Let me tell you at the start itself ? it?s difficult for me to review this picture, simply because of the fact that I cannot reveal much!! Anyway here it goes?
Are you a Shyamalan fan and expect twist at the end? Well, in this case I would not say that you don?t have a twist. However the twist in Sixth Sense was much better. I still rate Sixth Sense as the best of Shyamalan. Is Shyamalan trying to inject horror as in ?Signs?..hmm?I don?t think so.
I read a review which says that ’The Village’ is set in rural Pennsylvania in 1897. Did I hear that in the film? I don?t think so..except for one of the characters mentioning about Pennsylvania. The backdrop is the serene settings of Covington which is a small town, Green and devoid of any automobiles! What do the people there do? Shyamalan doesn?t give much idea about this? farming?
The village is ?governed? by a group of elders with the actor William Hurt playing
Mr Walker who seems to be the head. Though everything looks to be right, soon we find that the villagers talk about ?Those we do not speak of?. These are creatures? better looking than the aliens in Signs. However the story goes that these creatures are in truce with the villagers. You live in your village and we live in the woods. (Sometime ago I read somewhere that the movie?s original name was Woods). Thus the plot is laid ? it explains the lack of automobiles ? villagers cannot go to any other place, as they have to cross the woods.
One youngster played by Joaquin Phoenix (of Signs fame) wants to cross the woods to go the town in search of medicine. He represents his petition to the elders, which is obviously shot down. As far as the story is concerned, I cannot tell you more?
The story is good. But don?t expect a thriller or frightening scenes. The sylvan surrounding is wonderful to watch on screen. Actors do their part to near perfection. The background score most of the times is a smooth violin (?).
One of the greatest surprises or exercise for you in the film is to spot Shymalan in the cast. I am sure any Shyamalan will be on the look out for him.
Final line: For me Shyamalan was sliding in quality as time progressed, but I believe The Village is better than Signs.