'The Village' Doesn't Fit Neatly in a Box...

Rating: 10/10 (18 December 2019)

Therefore, all the hatred and horrible reviews ensue. Roger Ebert gave this film 1 star. Unbelievable. He either had a petty gripe with the filmmaker, or this film went right over his head. The former I suspect. If you've read Ebert's reviews over the years, you will see he misses the boat on many great films. This is one.
This is a film that defies genre. That apparently is too much to handle for a great many film goers. It also comes with a profound twist. This film is best appreciated if one doesn't know about this on initial viewing. Many people who knew about the twist ahead of time trashed the film. Many others were expecting a gruesome horror film.
'The Village' is loaded with profound thematic material. In the character of Noah, we see the origins of evil. Petty human jealousy leads to a 'crime' as Walker puts it. This is what the founders of the Village came to escape.
We also see the creation of a mythology in Ivy's journey. Every budding civilization required its own mythology. The story of Ivy and Lucius underscores and edifies the vision of the founders.
Its not a perfect film, but I found it to be so fascinating, I re-watch it every year or so. The music is beautiful and the performers are outstanding. Sadly, The Village sails right over so many people's heads.