The Beautiful, the Farce, and the Towns

Rating: 10/10 (5 September 2009)

Shyamalan's Village is a story about lies, beauty and ugliness. It is, most of all, a dazzling display of man's capacity for resolution. Of particular interest are some of the several themes that require especial attention.
First, The Village posits a number of contradictions. For example, the child Daniel Nicholson inevitably obliges us to challenge the notion of "innocence" cocooned in a coffin lowered six foot in the ground. Later, his father August Nicholson preaches to the elders that it is pointless to run away from "heartache". This is ironic when all the members of The Village are doing just that, most of whom without even knowing it. And in the classroom, the little girl at the front explains how she inspected it very carefully. "It had its head twisted back and much of its fur removed," she responds methodically to her teacher's inquiry. It is well established that indoctrination is deceitful and never serves as an alternative to a sound education. But Mr. Walker thinks otherwise. He is prepared to risk "everything", even the truth.
Second, The Village is plagued with complexity. The hardest puzzle is the confrontation in the woods. All the essential details are provided a priori to those who wish to solve the riddle. The crucial questions, however, are these. How did Noah work out that Ivy Walker was in the woods? On her part, how did Ivy Walker work out who her pursuer was? We do not need to know the precise answers. The two knew each other well since childhood. They could read each other's mind accurately when it came to scheming although imperfectly when it came to love. The battle-line between them had been drawn in the quiet room. Only through fortuity Ivy Walker finds a possible remedy to her predicament and against her indestructible opponent. Owing to its intricacy, every detail in the story is relevant and nothing is superfluous. For example, the significance of the wind-tunneling effect that carries us inexorably towards the grave in the opening scene is manifested much later and is not easy to detect; at least not until we discover the acute scarcity of medicine and the sheer preponderance of the "oath".
Finally, The Village offers a dark and an eerie experience, and this unfortunately may not be to everyone's taste. Not all is gloom, however. Check, for example, how the Latino security guard pompously straightens his work jacket before he sets out to confront the hapless Ivy Walker. This buffoon earns full marks and a payment for his bluff, but more importantly for the sensible way he deals with a most unexpected and tricky situation. It is also extremely instructive to watch Kitty lecturing Lucius on practical astronomy. This considering that the lass was offering her services on a voluntary basis and with passion. If noted carefully, therefore, The Village does have its comedic moments in spite of all the "creatures" and their doleful sounds. It even comes with some extra tutorials. There is, for example, a crash course on how to keep things under lock and key almost to the point of exaggeration. And Lucius' inquisitive mind schools us about men who behave badly when they avoid organic contact with women in order to mask their thoughts.
The Village is well acted by all the players in a beautifully constructed set, with exquisite costumes, furniture and crockery. Joaquin Phoenix, Bryce D. Howard and Adrien Brody are constantly shoulder to shoulder and miles ahead of the rest in their craft. The music blends well with the drama, and the violin is always perfectly timed and with the right tempo. Water and its reflections are used with good effect; and I dare you to spot the fussing black spider in the woods following the rain-wash.