Disappointing, but worth seeing

Rating: Null/10 (4 August 2004)

The Village did not meet the standards of your typical M. Night Schyamalan film, nor was it nearly as scary as some, including myself, had hoped it to be. Despite these failures, though, the movie was enticing from beginning to end, with many unexpected events and two huge twists at the end. Neither were completely predictable, and the slight loopholes in the way of life in the village kept me engaged to see how it would all be explained in the end. There were also plenty of suspenseful moments. The camera work was spectacular, most notably in the scene in Covington woods, and the acting jobs by Howard and Phoenix far exceeded my expectations. All in all, do not go to see The Village thinking that will be reminiscent of the Sixth Sense, or as scary as Silence of the Lambs, for it will disappoint you, as it has many, under these standards. But if it's a rainy Saturday afternoon and you find yourself wondering what movie to see, The Village is certainly NOT a bad choice.