Great movie, the marketing was done wrong, though.

Rating: 9/10 (9 August 2004)

This movie really was something extraordinary, the thing is all the teenagers and pretty much everybody were expecting to see "Signs" all over again, a big scary movie with bumps and jumps. But it wasn't that, but the trailer made you to believe it was. It was a love story, a science fiction, and a psychological thriller. It had many shocking scenes and many beautiful scenes and now I am going into spoiler territory, its impossible to discuss this film without it, it being two weeks after the movie has come out, I feel its okay.
SPOILERS:
The stabbing scene was absolutely petrifying. You had no idea something like this was going to happen. At every theater I know that you could hear a big GASP the second time when Noah goes down to stab Lucius again. Also thinking for about 3 whole minutes that the main character is dead is also shocking.
The big twist in Shyamalan's movies was last minute, OH, he's dead, OH, he's the villain, OH, they die with water! The last half hour in this movie we all found out new things. The farce, Noah dressing up and killing the animals, modern day, just everything about it.
Bryce Howard was absolutely phenomenal, and she stepped up when Joaquin got cut out to make the movie work and have a likable lead. William Hurt was also beyond amazing, his scene where he is talking about the elders about keeping the Village innocent was powerful, especially the second time you see it. Joaquin Phoenix was very good as usual.
This movie is still very haunting, the sadness of the Village and the sadness of Noah, if you watch the movie again, when you see them running up to the sitting stone, you see the happiness in his face and you just feel your heart ache about the things that are to come.
James Newton Howard is my favorite composer, yes, over John Williams. He's done such greats as Peter Pan and all of Shyamalan's movies. And he does not stop with his greatness here, the score is beautiful, one of the most hauntingly original I've ever heard.
The Village has a great story, with phenomenal acting (even with the sometimes funny-sounding 19th century talk), a great twist and even a few scares.
RATING: A-