Bring back the other Village People

Rating: Null/10 (23 July 2004)

* please note: no spoilers in this review.
A new film by M. Night Shyamalan brings with it two big questions:
1. Is there a twist (again)? 2. (if yes to question 1) Is the twist any good?
The answers are yes, and not really. The main problem with The Village is that after SUCH a slow and ponderous build-up (so slow that 90 minutes felt like three hours), you need a damn good twist to make it all worthwhile. And while the ending this time isn't as bad as in 'Signs' (beating that would be a hell of an achievement) it still isn't satisfying, and you feel cheated rather than rewarded for sitting through the sheer tedium of what's gone before.
Shyamalan is clearly still struggling to escape from the huge shadow cast by his debut, The Sixth Sense, which to be fair to him, was a good movie. But he's obviously got some deluded idea that he's Hollywood's new Master of Suspense. He isn't, and someone needs to grab him by the throat* and shout very loudly: YOU'RE NOT ANOTHER HITCHCOCK! (Remove the 'hitch' and you'd get nearer the mark).
[*not intended literally as an incitement to attack M. Night.]
Somehow he's managed once again to get a truly top-notch ensemble cast to work for him, and it'd be harsh to criticise them as they all do their best as puritan village people to draw you into the story. But like a band who have had one too many bad albums, Shyamalan is moving further and further away from his last genuinely good film, and I'd be surprised if he can keep persuading A-list talent to sign up to his future projects if this really his is only trick.
Perhaps his next film's twist will be that for once he doesn't actually rely on a twist at the end to try to make his story worthwhile. That might be worth watching. But if you're looking for genuine misdirection and mystery, you'd be better off saving your money and, instead, finding a foreign tourist and asking them the best way to get home.
Avoid this Village like the Plague, which co-incidentally also decided to avoid it.
3/10