The career of M. Night Shyamalan serves as a cautionary tale about the fleeting nature of success in modern Hollywood. Following the commercial and critical success of his feature debut, The Sixth Sense, Shyamalan was lauded as the new grand master of American cinema, on par with Spielberg. However, his reputation was swiftly tarnished by a series of commercial and critical disappointments, and this process began with his 2004 film, The Village.
Set in a 19th Century Pennsylvania village, the plot revolves around a community isolated from the rest of the world due to mysterious monsters that roam the nearby woods. A fragile truce exists between the monsters and the villagers, with the latter agreeing not to venture into the woods. However, when Lucius Hunt (played by Joaquin Phoenix), a local youth, gets stabbed and his life hangs in the balance, Edward Walker (played by William Hurt), the village elder, reluctantly sends his blind daughter Ivy (played by Bryce Dallas Howard) through the woods to retrieve medicine from nearby towns.
The Village was a highly anticipated and ambitious film, boasting a 60 million US dollar budget and an impressive ensemble cast, including Oscar winners William Hurt, Adrian Brody, and veterans like Sigourney Weaver. Joaquin Phoenix, who had previously worked with Shyamalan in Signs, took on the role specifically written for him, while Bryce Dallas Howard, daughter of famous director Ron Howard, made her mark as the blind Ivy. Despite her relative inexperience, Howard's performance was a testament to her talent.
Despite its commercial success, The Village was met with hostility from critics, and the film quickly gained a reputation as Shyamalan's misfire or even failure. The reason for this backlash can be traced back to the big twist near the end, which many interpreted as Shyamalan's attempt to replicate the success of similar twists in his previous films. Critics were disappointed by the revelation, and Shyamalan began to be seen as a "one-trick pony." Moreover, the twist exposed the conservative premise of the film, which was increasingly viewed as problematic by the left-liberal critical establishment, especially in the heated atmosphere of the 2004 US presidential election campaign.
In strictly technical terms, The Village is a good film. Shyamalan worked hard to make the village, reconstructed with the help of professional historians, as authentic as possible, with the cast actually going to boot camp to acquaint themselves with everyday life in the 19th Century. Legendary cinematographer Roger Deakins worked hard to create the proper atmosphere, making the sharp contrast between the warm and friendly village and the dark, terrifying, and cold woods.
Shyamalan's approach works best in the beginning, when we are introduced to the village and the dark mystery surrounding it. However, in the second part of the film, when the mystery is slowly revealed, there is too much melodrama, convenient coincidences, and issues with pacing. The actual ending is less powerful than in previous Shyamalan works.
Nevertheless, the film works because of the superb acting and technical skill, and it would be unfair to call it a failure or disaster, which is more fitting for Shyamalan's later works. Despite its flaws, The Village remains an intriguing and atmospheric film that, although not living up to the hype, is worth watching for its technical merits and performances.
RATING: 5/10 (++)
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