Dull, predictable, and allegedly plagiarised to boot

Rating: Null/10 (20 August 2004)

For anyone else who felt Signs was desperately over-rated, The Village isn't going to retore director Shyamalan in your estimation. I don't actively try to second-guess the plot of major studio films - it's like trying to outwit a retard , there's no real sense of achievement - but even I worked out the major twist in The Village before half way. I hasten to add that I've never read Running Out of Time by M.P. Haddix, the book it's allegedly based on, either. I was just so BORED, my mind started to wander aroud the several yawning credibility gaps. The real giveaway was the pre-eminent role the women played in the Council of Elders. Even if you've only seen the film Witness you'll know that pre-industrial societies weren't keen on giving women any kind of political voice. Either The Village was badly written and had sacrificed realistic period social reality to pander to modern actresses need for more vocal, prominent roles - and let's not dismiss the "badly written" idea out of hand - or there was another explanation for, to give a single glaring example, Sigourney Weaver's character being allowed to lead the town meeting warning about animal mutilations. The film itself is an unrewarding cheat for its viewers, and apparently so closely resembles a best-selling children's novel that it is literally a cheat, with a stolen plot AND twist. I hope Ms. Haddix and her publisher sue Disney till they squeak.