A thriller that is to be seen as social commentary ensues.

Rating: Null/10 (4 August 2004)

Personally, I enjoyed this film. I didn't find it all that scary, although it does have its moments, but what's most important is that it keeps a level of suspense and tension throughout. I was continually guessing and trying to fill in the blanks on my own. And hey, that's good enough to keep me entertained.
As far as the ending goes, well, it's gonna make or break the movie for a lot of you. I don't think it is as effective as the endings of The Sixth Sense or Signs, but I will say that at least it did surprise me. There are a few obligatory twists along the way that aren't exactly earth shattering (yet still effective), but the revelation at the end is the big surprise. Is it completely satisfying? Not for me. I had my own idea of how I wanted things to turn out, but hey, it's M. Night's vision, so I can appreciate it on that level.
The revelation does turn the movie upside down, so if you're the type who gets easily upset when a movie doesn't turn out completely how you expect, then you could be disappointed. But chances are, if you see this movie with somebody else, then you WILL be talking about it afterwards.
There are some minor annoyances in the film. I don't think the story is as tight as The Sixth Sense or Signs. There just seem to be a few more plot holes, none of which I can discuss here, but all of which I can easily make fun of. If you've seen the movie then email me and we'll talk. One of the things we'll most likely talk about is William Hurt's Jeff Bridges impersonation. And the dialogue is a little laughable at times. Why did they have to use so many Yoda-esque phrases? "The old shed that is not to be used"?? And if the creatures are "those we don't speak of" then WHY DO THEY SPEAK OF THEM SO MUCH?!?!?!
Ah well, for me it's all stuff that is easily overlooked. What M. Night has done is taken a vision and constructed it into a suspenseful little story, never giving away too much at any one time. He messes with your mind and completely manipulates you until the very end. I have no problem with that. It's a movie! Manipulate my emotions all you want! Slap me around, and I'll thank you for it later! If you're the type who likes everything completely straightforward, well, you've been warned.
THE GIST:
The thing I like about M. Night's movies is that going in you know there is gonna be some sort of a puzzle. You can sit back and watch the pieces fall into place, or you can try to solve everything yourself. The Village isn't the most tightly constructed puzzle that Night has assembled, but it never failed to keep me in suspense and entertained.