 |
| Home · Reviews · Interviews · Contests · Forums · Video Player |
  
|
by Scott Juba Published: July 30, 2004
 After writer/director M. Night Shyamalan achieved near perfection with each of his last three films (“Signs”, “Unbreakable”, and “The Sixth Sense”), I expected great things from “The Village”. However, even as one of Shyamalan’s biggest supporters, I never expected “The Village” to be this spectacular. This supremely talented filmmaker has outdone himself in a way that is truly remarkable. Set in rural Pennsylvania in the late 1800s, “The Village” is an intense, tightly woven yarn that exposes primal human fears, examines the unbreakable bonds of love that people share, serves as a timely political commentary against unrestrained leadership, and above all, entertains in a very intelligent manner. Focusing on a closely guarded community surrounded by a forest filled with mythical creatures, the heart of the story rests in the love that Ivy Walker (Howard) and Lucius Hunt (Phoenix) share. Their love for one another propels the main action of the story and is a vehicle for Shyamalan to intimately explore a spectrum of human emotions that he has never previously dealt with. Realizing the pressing need for better medical supplies in the village, Hunt selflessly requests to bravely venture into the forest to visit other towns. Despite his noble intentions, the village elders, led by Edward Walker (Hurt), refuse his request. Not long thereafter, the creatures in the woods become disturbed and begin leaving warnings of their presence in the village, such as skinned animals and strange markings on homes. As the story develops, Shyamalan takes moviegoers on a forceful and unforgettable adventure that leaves everyone glued to the edge of their seats until the film’s final frame. Shyamalan once again proves that he is a filmmaker with unmatched creativity and unlimited potential. “The Village” is his most accomplished and intricate film to date; but for all of its complexities and nuances, it never once violates the fundamentals of quality storytelling. Even during the film’s most shocking revelations, all of the plot elements are well grounded in the facts of the story and make perfect sense. As is the case with every Shyamalan film, everyone anticipates the twist that is in store in the end. In this department, Shyamalan has really outdone himself. Instead of one twist, there is actually a series of twists, the final of which is the most unexpected and astonishing. Realizing that audiences are waiting for “the twist,” Shyamalan allows viewers to discover the first one long before he reveals it. Then, with audiences believing that the movie’s sole twist has been revealed, he has the element of surprise back on his side. He then hits moviegoers with two more deftly conceived twists that perfectly allow all of the story elements to fall in place. 
The end result is a motion picture that excels on many different levels. It is perhaps the best love story, horror film, and political cautionary tale to hit theatres in recent years. For Shyamalan to so expertly weave all three of these storytelling elements into a cohesive tale is further proof that he is one of the best filmmakers of our generation. Moreover, there is a singularity in Shyamalan’s storytelling voice that pays great dividends by film’s end.Also not to be overlooked is Shyamalan’s directorial style. No director is better than Shyamalan at setting the mood and tone for a film through the use of lush visuals and well-composed shot selections. This time around, Shyamalan also inserts a palpable terror into key moments of the film. A climactic scene in which one of the lead characters is forced to travel into the forest is sure to send more than a few chills up your spine. The scene is reminiscent of “The Blair Witch Project”, only scarier. Though it would be easy to give Shyamalan all of the credit for the movie’s success, the superb cast also deserves immense praise for their spot on performances. In no way is this truer than in the case of newcomer, Bryce Dallas Howard (who is the daughter of acclaimed director Ron Howard). Her dazzling portrayal of a young woman wrought with disability but driven by love is quite possibly the year’s best performance by a female lead. For her to be as talented as she is at such a young age should give us all a lot to look forward to from her in the years to come. Adrien Brody is also a standout. He takes the challenging role of a mentally handicapped “village idiot” and pulls it off with ease. His character is of pivotal importance to the story, and Brody magnifies that importance with his perfectly executed performance. Joaquin Phoenix is another invaluable member of the cast. He depicts his character’s convictions with a stern, unflinching determination. Yet in his scenes with Howard, he also is remarkably vulnerable, adding a rich emotional texture to his role. In sum, if you’re looking for a thought provoking, shrewdly crafted film that raises important political questions and forces audiences to use their brains, look no further than “The Village”. Quite simply, it is M. Night Shyamalan’s finest masterpiece to date. “The Village” is not only the best movie of the summer, it is one of the finest films released so far this year. Overall Grade: A+ On The Web Official Site Cinema Spider |
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Copyright © 1997-2013 Burlee LLC. All rights reserved. | Reprints | Privacy Policy | Disclosure | About Us/Contact Us | RSS Feed |
