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The Village (2004)

Manoj Night Shyamalan's The Village can't be called a disaster as many critics would like to call it.
The Village is an innocent film. The film or the plot is in no way outstanding. But the storyteller in Shyamalan tells this less than spectacular tale with his trademark style. M. Night Shyamalan is one of the very few directors who works on the mood of the subject at hand. The Village is wafer thin in its plot and at times weird in its dialogues, but then it is filled with secrets and more secrets! In a line, it is a tale of an isolated village confronting an astonishing truth that lies just outside its borders. The terrific visuals of the village also tells one beautiful love story in the middle of its creepy atmosphere.
Adrien Brody, newcomer Bryce Dallas Howard, Joaquin Phoenix, and William Hurt give fighting performance to pass the fear and scare that lie in the mysterious woods. The cast looks refreshingly different from other Hollywood movies and it seemed to me for the good.
Of the many flaws, the slow pace at which it moves is sure test the patience of some. The lack of development in its plot also tampers the thrill of many. Also, the twist ending of the Village is not a shocker and the expectation of a shocking surprise could disappoint a large number of viewers.
Yet, I feel that this village does have a good heart.
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