Not bad at all

Rating: 8/10 (13 August 2005)

As many on IMDb and elsewhere have already noted, "The Village" was marketed terribly. I don't know what the people in charge of promoting this movie were thinking. I saw many previews and it looked like The Village would be a creepy and scary movie. It isn't, of course. There are some genuinely creepy scenes in the movie, mostly in the beginning. I have to admit I jumped a bit when the "monster" ran underneath the lookout tower. But soon the scary elements of the movie wear off and the real story begins. This movie is a very well done love story, drama, and mystery. Had the movie been marketed this way, I don't think the reaction to it would be so negative. It might have even improved audiences' reactions to The Village. People might have thought, oh looks like Shyamalan is doing something a little different this time, I wonder how it will turn out?
Anyways, taken as a drama, The Village is pretty good. It's certainly not the greatest love story or mystery ever put on film, but it's still quite well done. Bryce Howard does a fine job of playing Ivy. I was most impressed by Adrien Brody's performance. I know that nowadays it's becoming cliché for "serious actors" to test their chops by playing mentally handicapped people. Brody does not wallow in this cliché. He plays this character in an engaging and very convincing manner. I did not even realize Noah was being played by Brody until halfway through the movie; Adrien Brody absorbed himself into the character that much.