Either you love it, or you hate it.

Rating: 8/10 (19 March 2007)

My Take: Some will be let down by how Shymalan plays with audience's expectations, but it's sometimes a poignant and interesting film.
I have long since been a defender of M. Night Shymalan's THE VILLAGE. Sure, I too didn't get it the first time, yet it grew into me several viewings later. Ever since, it has been an intriguing if imperfect excursion. But the fact that it doesn't really appeal to everyone makes THE VILLAGE all the more open to debate, and more inviting to revisit. So I looked back on this excursion and realized how interesting, if still flawed, film it is. Whether or not the film is a misunderstood masterpiece or a terribly misguided "personal" effort, it never fails to be worth of scrutiny.
M. Night Shyamalan remains one of Hollywood's most misunderstood directors in Hollywood, famous for many modern horror films like "The Sixth Sense" and "Signs". In this, one of his later works, is set in a small 19th century village, secluded by a dark forest which are forbidden to them, due to some strange beast rumored to live there. If there is one thing I'd blame for the downfall of THE VILLAGE is the advertising. Advertising it as a horror movie rather than what it really is is a shallow cway to put it. Sure, the twist ending is the kind that will divide the audience into two; not everyone's gonna march with Shymalan's parade. Well not everyone is going to like THE VILLAGE, yet but that only proves he's one of the more misunderstood film minds in Hollywood today. Shymalan may have gotten some bad feedback after this, but I'm here to defend him on his behalf.
The film may not be that scary, but M. Night Shyamalan manages to make the human characters interesting and the film atmospheric. It may not be his best film, but perhaps, it's his most intriguing and often profound. It's either you love it, or just leave it alone.
Rating: ****1/2 out of 5.