Sometimes the marketing machine pulls your leg...

Rating: 8/10 (20 September 2005)

Villagers in a small town in the 1900's tell their kids never to go in the woods, because 'Those We Don't Speak Off' rule the woods. This way the village is cut off from civilization. Perhaps 'TWDSO' like it that way? I've seen this twice. The first time I saw it felt cheated. This was not the film the marketing machine from Touchstone pitched to me. This was not a horror film. I felt so bad about the fact they lied, that I didn't pay attention to the film. Not until the second viewing. Than it became clear.
This is essentially a love story. A story about hope and actually trying to make the world a better place. Shyamalan's script is intelligent and he loves his characters. He gives them the best dialogue I've heard in film for a long time. Yes, he does pull my leg (just like the marketing machine) but the funny thing is that the film is really honest. Especially in the final act. There will still be people who'll hate this. But that can only be because they still want a Sixth Sense kinda film. And they cannot or will not see the beauty and intelligence this film has to offer.