Enjoyable, but flawed film

Rating: 6/10 (24 June 2015)

The premise of this film is that a group of adults each experienced an event so violent and traumatic during their lives that they felt compelled to retreat from the modern world entirely. They set up an isolated commune in a nature preserve, recreated their idea of an idyllic 19th-century way of life, and coerced their children to remain in the village by terrorizing them with tales of "The Others" who lurk on the fringes of the village and kill those who stray too far from its borders.
However, in the process of shielding themselves and their families from the big bad modern world, they have also had to cut themselves loose from its benefits. One of these benefits is modern medicine. However, these adults are so afraid to venture back into the violent world they left behind that they will merely sit and cower in the village and allow their children to suffer, die, or miss out on badly needed psychological treatment rather than go for help.
The only one in the village whose love is greater than her fear of the outside world is, ironically, a blind girl. She ought to have the most to fear from leaving the village alone, but at the same time she is the only one who CAN leave without destroying what the villagers have created because she can't see the truth of what they've left behind. Additionally, we should note that this girl has already experienced great trauma (losing her eyesight), and has not allowed it to ruin her life. Therefore, it stands to reason that she is the bravest out of everyone in the village and is able to overcome her terror of the outside world to obtain the medicine she needs to save her fiancé.
The problem with this film is the setup. During this period of his career, Shamalayan's name still carried a great deal of weight. People expected him to present a huge mystery with a mind-blowing twist at the end. That's what he does here. He creates this entire world of the village where everyone is afraid of "the Others," whoever they are. He sets up this whole mystery about who "the Others" could be and what they might want . . . and then it turns out to be a bunch of control freak elders who started a cult and would rather let their own children go blind or die than walk five miles to get some antibiotics. It requires too much suspension of disbelief, and feels like a betrayal of trust that the director had you invest so much time in a construct that turned out to be a lie that was ultimately not worth saving. The film is obviously trying to say something deep about the nature of fear and love, but the twist feels cheap.
But the film is worthwhile for Bryce Dallas Howard and Joaquin Phoenix. I've been waiting a while for Howard to star in something that showcases her talent. I guess I'll have to wait a bit longer. She seems to be landing film roles, but they're mostly girlfriend roles or small parts in blockbuster films. I think she's a good actress, and if you like her, then you should definitely watch this one.