Nuno
07-28-2004, 03:42 PM
This movie has me hyped up. I can't wait. Check out this review.
The population of a small 19th century Hamlet in rural America are blocked into their homes by a forest full of the most terrifying monsters. Only Lucius Hunt has the nerve to tread into the woods, but the elders dare not let him. M. Night Shyamalan delivers a film that beats any of his previous efforts, even The Sixth Sense.
Little attracted me to The Village. I didn’t feel Shyamalan could possibly repeat the success of The Sixth Sense and Unbreakable, both films drew attention to the hidden talent of a man who’d never proved himself up until then. When Signs was released, I felt strongly that Shyamalan had peaked and would never return to such form. The news that Joaquin Phoenix would re-team with his Signs director did nothing for the attraction either, he’d never wholly convinced me of his talents.
What a shame I didn’t pay more attention. The Village is a remarkable improvement on anything Shyamalan has done before. In fact, it’s so much of an improvement that compared to this, The Sixth Sense feels like a second-rate student film; and that’s saying something.
Typical twist rules apply, Shyamalan isn’t about to dump his trademark that easily, but The Village is a film that far transcends its story. Again the supernatural plays a big part, this time forest-dwelling monsters replace ghosts, aliens and superheroes, but Shyamalan doesn’t rely on it any more. This is a character film, not a monster story. It’s a study of a group of isolated villagers in a life-threatening situation, and an incredibly good one. Of course, the supernatural aspect is still important, just not as important as it used to be.
At the heart of the tale is a trio of young residents who are ready to challenge the village’s outlook on life. All three are willing to tread into the woods, albeit with different motives, and visit the townships that lie beyond. The first is our See-No-Evil candidate, Ivy. She’s blind and has never witnessed the threat of the monsters by sight. As terrified as the rest of the village, it’s difficult for her to contemplate venturing into the woods to find a town that can sell much needed medical supplies. Played expertly by Bryce Howard, Ivy is the unlikely hero of the piece; the third act is largely hers and she carries it to stunning conclusions.
The second arm is our Speak-No-Evil hero. Stoic Lucius Hunt has the nerve to tackle the threat in the woods, but he can never speak of the threat, save carefully penned notes written only when he absolutely has to. In the role Joaquin Phoenix, challenging even the dizzy heights of his late brother River, delivers a performance so captivating and honest that, against our better judgement, we fall in love with Lucius’ naivety.
Finally, there’s our Hear-No-Evil arm. Noah is the only mentally handicapped resident of The Village, and the only one able to venture into the woods at will. His innocence deafens him to the threat of the monsters, a threat which remains solely audible in the first half of the film. As Noah, Adrian Brody in on fine form, perfectly completing a tripod of talent that gives The Village most of its appeal.
Perhaps most impressive about the inclusion of this subtle monkey proverb is the way the three interact during the film. Their relationship is refreshingly complex, and this is more than just a clever plot device; it’s an inextricable thread between them that’ll seal the fates of all three.
Providing the generation conflict is the council of Elders, headed by Ivy’s father, Edward. This council’s primary goal is the protection of the inhabitants of The Village and, when Lucius announces his intentions to journey into the woods, it’s up to them to protect him from harm.
Taking on the roll of Edward is William Hurt, who’s distanced from the camera by Shyamalan. During close-ups Edward is shot in profile, adding to the mystery of his back-story. To this end he inherits a deity-like position and he’s perfectly suited to his role in the community.
Capturing the true 19th Century experience, Shyamalan’s characters are given traditional, but unique, style of dialogue. It flows smoothly and precisely and its unfamiliarity adds to the feeling of isolation.
Visually, the film is stunning; the hamlet is beautifully realised and the period dress works perfectly. Judging from his previous efforts, it’s clear that visuals are important to Shyamalan, but in The Village it feels integral. Indeed, every element of the production blends seamlessly together, and the film is completely engrossing for it.
This is, hands down, the best new film of the year so far. Shyamalan surpasses even his own greatest work to deliver an utterly accessible, totally enthralling and thoroughly unmissable film that is perhaps one of the most original works to hit the big screen in recent years. In a word: wonderful. By Joe Utichi.
The population of a small 19th century Hamlet in rural America are blocked into their homes by a forest full of the most terrifying monsters. Only Lucius Hunt has the nerve to tread into the woods, but the elders dare not let him. M. Night Shyamalan delivers a film that beats any of his previous efforts, even The Sixth Sense.
Little attracted me to The Village. I didn’t feel Shyamalan could possibly repeat the success of The Sixth Sense and Unbreakable, both films drew attention to the hidden talent of a man who’d never proved himself up until then. When Signs was released, I felt strongly that Shyamalan had peaked and would never return to such form. The news that Joaquin Phoenix would re-team with his Signs director did nothing for the attraction either, he’d never wholly convinced me of his talents.
What a shame I didn’t pay more attention. The Village is a remarkable improvement on anything Shyamalan has done before. In fact, it’s so much of an improvement that compared to this, The Sixth Sense feels like a second-rate student film; and that’s saying something.
Typical twist rules apply, Shyamalan isn’t about to dump his trademark that easily, but The Village is a film that far transcends its story. Again the supernatural plays a big part, this time forest-dwelling monsters replace ghosts, aliens and superheroes, but Shyamalan doesn’t rely on it any more. This is a character film, not a monster story. It’s a study of a group of isolated villagers in a life-threatening situation, and an incredibly good one. Of course, the supernatural aspect is still important, just not as important as it used to be.
At the heart of the tale is a trio of young residents who are ready to challenge the village’s outlook on life. All three are willing to tread into the woods, albeit with different motives, and visit the townships that lie beyond. The first is our See-No-Evil candidate, Ivy. She’s blind and has never witnessed the threat of the monsters by sight. As terrified as the rest of the village, it’s difficult for her to contemplate venturing into the woods to find a town that can sell much needed medical supplies. Played expertly by Bryce Howard, Ivy is the unlikely hero of the piece; the third act is largely hers and she carries it to stunning conclusions.
The second arm is our Speak-No-Evil hero. Stoic Lucius Hunt has the nerve to tackle the threat in the woods, but he can never speak of the threat, save carefully penned notes written only when he absolutely has to. In the role Joaquin Phoenix, challenging even the dizzy heights of his late brother River, delivers a performance so captivating and honest that, against our better judgement, we fall in love with Lucius’ naivety.
Finally, there’s our Hear-No-Evil arm. Noah is the only mentally handicapped resident of The Village, and the only one able to venture into the woods at will. His innocence deafens him to the threat of the monsters, a threat which remains solely audible in the first half of the film. As Noah, Adrian Brody in on fine form, perfectly completing a tripod of talent that gives The Village most of its appeal.
Perhaps most impressive about the inclusion of this subtle monkey proverb is the way the three interact during the film. Their relationship is refreshingly complex, and this is more than just a clever plot device; it’s an inextricable thread between them that’ll seal the fates of all three.
Providing the generation conflict is the council of Elders, headed by Ivy’s father, Edward. This council’s primary goal is the protection of the inhabitants of The Village and, when Lucius announces his intentions to journey into the woods, it’s up to them to protect him from harm.
Taking on the roll of Edward is William Hurt, who’s distanced from the camera by Shyamalan. During close-ups Edward is shot in profile, adding to the mystery of his back-story. To this end he inherits a deity-like position and he’s perfectly suited to his role in the community.
Capturing the true 19th Century experience, Shyamalan’s characters are given traditional, but unique, style of dialogue. It flows smoothly and precisely and its unfamiliarity adds to the feeling of isolation.
Visually, the film is stunning; the hamlet is beautifully realised and the period dress works perfectly. Judging from his previous efforts, it’s clear that visuals are important to Shyamalan, but in The Village it feels integral. Indeed, every element of the production blends seamlessly together, and the film is completely engrossing for it.
This is, hands down, the best new film of the year so far. Shyamalan surpasses even his own greatest work to deliver an utterly accessible, totally enthralling and thoroughly unmissable film that is perhaps one of the most original works to hit the big screen in recent years. In a word: wonderful. By Joe Utichi.