The village, Yes, it really is that bad

[ragboy]

I also have to call B*S* on the people who "figured it out from the beginning". There is nothing in the film which telegraphs the end, before Night begins to reveal it. If you happened to guess it, it's nothing other than lucky meta-gaming.

I'll call B*S* right back at you.

Spoiler

Early scene of the movie, two girls sweeping the porch. Both brooms are of the manufactured variety. Wire-wrapped and trimmed.

That was my first inkling.

I'm over Shamalamadingdong. He really wants to be Hitchcock and he just can't pull it off. Signs was his first failure. And Unbreakable has been his only movie with actual re-watchability staying power.

I thought Village would have been a very touching and important movie if he'd just made the darn movie and not tried to retrofit the story into a 'surprise.' The relationships were well built, it was amazingly acted and filmed. The story, both the over-arching one and Ivy's personal story, were nicely constructed and had real depth.

Spoiler

But, you sit through the thing waiting for someone to get their head bitten off and then get some homage to Blair Witch and Onibaba as the only 'horror.'

And then you get 'surprised.'

Blah.

 

[Desdichado]

I'm over Shamalamadingdong. He really wants to be Hitchcock and he just can't pull it off. Signs was his first failure. And Unbreakable has been his only movie with actual re-watchability staying power.

No, Unbreakable was his first failure. Signs was his redemption.

 

[Krieg]

No, Unbreakable was his first failure. Signs was his redemption.

Ironically Unbreakable is my favorite of M's movies, and probably my favorite superhero movie.

Once you get past the fact that Signs is a movie about individual faith rather than a film about an alien invasion....it becomes far more watchable.

 

[Psychotic Dreamer]

Saw the movie last night. Thought it was ok. It was nothing special, but not bad either. It was just a decent movie with a twsit I saw coming.

Spoiler

I think the movie would have been better if the only "twist" had been that the Elders were faking the creatures. To me the modern world being outside just seemed kind of silly.

 

[Desdichado]

Ironically Unbreakable is my favorite of M's movies, and probably my favorite superhero movie.

Oh, I liked it well enough. It's hard to argue that it's not his first mis-step, though. It wasn't nearly as well recieved. And although I like it, I didn't like it as much as 6th Sense or Signs.

Once you get past the fact that Signs is a movie about individual faith rather than a film about an alien invasion....it becomes far more watchable.

True. I guess I got that from the beginning; if you really think about it, the behavior of the aliens is pretty irrational. Not that aliens have to think like humans or anything, but really -- wandering around in farmhouses and gassing folks from jets on their wrists? Seems like a pretty weak invasion plan. But the aliens were really just a backdrop for a well-done story about a guy and his growth from an embittered and sad widower to someone who's moved on and accepted the loss of his wife.

 

[Pielorinho]

True. I guess I got that from the beginning; if you really think about it, the behavior of the aliens is pretty irrational.

Aliens? Those were aliens? And here I was, thinking they were demons, sent by God to restore one fellow's faith.

Who (well, besides Shyamalan in copious interviews) thought they were aliens?

Daniel

 

[Krieg]

Oh, I liked it well enough. It's hard to argue that it's not his first mis-step, though. It wasn't nearly as well recieved. And although I like it, I didn't like it as much as 6th Sense or Signs.

I don't really consider popular success as a measure of quality. Unbreakable was an well put together film. It just wasn't what much of the public was expecting at that point...not to mention an underwhelming ad campaign.

But the aliens were really just a backdrop for a well-done story about a guy and his growth from an embittered and sad widower to someone who's moved on and accepted the loss of his wife.

Of course Haley Joel Osment was nothing more than a backdrop in a story about Dr. Malcom Crowe's story of redemption as well.

Hmm, a common thread?

Aliens? Those were aliens? And here I was, thinking they were demons, sent by God to restore one fellow's faith.

Who (well, besides Shyamalan in copious interviews) thought they were aliens?

Well according to Pat Robertson they are one and the same.

 

[Desdichado]

I don't really consider popular success as a measure of quality. Unbreakable was an well put together film. It just wasn't what much of the public was expecting at that point...not to mention an underwhelming ad campaign.

True, there's plenty of anomolous good movies that don't get the credit they deserve, and plenty of mediocre to plain bad movies that are reasonably popular, but there's some correlation, in general, between good movies and popular movies. In this case, I tended to agree with the crowd.

I don't remember the ad campaign being underwhelming; I saw plenty of TV spots, billboards, etc. I was pretty stoked to go actually see the movie.

Of course Haley Joel Osment was nothing more than a backdrop in a story about Dr. Malcom Crowe's story of redemption as well.

Hmm, a common thread?

Quite likely. Shyamalan likes to generally tell a story about a single main character and the changes he (she in the case of the Village) go through. Although it's not as clear but in the case of 6th Sense when Osment's character went through some pretty major development and growth as well.

 

[your father is]

Lots of interesting opinions here. It's been three weeks and I'm still not sure whether I enjoyed it or not. I've written my thoughts up at The Internet Review of Science Fiction, if anyone is interested (you may have to subscribe to see it).

 

[LizardWizard]

Quite a controversy here, but, alas, it's over.
I'd say that The Village ranks as one of my favorite films of all time.
And Shyamalan is definitrly one the most talented directors of modern American cinema.
Just my 2 kopeks.