Did I see a different film?

Rating: 9/10 (1 September 2004)

Having read a number of these comments before seeing the film, I was expecting it to be fully rubbish. What I got, and I'm with Silverwhistle on this one, is a modern fairy tale with a thought-provoking twist.
The fact that the monster in the woods turns out to be human makes it more frightening. Think about Jeepers Creepers. When the Creeper was revealed to be a demon, rather than a serial killer, the whole film dropped about 50% scary factor. The most chilling films are those that portray something that could happen in real life, even though far-fetched. Henry, Portrait of a Serial Killer springs to mind. Monsters are not real - human monsters very much are.
This is a mood piece with a proper story, characters you care about and want to know what happens next. I can't believe critics who raved about The Others, which was much slower in pace, and largely a one-joke-pony, hate this film. For stilted dialogue, read period drama, you shallow young things.
Yes, there are holes - where do they get their clothes from, do they have a never ending supply of yellow paint, how are they going to replace all the sheep, but forget all that. This is a quality film I will certainly be watching again. And as someone who hated Signs, this is a vast improvement. The Village is a good story with a twist, rather than a good twist with a story attached as an afterthought.