The Village

____

By Todd Karella
July 30, 2004

Rated PG-13

Original Story Synopsis:

Movie-Pix Best Guess:

It's 1897 in Pennsylvania, and the people living in the village of Covington find themselves living under some very strange laws. Never enter the woods, and avoid the color red.

There are mystical creatures living in those woods, and Lucius (Joaquin Phoenix) is challenging the village's current beliefs.

The fourth movie by director M. Night Shyamalan. Like his previous films, The Village is shrouded in mystery and will inevitably have the bizarre plot twists that he is famous for.

If you liked The Sixth Sense, Unbreakable and Signs then you'll probably like this one as well.

Movie-Pix Hit or Miss

Best Guess Results:

The film is a little duller than the other ones directed by Shyamalan, but it has just about the same number of twists.

Unfortunately, the plot twists come too early in the movie, making the final surprise quite predictable.

~A thriller with no thrills~

secrecy in regards to what is really going on in the village of Covington, the film itself gives away the secret halfway through. Even though there are a few more surprises to come, they are easily predicted once you learn that first bit of information.
The film opens at a young boy's funeral in a scene that gives misleading facts

Director M. Night Shyamalan is known for his amazing plot twists that suddenly put into perspective all of the strange events that take place in his films.
   However, the revelations in this film are not that shocking, leaving a bad taste in your mouth.
   It's like you were expecting prime rib and got a tasteless rice cake instead.
   While the media has been sworn to

about the small Pennsylvanian village for the sole point of misleading the audience. Not only is it unnecessary to do so, but it ultimately detracts from the film and leaves the audience more annoyed than surprised once the final secret is revealed.
The village is run by a group of elders who set up policy and guidelines. During their meeting Lucius Hunt (Joaquin

Phoenix) asks for permission to enter the forest.
   Normally, entering a forest is no big deal, but their valley is surrounded by strange creatures that have made a pact with the villagers. As long as they don't enter the woods, the monsters will let them live in peace.
   After Lucius makes his request, he decides to take a few steps into the forest to see what is out there. Hearing strange noises, he immediately returns home.
   As if in response to his trespass, the village is visited by the creatures that evening. The doors are marked with the forbidden color red and some of the livestock has had the flesh ripped from their bodies.
   This persuades the young man to stay in the village and the film becomes more of a love story where Lucius begins courting the young Ivy Walker (Bryce Dallas

Lucius Hunt-Joaquin Phoenix

Ivy Walker-Bryce Dallas Howard

Mutilated animals makes me sick too.

Let's send the blind girl into the woods alone.

Howard). Or should it be the other way around as Lucius is a quiet and timid young man and needs Ivy, who happens to be blind but sees better than he does, to bring him out of his shell.
   In a quick twist of events, Lucius becomes injured and Ivy steps in as the main character. With all the courage she can muster she asks to enter the forest and head to the towns where medical supplies are more available.
   This happens at the midpoint of the film and all the secrets of the monsters are revealed to the young woman (and the audience) so she can travel as safely as possible.
   At this point, the story plods along with no real emotion as the secret is already out. And the few remaining twists there are, end up being spoon fed to the audience minutes before they happen.

If only these revelations were left until after the action occurred, the movie would have been considerably more exciting. While the end fails to entice the viewer, the cast members give good performances but not good enough to recommend this movie for anything but viewing after it comes out on video.