Still a Smart Movie, but We're Smarter Now

Rating: 6/10 (5 August 2004)

Most of us have seen director / writer M. Night Shyamalan's THE SIXTH SENSE, and many have seen his other widely released films. I've even seen his earlier gem, WIDE AWAKE. And I like everything I've seen. Let me re-state that, I love everything I've seen, until now. Everything in THE VILLAGE looked great, the actors were all in good form, and it even gives us something to think about. But I have to admit, this is his weakest effort. The problem, however, is not the movie we're seeing, but when we're seeing it.
Mr. Shyamalan has taught his audience well. Ever since SIXTH SENSE, we've learned that when watching one of his films, any minute now (and certainly by the last few minutes), things will be turned on their head and some kind of clever plot twist will be revealed. Sometimes it's more subtle than others, and requires a little more focus, but it's always been there. And it's in THE VILLAGE as well (though I wouldn't give it away if you paid me real money - and shame on those who have).
M. Night has affectively created his own problem, by making us smart to his plot trickery over the years. The bar is raised and he raised it. If THE VILLAGE had come out right after - or before - SENSE, I think we'd all be raving about it. But it's not 1999, and we've had quite a few twists and surprises from the director. Now we're prepared, we're looking, expecting it. We've learned his style, maybe some of us know it as well as he does. And that's really the issue.
I think M. Night has done a great job of writing suspense stories, and in learning his style many of us have also learned to spot his hints. We go in focused and alert, with our thinking caps on so to speak, because we know it's not Explosion Movie Part 6. I believe it's this reason that left me with fewer surprises and less satisfaction walking out of the theater. The story - and again it's a good one - had me looking constantly for clues, and then just waiting for the confirmation of my suspicions; that's a lot less fun than what we all got at the end of SIXTH SENSE.
All my whining aside, there are much, much worse films to see and I was still pleasantly entertained. I hope everyone still has fun seeing it, and it's still a smart film - he hasn't sunken to dumbing things down as yet. But I also hope Mr. Shyamalan clues into his own smart audience and figures out how to write a story that makes us think we're going where he usually goes, then doesn't. That's the one I'd like to see next, but that would be a big challenge for any writer. I do think he's up to that challenge, but time will tell. Until then, THE VILLAGE is still good (maybe great for some other director), but really not up to the M. Night standard. That bar, in my book, sits pretty high.