Review of The Village
November 1st 2006 00:06
The Village (2004)
Written &
Directed: M. Night Shyamalan
Bryce Dallas Howard, Joaquin Phoenix, William Hurt, Adrien Brody
Watch Howard Use Her Sixth Sense.
There is something very involving about a horror movie. Maybe it’s the violence (or the threat of it), maybe it's the creepy feeling we get when the heroine prepares to Open That Door, maybe the protected post modern part of our souls just likes to be reminded that we are not always in control, but like it or not, Scares fill Chairs. And the subject of today’s review 2004’s The Village has plenty of scares.
Ever since its inception in the capable hands of Alfred Hitchcock the scary movie has sought to find ways of bringing more and more primal shocks to the spines of viewers. As a result there are various sub genres including the Slasher flick (like I know What You Did Last Summer), the sci-fi horror flick (the Alien movies) and the recently re-introduced intellectual horror film (I would put most of Hitchcock’s classics in this category). The major driving force behind this re-introduction has been writer/director M. Night Shyamalan, the man behind The Sixth Sense, the recent Lady in The Water and this film.
With his brilliant use of camera angles, shot composition that is second to none and a genuine sense of cinematography, not to mention imaginative plot twists, Shyamalan creates worlds that are both fascinating and involving, and immerses the viewer in a genuine cat and mouse game that equally excites
and terrifies. The Village is no exception.
Following an isolated community of pilgrimesque settlers in their struggle against the mysterious and evil red-clad Others who prevent both contact with and interest in the outside world, the story revolves around the tentative romance between blind but gifted Ivy Walker (Howard), and rebellious Lucius Hunt (Phoenix).
With a great supporting cast and brilliant use of light and colour the film is visually stunning, really showing the effect that good direction can have. The theme of human fear and the ways it can be manipulated is fascinating and well presented, and the plot, while not quite as good as the brilliant Sixth Sense still delivers enough chills to make even the harshest critic shiver.
Viewer Question Of The Day:
Why, when the outcome is so obvious, are slasher flicks so popular?
8/10
Written &
Directed: M. Night Shyamalan
Bryce Dallas Howard, Joaquin Phoenix, William Hurt, Adrien Brody
Watch Howard Use Her Sixth Sense.
There is something very involving about a horror movie. Maybe it’s the violence (or the threat of it), maybe it's the creepy feeling we get when the heroine prepares to Open That Door, maybe the protected post modern part of our souls just likes to be reminded that we are not always in control, but like it or not, Scares fill Chairs. And the subject of today’s review 2004’s The Village has plenty of scares.
Ever since its inception in the capable hands of Alfred Hitchcock the scary movie has sought to find ways of bringing more and more primal shocks to the spines of viewers. As a result there are various sub genres including the Slasher flick (like I know What You Did Last Summer), the sci-fi horror flick (the Alien movies) and the recently re-introduced intellectual horror film (I would put most of Hitchcock’s classics in this category). The major driving force behind this re-introduction has been writer/director M. Night Shyamalan, the man behind The Sixth Sense, the recent Lady in The Water and this film.
With his brilliant use of camera angles, shot composition that is second to none and a genuine sense of cinematography, not to mention imaginative plot twists, Shyamalan creates worlds that are both fascinating and involving, and immerses the viewer in a genuine cat and mouse game that equally excites
and terrifies. The Village is no exception.
Following an isolated community of pilgrimesque settlers in their struggle against the mysterious and evil red-clad Others who prevent both contact with and interest in the outside world, the story revolves around the tentative romance between blind but gifted Ivy Walker (Howard), and rebellious Lucius Hunt (Phoenix).
With a great supporting cast and brilliant use of light and colour the film is visually stunning, really showing the effect that good direction can have. The theme of human fear and the ways it can be manipulated is fascinating and well presented, and the plot, while not quite as good as the brilliant Sixth Sense still delivers enough chills to make even the harshest critic shiver.
Viewer Question Of The Day:
Why, when the outcome is so obvious, are slasher flicks so popular?
8/10
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Comment by Aaron
The entire movie builds up to a secret that is completely anti-climatical. That's actually an understatement. I had the secret guessed 15 minutes into the movie, and hoped that I was wrong. When I turned out to be right, I wished I'd never watched the movie in the first place.
Great camera angles and decent color schemes can't save a wearily dead plot.
Aaron.