The Village (2004) Synopsis:
At first glance this late nineteenth century village seems picture perfect. However, this close-knit community lives with the frightening knowledge that a race of creatures resides in the woods around them. The villagers share the fear of the evil and foreboding force that lurks outside. So frightening that one dare not venture beyond "The Village" and into the woods. Despite the advice of his elders, a curious and determined Lucius Hunt has a burning desire to step beyond the boundaries of the town into the unknown. Town leader, Edward Walker warns Lucius of the danger amongst the town's outskirts, and Lucius' mother, Alice Hunt advises him to stay at home and spare himself of the greed and desires that exist in the outside world. Only Ivy Walker, a beautiful and mesmerizing blind woman with an unusual wisdom beyond her years, matches Lucius' strength. Her fearless nature and gift-like perception are beyond anything Lucius has ever known. Both Lucius and the mischievous Noah Percy admire Ivy passionately, though her heart only has room for one of them. Her devotion eventually leads her down a forbidden path where terrifying truths are revealed. The ominous presence of the unknown boils over into chaos for the town, with one's bravery being the only thing that can save them. The truce between "The Village" and the creatures is ending.
The Village (2004) Movie Review:
Here's another involving dramatic thriller from Shyamalan, which of course has some surprises up its sleeve. But there's a lot more than a few good plot twists in this clever, important film.
It's 1897 in a tiny village surrounded by dark, menacing woods. A whole series of rules have evolved to help the villagers live in a kind strained coexistence with horrific creatures that prowl amongst the trees. The villagers are self-sufficient--they never need to visit the towns beyond the woods--and their life is rather idyllic. In this setting, the strong-but-silent Lucius (Phoenix) falls in love with the feisty-blind Ivy (Howard), daughter of the town's leader (Hurt). But Ivy's simpleton friend (Brody) is unknowingly stirring up something scary in the woods.
Shyamalan is an expert at creating multi-layered, insinuating, inventive storylines and characters (see also The Sixth Sense, Unbreakable and Signs), even if his films are very slowly paced. And the issues he examines here are especially strong--and extremely timely, due to the juxtaposition between the villagers and "Those We Don't Speak Of", which is frighteningly familiar in today's us-versus-them world.
Besides being a gripping story all its own, this is a moving parable about the state of the planet. And Shyamalan directs it steadily, building both the plot and the characters and digging way beneath the surface. The cinematography, sound and music are perfectly moody and textured--like Snow White meets the Blair Witch! And he edits the film with a fiendish glee (his cameo appearance near the end is mischievously witty) while keeping the characters real--we feel their desperate longing even before we know what they yearn for. Their warm respect, humour and energy are all sharply felt.
And the superb cast relishes these strong characters. Howard is especially compelling in a tricky role, while Hurt, Weaver (as Lucius' mother), Gleeson, Jones, Weston, et al, are fascinating as the secretive, jingo-spouting elders. To be honest, there isn't a big twist at the end. It's more a gentle revelation as we begin to understand the truth here. This is a powerful tale of isolationism, a desire for innocence and hope, and a fear of the unknown. Or maybe not so unknown after all.
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The Village (2004) review written by: Rich Cline
6th September, 2008 
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