The Village

Yes, I am one of the very few people who enjoyed the newest M. Night Shyamalan film. Call me crazy. But Joaquin Phoenix and Bryce Dallas Howard are superb together, their romance sparkled with just the right amounts of fear and eagerness. Adrien Brody and Sigourney Weaver are solid enough, though William Hurt is questionable. As always, Shyamalan manages to hold one's attention while pushing his story forward at a galacial pace; the tension created by the creatures in the woods never disipates, even while focusing on more non-supernatural concerns. And at least Those Of Whom The Villagers Do Not Speak (Except Pretty Much Every Time They Open Their Mouths) look better than the goofy aliens from Signs. Yes, the ending has rubbed a lot of people the wrong way, but it made me feel all nostalgic for the old Twilight Zone episodes you only see during Sci-Fi Channel marathons these days. Some people -- including critics I respect very much -- have blasted the politics of the ending, but I admire Shyamalan for making a relevant point without resorting to straight allegory. But no, the film isn't perfect. While the ending is effective, the entire movie hinges on it -- it feels like the script was written backwards. This results in an experience less satisfying than The Sixth Sense or the criminally underrated Unbreakable. I loved this movie, but Night: maybe it's time to give the whole twist-ending thing a rest.

Rating: ****1/2