A Masterpiece

Rating: 9/10 (31 July 2004)

The Village is something different in an otherwise boring summer of nonstop sequels and idiotic Will Smith blow 'em up's. It's insightful, intelligent, and a deeply moving portrait on American paranoia and fear of the outside world. Shyamalan seems to dig deeper in each other his films, unearthing humanistic feelings more and more. The Village is his masterpiece and makes The Sixth Sense pale in comparison. The film delivers creepy moments and dreadful situations, but they never over-shadow the film's main ideas of isolation and politic refuge. As great as Signs is, The Village is a punch in the stomach, especially in this day and age of the Bush Administration. Shyamalan could even rival Michael Moore for his truthful views on government paranoia. I loved this movie and on a second viewing, experienced something even scarier than any horror movie could ever show: man's twisted views on his own kind.