We are entering the final week of our Fall Themed Horror Series. It’s been an interesting venture with some fun films. We still have a few more to go, however, including one on Thanksgiving day itself. I actually love thanksgiving. I’m from Wales so, obviously, I don’t actually celebrate it. Being a huge NFL fan, however, I will be spending the day watching the games and eating too much. Anyways, pushing that randomness aside. Today we are taking a look at a movie that pissed a lot of people off – The Village. As far as movies set in fall goes, they don’t get much more autumnal than this. In fact, the production was delayed due to a late autumn season. The lack of fallen leaves was a problem.
Written and directed by M. Night Shyamalan. The Village attracted a whole bunch of controversy back in 2004. Naturally we will go into that a bit later on in the review. For now, let’s take a look at the film. This is a bit of a tough one as it’s more of a thriller than anything. Despite that, there are some scenes here that are truly creepy. The Village follows the story of an isolated community who are haunted, at night, by unusual creatures that stalk their homes. The villagers have an uneasy truce with the creatures but, after someone violates the boundaries, the truce comes to an end. Threatening the very village itself.
Drama and Romance
The Village is a melding of a few different genres. The drama aspect takes a front seat. This community seems extremely foreign to modern eyes. They have limited resources but are incredibly tightly knit. Weddings are an event for the whole village to attend and meals bring out the entire community. It is clear that the villagers are struggling with a lack of medication. A young boy has died and it seems apparent that it was avoidable. This is all fairly normal stuff to see in a period drama. We share in the struggles of people who live in a much different manner to us. It is a strong foundation to build a horror movie on. You are already unsettled by the vulnerability of the villagers. All it would take to really tap into this would be a substantial and persistent threat.
Naturally we have a few romance subplots. Lucius is, seemingly, rather desirable due to his quiet, considered nature. Ivy’s sister Kitty, played by Judy Greer, professes her love to him only to be rejected in brutal fashion. This leaves the door open for Ivy to shoot her shot, with her sister’s permission of course. Luckily Kitty has moved on and is getting married imminently. Obviously Ivy’s close friend Noah is sure to be upset. This love triangle becomes pivotal to the plot. The Village plays these scenes almost like an actual romance movie. Fully committed performances from the actors really help the viewer to buy in. I’m not a fan of romance movies but I can appreciate the importance of the relationships to the story itself.
Some Seriously Creepy Creatures
These two major elements contrast starkly to the horror aspect. While never being explicitly violent, the threat of the monsters is ever looming. The tension this builds is incredible. We don’t see them particularly often but, when we do, they look legitimately scary. The costumes and makeup are fantastic and the designs truly unique.
Expertly set up scenes show them skulking around the village menacingly. We don’t know what they are or what they want. We just know that they have been warning the villagers and that is what makes them terrifying. One shot in particular will have you on the edge of your seat. The blind Ivy reaches out into the fog, hoping to feel Lucius’s hand. In the background, one of the creatures approaches. It is seriously effective stuff and a shot any horror director would be proud of. I’d put a few of these parts up against some of the the best horror movies as far as tension goes.
Brilliantly Acted
The Village is a who’s who of early 2000’s Hollywood. We have a tremendous older cast. Sigourney Weaver, the late William Hurt, Celia Weston and Brendan Gleeson headline. On the younger side. Joaquin Phoenix, Adrien Brody, Bryce Dallas Howard, Judy Greer, Michael Pitt and Jesse Eisenberg star among others. It’s obvious that people were lining up to work with Shyamalan after his success with The Sixth Sense. The exceptional cast are fantastic throughout. There aren’t any weak performances but there are some that stand out.
Bryce Dallas Howard is excellent. She has an admirable ability to display both strength and emotion. Playing a blind character can’t be easy but she excels at conveying the vulnerability of Ivy. Joaquin Phoenix shows why he was such an in demand talent at the time. Always believable and not afraid to deliver a quiet and nuanced performance. He fits the role perfectly. William Hurt, despite being a bit of a bastard in life by all accounts, is compassionate and warm as Ivy’s father.
The stand out performance, however, is Adrien Brody as Noah. Brody had already won an Oscar for The Pianist so I suppose his performance here should come as no surprise. His turn as the developmentally delayed Noah is fantastic and utterly convincing. It is a sympathetic and deep portrayal and impossible not to buy into.
Excellent Cinematography
Cinematography is excellent. The 1.85:1 aspect ratio feels fairly retro which fits the theme nicely. Shots are keenly lit with night time scenes looking particularly nice. The landscape is beautiful and the decision to film the movie in the fall was inspired. Fallen leaves contrast perfectly against the green grass of the village. Period clothing is very authentic.
Scenes like Kitty’s wedding are noteworthy for their coordination and scale. As far as the horror element goes. The design of the creatures, as mentioned above, is excellent. I was very impressed with how creepy they looked the first time I watched the movie. I still think they look scary to this day. The woods look suitably hostile with dead trees, heavy rain and even snow in parts. It works as the perfect allegory for the fear of the unknown that the villagers feel.
The Worst Twist Ever?
This movie is notorious for one of the most divisive plot twists in modern movie history. The twist at the end of The Village was seen as a bit of a middle finger to the viewer. Shyamalan takes all of the tension and atmosphere that he had carefully built up. Puts it under his boot and mercilessly crushes it. A sad death for what was, up to this point, an entertaining movie.
Roger Ebert described the twist as “a crummy secret, about one step up the ladder of narrative originality from It was all a dream.”. Unfortunately, he was right. This was a twist so awful that you almost wish you never made it to the end of the movie. The funny thing is, it followed on the heels of another twist. An earlier revelation actually sets up the ending but undermines the plot significantly.
It is rare that a director attempts to go for the double twist. In The Village, however, Shyamalan does. Maybe he was trying to subvert the expectations of people who had seen his previous movies? Perhaps he wanted to prove he could still shock people who were expecting a twist. Either way, it was an ill informed move.
A Twofer!!
Something becomes clear half way through the movie that immediately deflates the tension. Everything that had been built up to that point suddenly evaporates. Without warning, we are watching a completely different type of film. Sure, the twist gives way to a different type of tension. But many viewers will lose interest instantly at this point. The fact that he attempts to one up this twist once again in the final scenes is a simple case of a director outthinking himself.
When I first watched The Village, the movie had been seriously hyped. I’ll be honest, I was thoroughly enjoying it. I thought it was a genuinely creepy movie with a very engaging plot. By the time the first twist was revealed, however, I had lost much of my interest. As the ending credits rolled, I had decided that The Village was one of my all time most hated movies. Now, I was a lot younger back then and, evidently, more impulsive. Watching the movie a second and third time, I can appreciate it for what it is and I genuinely enjoy it. The twist doesn’t bother me any more and I can see what Shyamalan was going for. The fact remains, however, that this movie will piss people off. The twist is a bad idea and the pay off, for many viewers, will likely not be worth the time investment.
Should You Watch The Village?
Despite all of my complaining, I still think The Village is a good movie that is worth watching. I actually think this is one of those movies that will be looked at more fondly by modern eyes. Sure, the twist is ridiculous. It really is. If I am being truthful, however, I don’t know how the movie should have ended. The Village is, at its core, a drama movie. It didn’t really owe anyone a horror or thriller payoff. The ending can feel like a bit of an insult but the lead up to it is very effective.
When considering each part of the movie for what it is. The Village is tense, atmospheric, and quite scary. Many horror movies would love to be able to create the sense of tension and dread that this film has. Scenes featuring the creatures are fantastically effective. The build up to their first appearance is even better. The sense of fear in the villagers is palpable. It is excellent scene building and well worth the price of admission. What it becomes is a drama movie with a slight thriller element and a fairly interesting plot. If you can ignore the ending, there is still a lot to like.