White Night

Rating: 4/10 (14 August 2006)

Art is a relevant critique of life. Through the use of images and metaphors, storytellers reflect on contemporary issues through a neutral medium to the subconscious. M. Night Shyamalan has always done a good job retelling important lessons through the medium of feature films. One of his most anticipated films was The Village in 2004, but it failed to meet the high expectations of the critics and fans.
Shyamalan has a way of taking a situation and putting an odd spin to it. Your subconscious recognizes the setting, but also notices something is out of place. In The Village you see a puritanical style colony, but it's got taints of the modern-day to it. Clothing, language, and other elements hint at an anachronistic community.
The cast is made up of very talented individuals (this is before most of them were really known in Hollywood), and the cinematography was pleasant. However, through the elements of suspense, romance and tragedy, the audience is really set aloof from the whole thing. I was sort of detached from everything that transpired throughout the film.
While I appreciated the stylings Shyamalan brings to this film, it altogether did not achieve its potential. It left me wanting more.