Some Fine Elements But Disappointing as a Whole

Rating: 6/10 (24 February 2005)

Despite its other shortcomings, I did enjoy the fine craftsmanship evident in this interesting film. The score, cinematography and sets were beautiful, creating a unique and engaging atmosphere. In a market that's over-stylized and CG'd-to-death, it's a rare pleasure to find a scary film that gets its chills from the environment. Bryce Dallas Howard's acting was very good, as was that of the distinguished actors relegated to small parts. The story was interesting, with the added bonus that it dealt with one of the most topical subjects of our time: fear and its effect on societies.
That said, I was never fully emotionally or intellectually invested in The Village. I found the plot to be overly complex and unfocused, with too many characters spread too thin. The romance wasn't convincingly moving, the horror convincingly scary, nor the mystery convincingly engaging. The script was littered with a combination of patches for the logical holes in the story and misdirecting details. Undue attention was drawn to elements which had little to do with the story, while significant items were treated so lightly I almost missed them. If not intentional, this could only be the result of a director who was too close to the production to see the overall picture. Whatever the reason, much of the emotional impact of the story was bled away by these distractions. The over-casting of the smaller roles was another distraction. When Brendan Gleeson, William Hurt and Sigourney Weaver are on the screen, one expects them be a significant part of the story.
According to M. Night Shyamalan's comments in the Extras section of the DVD, the plot of the film changed significantly quite late in the production. This would certainly help to explain the meandering storyline. But the problem here runs deeper than that. I'm left to wonder if NIght himself wasn't spread too thin writing, directing and producing this film. The Village contains a great deal of creative energy which never seems properly directed.