The Village, M. Night Shyamalan's latest release, debuted this weekend. Prior to The Village, M. Night Shyamalan wrote, directed and produced The Sixth Sense, Unbreakable, and Signs. The Village is a worthy addition to that filmography. Out of those films, I would say that The Village was second only in overall quality to The Sixth Sense -- and a narrow second at that.
I cannot go into the plot too much because suspense is a key element of this film. However, I will say that the story centers around a blind character. Blindness is always an effective vehicle for suspense, and Bryce Dallas Howard gives a compelling performance in the role. William Hurt, Sigourney Weaver and Joaquin Phoenix are also excellent in the film, and Academy Award winner, Adrien Brody, provides a stirring portrayal of a mentally disturbed man.
Like most Shyamalan films, The Village is suspenseful without relying on gore. It portrays believable characters without including foul language, and it presents a moving love story without resorting to the cheap techinique of showing steamy sex. The plot is crisply written, intriguing and extremely creative. In summary, I think The Village is an outstanding film and well worth the price of admission.
