Another one of M. Night Shyamalan's suspenseful twists

Rating: 7/10 (20 March 2006)

The Village is not the scary movie that it was advertised to be. It is a suspenseful yet intellectually stimulating film that explores the use of fear and deceit as a means of control. Each twist in the film will reveal another key to unlocking the mysteries of the little town of Covington. Shyamalan will inevitably conclude with a similar upbeat ending to that of his earlier film Signs.
In the opening scene, a funeral for a young boy, Daniel Nicholson, tells that the setting of the film is in the nineteenth-century. The small village of Covington is isolated in the middle of a Pennsylvanian valley which has established its own customs and rituals. The village is run by a council of Elders, much like that of an Amish or Mennonite community. Oddly enough, the forest surrounding the village is plagued by a mysterious group of alien-looking creatures, reminiscent to that of Star Wars or the Beast Master. In order to keep the peace, the villagers make animal sacrifices and never venture into the forest. The color red is deemed forbidden, while yellow is considered a protective color in this film. The peace between the creatures and the villagers begins to waver. As a result, many animals are found skinned and red marks are found on the doors of homes.
A struggle of confinement begins to surface within the characters. Lucius Hunt played by Joaquin Phoenix struggles to show his love for Ivy Walker played by Bryce Dallas Howard. Edward Walker played by William Hurt and Alice Hunt played by Sigourney Weaver struggle over their love for their children and vow with the other village Elders to breach the forest boundary. William Hurt must make his decision after the jealous, heart broken, and mentally disturbed Noah Percy played by Adrien Brody mortally wounds Joaquin Phoenix and desperately needs medicine. In order to save Joaquin Phoenix's life, Bryce Howard convinces William Hurt to break his vow and let her travel through the woods for help. With the Elders' vow now broken, their control of the village is now compromised. The Elders are now forced to consider revealing their reasons for settling in Covington.
Much like how some of the town's men tried to use the fear of the headless horseman to scare Ichabod Crane into leaving in the film Sleepy Hollow, the village Elders used the fear of the creatures to control the other villagers. However, as the Elders find out, staying isolated from the rest of the world is not good.
Overall, the photography of the village was amazing. The Village is shot with crisp and clear shots displaying the beautiful foliage and architecture. Shyamalan uses a variety of high and low key lighting to highlight his characters faces in many of the night time settings.
Others have described The Village as a parable about the US government using fear to control its citizens as well other countries. The controlling rules of society can make one feel trapped or imprisoned. However, like many childhood nightmares, these fears will pass and can be overcome.