buena Vista Pictures
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Release:
Jan 11, 2005
Reviews for The Village
[A] genuinely spooky stories that'll rattle you to the bottom of your popcorn tub.
Not only is The Village not credible, its shallowness makes it dislikable.
The Village proves two things: [Shyamalan] is a master of the old-school film craft that emphasizes atmosphere and character over action; and he is riding a one-trick pony and that poor pony is nearly dead.
[The characters] are victims of the outer structure -- the plot, and its requisite rug-pulling, becomes the focus, overshadowing the characters the audience had invested in.
Offers the ultimate conundrum. A complex motion picture that demands a second viewing, yet doesn't offer enough that's scary or emotionally resounding to be worth the first.
A monumental disappointment. I love Shyamalan's films but this one is only cable worthy.
Let's face it. Shyamalan knows how to wield the cinematic fear factor. ... Maybe he's just running out of things with which to rattle us.
The heart of the movie is Bryce Dallas Howard as Ivy. Every moment she is on screen is fresh, touching, and real.
When you find yourself bored and wishing a movie would speed up and get to the TWIST ENDING already...well, that's not a particularly good movie, now is it?
Shyamalan has followed his own template, but neglected to fill in the most important parts. The movie is a disappointment.
[F]rustrating and tedious and then -- bam! -- slams the audience with the knowledge that they’ve been had, and maliciously so.
The film is rarely suspenseful, frequently cheesy and oftentimes dull. Shyamalan didn't even bother to rip-off good movies, this time.
Gets off to a sluggish start and then takes a while to get to anything jump-out-of-your-seat-worthy.
The ghosts of Sixth Sense continue to haunt Shyamalan For the first time he has created characters we can't identify with, living in a world we can't relate to.
Don't go to The Village to be surprised, shocked, waylaid or titillated. Go to think hard about the human project.
An enraging bit of nonsense that is made all the worse by Shyamalan’s apparent delusion that he has created something extraordinary.
Shyamalan should certainly be given credit for wanting to make films that dare to inject some philosophical ponderings [but] THE VILLAGE is a concept, not a film.
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