He's a genius and critics are busy praising crap like Training Day and Gladiator.

Rating: 9/10 (17 January 2005)

I have become a great fan of M Knight over the years. Of his four films since the Sixth Sense and including it he has stunned me with his imagery and his ability to make a film ultimately look and feel real. His staple plot twists are what has made him a box office success, but ultimately you cannot watch a Knight film without feeling like you have been somewhere. The Village (to me his best film to date) is not exception.
While one of the two major plot twists in this film can be seen from miles away, this does not take anything away from the film. In fact all the while why you think you have figured out the twist you are ignoring the other hints that lead to the final twist. I think Knight knew this all along and sacrificed one for the protection of the other, to me that is genius. However, I think it is ignorant if not just plain ridiculous to critique any film on it's plot twist and whether or not you can figure it out before the film maker reveals it. The Usual Suspects is still a great film almost a decade after finding out who Keyser Soze really was. The Sixth Sense was a great film and I figured out Bruce Willis' secret before it was ever revealed in the film. Let's not forget that Hollywood is the reason why we look for plot twists in every film. Knight did not overkill the "plot twist", nor did Brian Singer, and nor did O'Henry. The fact that in the last seven or so years at least thirty percent of the films released had plot twists from Basic to Taking Lives to Fight Club to Secret Window to In The Cut, it has been one plot twist after another. Don't blame Knight, blame Hollywood.
The Village looks wonderful, and has a very fairy tale esquire feel that even Tim Burton couldn't pull off with double the budget. The is superb all around, and there is a feeling of freedom and innocence throughout the film, something few films do these days. There isn't any sex, language, and the violence is extremely mild. Knight creates his atmosphere with great set designs, amazing sounds, and superb acting. As a film in full this is a wonderful film not to be forgotten. Knight to me is the Steven Spielberg of this generation a man with a unlimited imagination, who reads people with the camera, and who is not afraid to tell a tale without gimmicks like nudity, sex, language, and violence. In this day and age where movies like Fast and The Furious dominate the box office with sex, sleaze, stupid unbelievable stunts, ridiculous Tarrentino challenges language, dumb plots, and horrible acting Knight should be a breath of fresh air to both critics and to movie fans.
I for one can't wait for the next one from M Knight.
Nine out of ten crows fed as an offering to Those We Don't Speak Of.