Great potential and expectations, but doesn't live up to "Signs" or "The Sixth Sense"

Rating: 3/10 (8 August 2004)

"The Village" has a lot to live up to following the release of both signs and the sixth sense. The feeling and suspense however tend to side in favor of a greater psychological, reflective and meaningful mood. The Village is definitely an M. Night film, but unfortunately, it didn't live up to some of his more successful works. The actors seem appropriate and they definitely understand and appreciate the script, the film tends to focus on significant, yet boring and repetitive motifs and therefore some of the actors prowess and potential is lost in the script. The village could have been a bit more scary and suspenseful and it is even a bit hard to understand at times, even if that meant making the film a bit longer. Balance is needed in The Village as it is obtained in both the sixth sense and signs.