One of the best films ever made.

Rating: 10/10 (27 April 2005)

It is a joy and a privilege to be living in a time when advancements in technology allow us to witness such an exquisite welding together of visual, sonic, and literary art as can be found in M. Night Shyamalan's most recent film The Village. The evening my sister, brother and I went to the theatre to see it, we were completely mesmerized--from the moment the music began until the very last credit disappeared from the screen.
Many people do not presently appreciate the brilliance of the film, but I believe, in time, more and more will come to realize what a masterpiece it really is. It was made for an intelligent, thinking audience, but was marketed for a grim and gore seeking audience. The unfortunate result was that many of the thinkers avoided seeing it because they aren't usually interested in gore, and the horror fiends hated it because there wasn't any.
The film contains breathtaking music and cinematography, and excellent dialogue. The casting and acting is flawless. The characters develop very well throughout, and the storyline is surprisingly fresh and original. The Village belongs with other mystery, thriller, romance, dramas such as Vertigo. M. Night is showing himself to be in the line of Hitchcock, only better--if that's possible.