(Reviewed by Eminem4569) - “Those that we do not speak of are out there.”

I loved Signs and The Sixth Sense. They are modern classics. M Night’s craft was amazing in those films. His style was always present which helped is methodic storytelling. I could do without Unbreakable; M. Night’s style was just as visible, however the story didn’t catch my eye. However, The Village has many pros and cons.

The problem with The Village is you don’t get involved like you did with The Sixth Sense and Signs. There are too many characters. There is Lucius Hunt (Joaquin Phoenix). He wants to explore the borders of the Village and is fun to watch, but little is done with him. Edward Walker is portrayed notably well by William Hurt, however he is caught up in the boring melodrama most of the time. Alice, Lucius’ widowed mother, has feelings for fellow Village elder Edward Walker. Edward’s daughter, Ivy (Bryce Dallas Howard) seems like she would fit better in a different film. To round out the characters there is also Noah, the mentally challenged kid that seems to mean well but gets into trouble.

Most of the story in the first 20 minutes is pointless and boring. We basically learn that these villagers are not allowed to leave the borders of the village or "those that they do not speak of" will be angered. Sounds cool at first but after many minutes it becomes extremely dull. However, the score is amazing and makes the first 20 minutes a little easier. Same with the performances, which were really well done as the cast is a nice ensemble.  However, the story should have been handled better. This normally is where M. Night shines, so this was quite a disappointment. Some of the revelations are a little lame as well. Not ridiculously, just that it seems if it had been handled a little better, it would have been much more effective.

M. Night’s style still shines through. The shots into the woods are damn creepy. The pale light and shadows are very efficient. Just as he did with Signs, he uses slow motion at the right times as well. His style and the score complement one another very well. However, we never get the overall eerie feeling like we did in the Sixth Sense and especially Signs, even when we are suppose to.

The best thing about the film is present in all of M. Night’s films. That is his commentary on human nature. In Signs it was about questioning faith and forgiveness. As he Rev. Hess learns to forgive and deal with his wife’s death his faith returns. The Sixth Sense showed us an outcast kid and a man whom didn’t even speak to his wife anymore. They two used their friendship to solve one another’s problems, even if one was unexpected. Unbreakable showed us a man dangerously disenfranchised from society and an everyday man going through everyday troubles. Unfortunately nowadays a dysfunctional family much like David’s in Unbreakable seems to be the norm. The Village takes that theme to another level and makes it more important to the plot. I will not reveal how.

This movie is probably more out there than any other M. Night film and with his films and with his track record, that is definitely saying something. Unfortunately it could have worked better with better turns and less melodrama. Watching this I wasn’t even sure if it’s about humanity, shocks or melodrama. Maybe only a select group can understand it best. Maybe that’s what M. Night wanted.

 ** 2 stars/ 4