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Back Shelf Beauties
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The Village I feel sorry for M. Night Shyamalan, who wrote and directed The Sixth Sense, Unbreakable, Signs (which I loved!) and The Village. His movies have whipped up such fervor that he has to top greatness time and time again. Sure, it's an enviable position to be in, but fatigue has to set in at some point, and the point is The Village. Joaquin Phoenix stars as Lucias - a young man in a 19th century village, Covington, where the residents are urged to stay within village limits. They have been taught the woods surrounding the village contain horrible beasts ("those we don't speak of", as if they were all Lord Voldemort), and a truce was reached years ago, as long as the beasts and the villagers keep to their respective land. After a recent death, Lucias has asked for permission to leave the village, go to a neighboring town, and obtain medical supplies so a similar death will not occur in the future. His request is put on hold as the village is terrorized by signals and intrusions from the beasts. Has someone left the village and gone into the woods? What do the beasts want? The Village needs more. Of course, we get clues to solve the big twist we know is coming, because Shyamalan always has a big twist, so I'm not upset I could figure it out (and you will too). He sprinkles various clues throughout the movie, like he did in The Sixth Sense, and it is fun to put it all together as the movie rolls along. However, The Village needs to be scarier, more sinister, more shocking, and more emotional. Shyamalan tries so hard to set some sort of subdued, psychological tension that it's boring, and he misses out on chances to complicate the film, which could have made it more dramatic without becoming overwrought (let's talk about that when you have seen the movie, send me a note, waffle@wafflemovies.com). Then, Shymalan holds on too long after we have hit the climax, so a more concise ending is in order. Don't think all is lost. Shyamalan gets great acting performances from veterans and a stunning newcomer. Phoenix, in his second Shyamalan film, does a wonderful job squeezing emotion out of the stiff dialogue. He excels as the innocent rebel, and has his best scenes with newcomer Bryce Dallas Howard (daughter of Opie Cunningham!!!!), who plays Ivy - a young blind lady who has more strength and ability than just about everyone else in the village. Shyamalan uses her character for the scariest and most emotional scenes, which takes advantage of the audience's natural sympathy for Ivy, and Howard knows how to work it. She always find the right reaction, or lack of one. Hurt is good as the town elder, and Brody is excellent as Noah - a mentally challenged young man. Brody avoids making the character mawkish or inappropriately silly. Let me play pseudo-psychologist for a moment. I almost get the feeling another story is emerging from The Village (a love story between two important characters), but Shyamalan has to make an eerie movie to live up to his reputation, so he throws in those spooky elements instead of making a pure love story. It's time for him to try something different. At this point, we know what to expect from a Shyamalan movie and I'd like to see him do something else, which could lead to the most shocking movie of all like M. Night Shyamalan's Romeo and Juliet, or M. Night Shyamalan's Animal House or M. Night Shyamalan's Superman (in my dreams he makes Superman!). 2 Waffles (out of 4) Copyright 2004 - WaffleMovies.com
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