Kind of a letdown...

Rating: 7/10 (30 July 2004)

I just came back from seeing this movie and I'm disappointed. But there were some good things about it: Joaquin Phoenix, Bryce Dallas Howard, and Adrien Brody all did excellent jobs, the sound effects were creepy (as they usually are in M. Night Shyamalan movies), and the plot was interesting.
However, not everything about this movie was all wine and roses. Slight SPOILER ahead: you see the creatures way too early. There was no build up, and I thought they looked Halloween costume-ish.
Another thing I didn't like was the very last scene. The movie ended and I was sitting there like, "That's it?" It felt very...unresolved.
And lastly, I was not scared. At all. In fact, during one particular scene, I was laughing at a creature when I'm almost positive I was supposed to be trembling in my boots.
On a more positive note, there were some great moments in this movie, including (slight SPOILER) Howard laying the smackdown on Brody.
Overall, it was okay. I was generous and gave it a 7/10, mainly because of the superb acting and the aforementioned great moments. If you're a Phoenix or Brody fan, this movie would be good for you because both men deliver. Howard, this being her movie debut, also impressed me. But on the whole, I don't think I would see it again unless somebody else paid for my ticket.