Shyamalan defence force assemble!

Rating: Null/10 (17 May 2010)

After viewing metacritic (a mistake) and looking and several of the reviews here I am forced into giving my response to the ill gotten hate. This film in no small amounts is absolutely wonderful and totally unique on its own.
Lets start with the plot of an ex-clergy man turned farmer Graham living through what seems to be a strange turn of events. Suddenly he finds a crop circle instantaneously appear in his crop with no obvious indication as to the culprits. But those issues are packaged with the family of two small children which he and his brother care for.
Graham and his family of course feel the tension of these happenings and old wounds which never healed become salted. But the as a large impending force looms. Graham must evaluate his life. The family look to each other for strength. But still with all those mysterious goings on Graham and many others contemplate deeper matters.
The carefully built suspense is artistically used to give everyone including the audience a sense of foreboding. Everyone is hearing from all over of these events that are playing out globally which no one can answer. As these claims escalate it seems a pivotal moment for both the world and such a small family. The genius is of course putting an ordinary family which tries to deal with the global events so extraordinary. It gives the film a very isolated feel especially with such a small core cast. The music is used so sparingly and it uses long pan shots for added effect. The nearby village is scarcely populated by folk so ordinary but some of them seem more clued in then the rest. The exchange of stories leave most the family uncomfortable in their denial.
Most of the family members all have their little quirks which they pull of well. Merril acts much the tough guy but looks up to his brother Graham as well as holding some resentment to the road not taken. Bo is a strange girl who seems to know things strangely more accurate than what the adults can fathom. The second kid is the one who resents his father for not listening to him and for his ignorance. All the cast pulls a wonderful performance of a family broken by tragic and yet not distasteful problems like alcohol abuse.
The draw towards this family is something but with these turn of events, it feels as though they are coming to a crossroad. The decision may rest on something more than just what they have come to know. Indeed facing the unknown they are fearful and unprepared.
Shamalan manages to bring faith into the movie without being condescending about it. Graham puts it perfectly about how people may view such events. Simply there is the viewpoint of faith. The willingness to believe something is far greater than your own comprehension. That doesn't say atheism is wrong in any way either.
For a story to tell about a compelling family, a suspenseful thriller and evaluate the intricacies of faith, this movie can only be called excellent.
The detractors however question the antics of the alien forces. But the stupidity of it is judging aliens by human logic. To aliens we humans would seem to be completely illogical. Aliens would indeed act in a whole other manner and customs. People seem to hate the symbolic weakness of water and yet for reasons we don't understand perhaps there was something in the water that was effective. I could give a million reasons as to why the aliens acted in that way. To simply call them ridiculous is an ignorant claim.
This movie goes for an homage to the alien invasion movies of the bi gone era. Yet like the rest of the movie nothing is as it seems. it was never an invasion but a raid. As the threat passes the world mourns is loss but the family feels safe and whole.
People say this film is too similar to his other ones but i feel that is more to do with Shyamlan's style of film making. In terms of themes it couldn't have talked about anything more real and important than family.