I see Red people...

Rating: Null/10 (29 July 2004)

"The Village" is better than "Unbreakable" and "Signs," but still falls short of "The Sixth Sense" among the films of writer/director M. Night Shyamalan. "The Village" is the movie that might have resulted had Nathaniel Hawthorne ever written for "The Twilight Zone." The puritanical village remains eerie even when they're not being stalked by monsters in red capes! The real story of this movie, aside from Shyamalan's return to a twist ending done right, is the young ingenue Bryce Dallas Howard. In her first starring role, Howard brings a sweetness and vulnerability while simultaneously exuding maturity and strength. It's a tour de force, layered performance that will likely make her Hollywood's new "it" girl. With the right vehicle, her fame and recognition could eclipse that of her father, Oscar-winning director and "Andy Griffith Show/Happy Days" star Ron Howard. I must brag a little and grouse that I figured out the ending, but it was only about half-way through that I realized the twist, and no one else in my group saw it coming. I'll confess that I did NOT see "The Sixth Sense" surprise coming, which increased my enjoyment of that film. In short, "The Sixth Sense" remains Shyamalan's apex, but "The Village" is a fun ride.