Sixth Sense > Village > Signs (Some Spoilers)

Rating: 7/10 (3 August 2004)

This film is liable to disappoint quite a few people. That being said, it's really not an awful movie; it's just over hyped and underdone.
The acting is okay. William Hurt's line delivery is often painfully slow and monotone (especially toward the end). Bryce Howard's emotions aren't bad, although her blindness is questionable. Adrien Brody is wasted, as is Sigourney Weaver, who looks throughout the film as if she would rather be doing something else. There are too many characters with whom we are meant to sympathize, ultimately confusing the viewer; e.g., were we supposed to love Noah or hate him? Should we respect or deride the elders' decision to keep things the same?
The first big plot twist is fairly predictable, but makes sense; it's quite a bit harder to see the second curve ball coming, and it makes much less sense. The ambiguous ending is unsatisfying and, to be honest, made me kind of uncomfortable with all the slow speaking and silence and pseudo-emotion and whatnot.
Anyway, decent acting + okay script + decent directing = a movie that, although not great, is fairly respectable.
6/10. Okay at best, but it'll be a cult hit. Somebody will remake it in 20 years, and we'll all pretend we loved it.