M Night Shyamalan does it again

Rating: 9/10 (24 May 2020)

Amazing. 9/10
A unique horror thriller by M Night Shyamalan that takes you through an unexpected journey. With a strong plot, interesting characters, the movie leaves you with important questions worth pondering upon.
Spoilers ahead
What seems to be a horror thriller, suddenly turns into a drama exploring hope and nature of humanity.
We start the movie in an isolated village that faces a threat from creatures living in nearby woods. For some reason, there is a pact between villagers and creatures that forbits anyone from entering the woods. Lucius asks permission from "elders" ,or heads of the village including Mr. Walker, seemingly patriarch of the village to cross the woods and fetch medicine to save the village from prevailing infection.Meanwhile, the creatures raid the village, remove the skin of lifestock and display signs to warn the village.
We see a romatic affair developing between Walker's blind daughter Iva and Lucius and they plan to marry. Out of jealousy, Ava's close friend, mentally ill Noah stabs Lucius multiple times, seemingly of jealousy.
When Ava, asks her father to fetch medicines from nearby town, we learn that the story of creatures is a hoax created by elders, based on a real rumour. The elders dressed up as creatures to scare the other villagers. The elders were victims of violent crime and they decided to start the village as a experiment project to be isolated from society.
Walker faces a moral dilemma and allows his daughter to go through the woods, as the entire exercise is pointless if future generation including Lucius don't get to live. Overcoming various hurdles, including unknowingly killing Noah dressed as creature, Ava succeeds in her mission. Ava based on her encounter believes the existence of creatures to keep the story going for future generations.
M Night Shyamalan leads us to question humanity and whether or not we have engineered a decent society.
Are we the humans, the real creatures about who we must not speak of?
Is living in "The village" better than urban lifestyle?
Is crime and greed too much of a problem in current society that we should consider stepping back to older civilisations?
Is it acceptable to lie to an entire society in pursuit of greater good?
Is happiness and purpose more important than truth?
These are questions worth exploring.
A very strong plot. Interesting twists. Compelling story line to keep you hooked in the movie. Good screenplay. 9/10.