Without a doubt, the greatest film I have ever seen. I don't understand why anyone wouldn't like it. The acting is phenomenal, the cast is great, the music is the best I've ever heard in any film, the movie is deep, creepy, twisted and brilliant. It's a story of how far someone will go for love. Anyone who didn't like the movie was expecting a slasher movie.

This is the most glaring instance of critical "reception" being "off the mark." Intense scrutiny of Shyamalan's work has followed the success of "The Sixth Sense," and this brooding drama ranks with that earlier film with its suggestive, menacing atmosphere, visual elegance and superb acting across-the-board. It's actually one of the best films of the year, and the closing scene unmasks some unexpectedly emotional power.… Expand

Can Shyamalan still be called an "it" director? Let's face it that other than "Sixth Sense", his other two (now three) have been utterly disappointing. Especially this one, that lacked any kind of energy or intrigue. The twist at the end as was already pointed out was obvious. Everything in the movie was done in a nauseating vague manner...... The costumes laughable. The direction was very good, but the script was cumbersome at best. Adrian Brody played a crazy village guy for some reason and Joaquin Phoenix played that character that doesnt seem to want to speak, but then gets coaxed into it. All the elders seemed cardboard. I would bet there was more violin than dialogue. And just a suggestion to M Night: how about trying to make the monsters look somewhat realistic? I nearly fell out of my seat with laughter at the aliens in "Signs" and trust me, very little improvement in this one. Was this a comedy? No, a disappointing movie by an overrated director.… Expand

"The Village" marries elements of a certain PBS series, a Saturday morning cartoon, and a novel by Emily Barton. The trailer promises chills and thrills; not a deconstruction of the things that go bump in the night, which is why this interesting misfire will underwhelm the masses. Writer/director/egomaniac M. Night Shyamalan didn't set out to write stilted dialogue, but the secret we learn about the elders, Edward Walker(William Hurt), in particular, makes his self-conscious performance and words seem suddenly perfect. That scene between Ivy(Brice Dallas Howard) and the monster isn't supposed to scare us. Since the object of menace is relatively benign, our unhindered attention is turned towards to how editing and music suckers us into a state of anxiety over the work of persuasive craftspeople. "The Village" fails miserably as a summer blockbuster, but works on the level of accidental satire, and is arguably, an art film. Disney wanted another "Signs", a surefire, feel-fear audience-pleaser, but unfortunate for them, they got stuck with "Night-ville". … Expand

I spent the first half of the movie debating with myself whether or not to walk out on account of absolute boredom. Fortunately, I stomached the insipid dialogue and excruciating acting long enough to laugh at the big mess when the crowd finally cracked into uncontrollable outbursts of laughter. The only remaining dignity exists in some stunning art direction and scenery. It was certainly a risk-taker.… Expand

[***SPOILERS***] I gave it a one for the creature bit, but as a parent I could drive a truck through the logic hole in this film's "twist". ==SPOILER AHEAD== Kids die or go blind due to a lack of drugs? Right. These are the kinds of parents that would have drunk Jim Jones Kool-Aid.

this is the worst movie of all time ..honestly how did shymalan think people were going to like this.. the trailer is a pure lie because you think its going to be good but everything you think is going to be good about the movie is all lies ..worst movie of all time.

Great!!!

Did i miss the memo that said "All Shyamalan movies MUST be compared to the 6th Sence and never treated as individual works"?

I liked this movie a lot. Here's why people don't like it. The trailer makes the movie look like something that it is not. It totally makes sense to me why Shyamalan did it, and I tip my hat to him, cause it was a risky move. The movie is getting terrible reviews, which is to bad. Cause the main reason it is, is because people go into to the theatre with the wrong expectations. The movie was great, up to par with all his others, and I thought it was such a clever idea.… Expand

I don't know which is the bigger misconception: that Jude Law can act or that M. Night Shyamalan can write. Cambining the total lack of talent shared between the two makes for a truly miserable film. Granted, the film wasn't as horrifically bad as "Signs," but it wasn't much better either. This movie tries to be suspense turned social commentary a la 1960s Twilight Zone; unfortunately, the suspense falls flat and the social commentary ends up feeling trite. Bryce Dallas Howard did turn in a good debut performance, but I wish she'd been given a better film to work with. All in all, this film is a waste of time and money.… Expand

A boring tedious movie with quite a good twist at the end. Rated two only for photography, music and having William Hurt.

[***SPOILERS***] If a movie doesn't have time-travel, the least we can ask of it is that the plot be coherent. From where did they get clothes? Boots? Who gave the guard flack for breeching secrecy? Whom did Hurt leave in charge? Why was a billionaire in a support group with normal people in the first place? Why the weird moral distinction between Hurt going for the meds and the *blind daughter*? What kind of example is Hurt being to the young men in the town? Another odd thing, probably unintentional, is that it seems like MNS's village is only ruined by the mentally disabled person - obviously the biggest sin in the movie is the elders', but it's almost as if their deception would have turned out great otherwise. Where were the animals before they were slaughtered? In that barn? Why not add 10 million to the fairly low budget and make a more believable village economy with grazing animals on a scale big enough to feed everyone? Show some way they could've made clothing, boots, etc. Did no girls or boys grow up in the village who wanted to be explorers? Did everyone have to speak in the passive voice? I loved all of MNS's previous movies, but this one was a big disappointment to me.… Expand

A wonderfull thought provoking movie. Bryce dallas howard is a movie superstar in the making. the only bad reviews for this film are from people who just didnt get it.

This movie gave me a first...my first movie to leave me walking away wishing I had my money back. There was no plot at all to this movie. The acting is fine, with the material that they were given. You walk into this movie thinking you're about to see one of M Night Shaymylan's greatest thrillers, but are highly disappointed half-way through. There is no real plot and the ending is the just the discolored icing on the burnt cake. You get hit with it in the face, with a slap of mediocrity. I want my money back!… Expand

Awesome...

This film is incredible!The ending was so unexpected and the performances are all oscar worthy!I dont get these critics,the film is a masterpiece!

Thoroughly enjoyed this movie. I had the ending figured out far in advance, but it didn't ruin it for me at all. Very different, but very well done! Bravo!

Much better than most reviews indicate. An actual attempt to say something and do so with no small degree of insight into enduring human truths. See it yourself and decide. A modern sensibility attuned to car chases and shootouts will find it terribly boring and ponderous. But if you enjoy a film built around characters and ideas, with a rich cinematic style, this is a good one. Bryce Dallas Howard in the lead role as Ivy positively shines every time she's on screen. Her character alone is charming and spirited enough to give the viewer deep emotional involvement in the fate of the village. The well-written sequence in which she draws Joaquin Phoenix out of his shell is a small masterpiece of good writing. The dialogue is exceptionally good throughout. M. Night Shyamalan has taken care to create an atmosphere of simplicity with well-crafted language that clearly separates this setting from the contemporary world, something that is deceptively difficult to do. Unlike so many period films that take the easy route with painful modern speech, Shyalan creates a cadence that immediately puts you in another world. This film had more impact on me than any number of recent releases and is deserving of a much better reception. See it.… Expand

I only saw this once, in the cinema, and I thuoght it was really spooky. I went to see it with my friends and I thought the scary thing was a hedgehog. Oh, and one of my friends won't have anything to do with red. I think she was joking.

i gave it a 3 because at least its a movie, but in short. It sucked. no plot no storyline.

This movie was amazing I really liked the ending to it.

This was the worst movie my husband and I have been to. The only thing scary about this movie is the price you pay to see it. The whole movie was boring and stupid, and whats annoyed us the most, is the trailers trying to advertise that this movie was scary, it was not even good as a drama movie, it made no sense. The adults in the movie use a "moster" scare to get the children of the village to stay within the village walls, now there is child psychology for you.......geez, and then to send a blind girl through the forest, over a wall to get medicine...alone may I add, she maybe tripped once....stupid.....I mean, why not send someone that can see for crying out loud....and when she does run into someone, after being told "don't tell them we live in the village", was the first thing out her mouth.......thank god I saw this movie at the drive-in and for our money we saw another movie which was 100% better, so it made paying the money alittle easier. If I had of seen this movie alone at the theaters we would have definately walked out of this boring movie with no realistic plot. Now as far as the actors that played in this movie, they did ok, for what they had to work with........… Expand

It is quite surprising seeing as many low ratings for The Village.. I just can't wait to get it on DVD! Thinking back in time, I would compare the movie's atmosphere to Panic Room or (better) to The Others.

It was completely brilliant. people are far too used to seeing typical Hollywood thriller/horror films to appreciate the genius that Shamalayn creates. The acting, the directing, the writing...it was perfect in every way. Far and away the best film of the year up to this point.

Horrible. The trailer makes you think it is going to be a crazy fright-fest and all you get is a half love story with a liberal message...i have enough liberal messages in all other forms of media. DO NOT SEE THIS MOVIE.

[***SPOILERS***]Probably M. Night Sham's worst film to date. Even the little home movies he made as a child (see Sixth Sense DVD) seemed better than the Village. I had high hopes, but then the "surprise" was revealed. Maybe the idea was good, but the execution was terrible. I left the theater thinking of ways that I would have done it to make is creepier. A better climax would be to have all the these "creatures" chasing her, oh and she isn't blind. They chase her to the border, where she escapes and sees a city, normal traffic, etc. THEN, everything is revealed to the viewer instead of 30min. before the ending of the film. Hope his next movie does better.… Expand

This movie was THE WORST... the dullest, most idiotic film i've seen in years. RIDICULOUSLY BORING and just frighteningly BAD. I was angry during the movie that I paid to see it - that's how bad it was. PAINFUL!!!

What the heck is this? this movie was nothing compared to shyamalans other work, this one is a screw up, hes either losing his touch, or he is experimenting with bad ideas. your pick.

I really enjoyed this movie and am really confused and upset about all the negative hype surrounding it now. It had a few things that could have made it better, but overall it had some great acting and I was involved in the movie from the beginning. Too often lately I've been bored in movies but this one was really different for me. About comments on COSTUMES in the film. For one, did any of you STAY till the end to see the outcome because if my memory serves me right you know why the costumes look as they do. M. Night pulled this movie off in my book and I'm just really shocked in the reactions of so many of you and most of the critics. I plan on going to see it again to see if all of the scenes (especially the warning bell scene) have the same effect of me as the first time I watched it. I was going to give this film a 9 because like I said, there were some things that could have made it amazing.....but so many people gave it low scores I have to give it a 10 because I did enjoy it and it is probably one of my favorites this summer. One last thing....for those saying that it was the WORST film this summer, you must have missed flops like Garfield and Cinderella Story.… Expand

Hmmmm Each of Shyamalan's efforts seem poorer than the previous. Definitely a step below Signs which itself was a huge disapointment. The old english dialogue came across as completely unbelievable, and surprisingly, particularly when spoken by Sigourney Weaver. I thought Ron Howard's little girl was the best thing about this movie and kudos to her for her big screen debut. Unfortunately Shyamalan seems very formulaic in his movies which probably is one reason why the surprise ending was not surprising at all. Count me as another who suspected what would happen. I'm not at all sure what the purpose of this movie was supposed to be. I have read where it is some kind of take on politics but I don't see it. I could see some "fear of God" correlations but that would be a stretch also. I think perhaps it was about nothing. It is a movie you will not care to discuss after you have seen it. It offers a startle here and there and that is about all. It offers nothing for the mind, nothing for the heart, and nothing for the ride. I honestly thought Shyamalan was going to be someone with whom, when his name was attached to a project, I could feel confident that I was going to consistently see high quality films. Instead, afer Signs and this weak effort, he will have a hard time drawing me into a theatre based on his participation.… Expand

Very good movie. I never concidered Shyamalan's movies to be scary, they are always suspenseful and they keep you at the edge of your seats. Scary? I dont think so. So anyone going there expected to be scared may have been disappointed. The way the movie ends is absolutely terrible. I think for that, and that alone the movie suffered. This movie is a must see one though, and I'm really looking forward to other Shyamalan works.… Expand

wut the hell r these crackpots smoking?? i luved this movie!! all u movie reviewers suck!! this was like the best movie 've ever seen (except for spiderman))

I just went and saw this movie and just out of curiosity decided to read the reviews. I am so suprised. It seems to me that there are two types of reviewers, those that went and saw this movie because they were expecting jumps and scares throughout the whole movie, and those that went to see it because of the director and the movies he makes. I am in the second group. MNS is a wonderful writer and director, no he doesn't make you jump out of your seat every two seconds, what he does is make you think about the movie you just watched, he leaves you with all these suspicions that all of a sudden are revealed and you are left discussing them with your friends. This movie was wonderful, the small attention to details make it very memorable and I love the Hitchcock signature that he has with showing up in his movies. People just need to realize he's not a Wes Craven he's unique, don't go see his movies unless you are looking for something more profound than cheap horror!… Expand

This movie dares to look at what "fear" can do to people, and is doing to people in the USA. As weak as some say this movie is, it is true that a little fear (Bush) goes a long way (the Patriot Act). With inspirational acting and subtle undertones it is worth a second viewing.

Great tension at the beginning, but you never really care for the characters or understand their issues. So when the "terror" turns out to not be real, you are very disappointed. Great cinematography and use of colors, but ultimately empty.

I just went and saw the movie and thought it was MNS best film. I loved it and totally did not see the end coming. He is the best writer/director ever and I would recommend this film to everyone! well done

This was probably one of the most anticipated "horror" movies of the summer for me and my friends, but what a dissapointment. Compared to Shamalyans other films, this has got to be the worst one, but Unbreakable was pretty bad also. I think he's just going to be a hit or miss guy, not exactly what I had hoped for his movies. The movie wasn't even scary at all, it was more creepy than anything, only because the violin music in the background was playing the whole time. Violin plus any secluded, silent forest or place with no one around gives people the creeps, and this movie was full of it. Not to mention what else it was full of, but i won't go there. But I tell you this, don't have high expectations because you will be very dissapointed. Let's just say this movie is the "Forbidden" Shamalayan flick that we "Do Not Speak Of". You'll know what I mean when you watch it, then regret spending the money to watch it. … Expand

The only reason i'm even giving this a 2 is because my roommate is an extra in the film. i had more fun trying to find her than watching the actors struggle to spit out the pispoor dialogue that Shyamalan penned. The movie's concept was decent (albeit stolen), but the script was so terrible that it made Academy Award winning actors look like jackasses for signing on to such a bad flick. People actually left the theater halfway through "The Village", and those that remained erupted into laughter at scenes that were meant to be serious and frightening. Not worth the 9.00 spent on the ticket, spare yourselves and wait for it to hit the rental stores.… Expand

Do not believe the critics on this one! I almost did not see this movie after reading all the lousy reviews, but I'm glad a friend talked me into finally seeing it. I really enjoyed this movie! It had interesting characters, good plotting, a great atmospheric quality. And it had a deeper, underlying meaning, as does all his other films. This is an intelligent movie made by a director who cares about his characters and the message he is trying to convey. No, this is not a scary movie, nor is it supposed to be. If that is all you're interested in, there's a whole lot of crappy movies to choose from under the "horror" section of your local video store. … Expand

Brilliant, brilliant, brilliant. This movie was absolutely amazing. Narrow-minded people expecting a horror film will be let down, but rest assured, you will be suprised.

One of the most ridiculous films i have ever seen, and that's saying alot...

Um... Scott S, did you just give away the surprise ending to this movie? Hope not.

A film only those without brains could enjoy. Just stop going to his films people; you're embarrassing yourselves.

Not good. Just Bad. Could have been better,but was not. Nice try. We did see M.Knight's cameo that was the fun part where he would show up.

I sat through this movie with high expectations. As the movie rolled on my hopes of maybe getting a little creeped out soon faded.. then the "try not to scream" scene happened.. I got excited thinking "Finally I'm going to get scared!" untill the scene ended with the biggest most disappointing twist ever. It was like MNS's mom came in and took over the plot making sure it wouldn't get any scarier. I've never laughed so much at a scary scene like I did when Ivy was getting chased by the 'thing'. It showed a shot of the whole beast with it's red cape opened. My friend gleefully shouted, " look he's showing his wang!" I want my money back.… Expand

MNS builds suspense, I'll give him that. However the movie as a whole was a HUGE misstep. First off, it's boring for the first hour. Then there's this "twist" you see coming a mile away! I still like MNS's movies, but this one was a disaster.

Dissapointing and what a waste of such good actors! The twist was just boring and silly. Found more frights, twists and intensity in Buffy episodes!

I thought it let itself down, the story line was bareable when we thought that there was 'actually' some hideous monsters in the woods, then when the twist came, it was an utter let down

What is the problem? good acting, great shots, nice twists... I saw it at a sold out huge theater and the audience loved it, screamed at the silly little surprises, and "ohhed" at the sad surprises. Anyways I think the problem with the bad reviewers is that its not stupidnatural or metaphysical but a wonderful psychological, human exercise.

A great summer movie! I enjoyed it fully. Made me jump several times and it had a fabulous story!

Basically, the plot twists were easy to guess and most of the dialogue was just plain aweful. It's not necessarily the fault of the actors, but for the most part the delivery was poor as well as the writing. Thank heaven for Phoenix and Brody, though, for providing the only consistently good acting, though I expected more from Hurt and Weaver.

[***SPOILERS***] I host an internet audio program for a local PBS station, and also review movies on that show. Recently, we aired a several episodes of a TV program called "Colonial House" in which modern people were transported to an unspecified New England location where there was a colonial town built. (The location was acreage near the town of Bath, Maine.) The families and single participants were observed by a camera crew as they tried to maintain their identity in a former era. I assume it was supposed to be the 1700's, due to its title. This was a very interesting "reality" program which garnered quite a bit of comment at the time. Although all participants in the "Colonial House" program were admonished not to leave the Colonial encampment, I recall that one man did breach the boundaries and went to Bath, Maine, I believe -- for a night of unauthorized interaction. I don't know if he was "banished" from the group; I only saw two or three episodes of the total program. In any event, this came to mind when I saw the movie, which I thought lacked even the semblance of a coherent story. Although I did not care for the movie "Signs", I did feel that Shyamalan showed great promise with "The Sixth Sense" and "Unbreakable." I hope he re-groups to identify how he got to this point. Today, I see that projections are for a BIG weekend gross for "The Village" (July 31-August 1), but, as I said in my on-air review, "I see a lot of DISAPPOINTED people." … Expand

People like to bandwagon, and one critic says something bad about it, then everyone follows. Nobody in my theatre was laughing or trashing the film. On the contrary, it's a very absorbing film and the twist is a genuine showstopper. Maybe you'll feel cheated (I did a little) but at least M Night has balls to make unique films...

Bad Shyamalan is a lot better than most movies out there. There were enough subtle delights in the film to excuse the plot holes.

M. Night is one of the most ingenious directors the film industry has EVER seen. Stay clear if you want to watch a horror movie. Enough said, watch ALL of his movies.

I too really enjoyed this movie and my friends and I discussed all the intricacies of the story for hours after it ended. Though it did seem that each of the story's events was substantiated in the surprise ending, I am a little disappointed that M.Night cheated a bit in his attempt to throw us off track: When Bryce Howard's character comes across a monster in the woods after already learning that the elder's had been deceiving the rest of the village settlers, we hear the monster making inhuman, guttaral monster sounds as it pursues her through the woods. There is no way these sounds could be made by a human yet M. Night provides us with no other explanation. This is the one gripe I had since in his past movies M. Night never resorted to such illogical deceptions in order to surprise us in the end. Otherwise, he truly gives us another engaging and remarkable tale in "The Village" and I believe anyone misled by the harsh vitriol many critics seem to be spewing about the film will lose out if it dissuades them from making up their own minds and seeing this movie. … Expand

I thought this movie was wonderful, the plot twists excellent, and the acting supurb. This was a great movie all around. Sure it wasn't what the trailer made it out to be, but I'll be damned if it wasn't good.

Granted, it was marketed as a scary movie--not horror, but one that had twists, turns and jumps that leave your heart racing. The only time that happened for me was when Ivy fell in the hole. Other than that, it wasn't what was advertised. That aside, the acting was excellent, the story intrigued me and I liked the character development. I'm giving this a 5 because I thought a lot of things were under developed-- it has been mentioned before, but the audience doesn't see the villagers making clothing/linens, shoes and other items that they would have had to make for themselves because they were isolated. This isn't even going into how they made the Monster's costumes. I think this would have made an excellent book, but because of the nature of movies the story and characters were limited by time and what is avaliable in a visual medium. It could have been great, but was only okay and left me thinking I was suppose to understand something important but missed it. … Expand

Wow...what can i say...best movie i've seen this year. Its MOTHER good. It left me pretty speechless, being absolutely awed by its brilliance. This is NOT A HORROR MOVIE for goodness sake..it is actually about how people escape from their sadness, human drama and much more. To the critics: YOU GUYS ARE REALLY WRONG ON THIS ONE. There is not a single illogical thing in this film..if you think it over carefully, everything falls into place and make perfect sense. As good as 6th sense or unbreakable, if not better. Again:THIS IS NOT A HORROR FILM.… Expand

[***SPOILERS***] M. Night Shyamalan is a director that I feel can be directly related (cinematically) to Steven Spielberg, except that I think that Shyamalan is a superior filmmaker. A large lot of Spielberg?s films are good, a half-dozen even great, and most of them are considered great cinematic achievements. They work as good stories being present well in cinema, but I think Shyamalan transcends that. His films are experiences: bedazzling, entrenching, and very realistic. He does not make movies with plain old good stories, but delves deeper and more intimately. He makes films that you experience instead of just watching and make for far more fulfilling entertainment. What Shyamalan has done in the past is a magnificent triumph, what ?The Village? does is a grandest of dissatisfactions. It?s 1897, and communes of people live in a village surrounded by vast woods. The woods are haunted by scarily cheesy creatures that long ago created a truce with the commune that they shall never go into the village, so long as the villagers never go into the woods. The villagers bare a dark yellow while the woods creatures wear a very bright red. Joaquin Phoenix plays Lucius Hunt, a quiet young man who wants to venture past the woods so he may purchase medicines in the outlying towns. He?s in a difficult love situation with Ivy Walker (Bryce Dallas Howard). Both their parents, Edward Walker (William Hurt) and Alice Hunt (Sigourney Weaver) are the town elders, who have major secrets from their past. Adrien Brody plays the town retard Noah Percy, who despite his mental retardation is able to do everything exactly right should the plot allow it. But what Brody does with Percy is dead-on accurate in portraying mood swings the handicapped often have, but are left out of Hollywood. Perhaps I am fretting and forgiving too much when going over the film can be easily simplified so I?ll sum it up in a ?the good?, ?the bad?, and ?the ugly? sort of fashion. What works is the creepiness provided by the excellent atmosphere. Some scenes are edited out-of-order to give a more emotional or effective shade. Bryce Dallas Howard is great in the movie, as is Joaquin Phoenix when he isn?t given something hokey to say that he turns into something subtle when he speaks it quietly. So what really is wrong? All of the acting is stale and nobody has any inflection in their dialogue, which is written with many dumb things to say. The whole screenplay is very monotonous for very few things actually happen and gets twisted around into a rather uninteresting direction. The pits of the movie are the misguided twists that happen in the third act. It?s all downhill from when they start and they keep escalating to a point of brash frustration. One thing happens which causes for something to be revealed that makes it even worse and we are slightly misled for a minute to find out something else, that turns out to be untrue and instead galling. But then the real surprise happens, and it all comes together with a question that often abbreviated online-WTF. Anyone familiar with Shyamalan?s last three pictures (The Sixth Sense, Unbreakable, Signs), will know that there is going to be something tricky at the end. Lots of times jaded filmgoers will try to guess the twist at the beginning and bolster about it later. This is pointless, but a single praise I can give to ?The Village? is that the twists, while infuriating and plausible, were unexpected. In addition to the twists, most anyone familiar with Shyamalan?s previous features will also be sorely disappointed. … Expand

First of all, everyone note the fact that the previews are slightly misleading. Note the fact that "The Village" is not going to be the scariest movie you'll see in your life. Note the fact that M. Night Shyamalan isn't trying to trick you in the most outrageous way that his mind can think of. Put away all of your expectations, and go to the theater to simply view a movie that interested you. You will thank yourself that you've done so, because "The Village" is an outstanding movie. The story beings with the death of a child that lived in the village. After this incident, Lucius Hunt, a quiet, collected member of the village asks permission to cross through the forbidden forest in order to get medicines for other people in the village that may come across a sickness or have problems that could be treated. It is extremely well put together, and done so in a very unique style. You will find it different from everything else out there. Do yourself a favor and see this movie with an open mind.… Expand

Enjoyed it a lot! The critics seem to be expecting the second coming of Christ whenever a Night film comes out. PS - I think Metacritic editors are very sexy! [Ed: ??]

Horrifying, amazing twist and a movie you can't live without seeing this. I was expecting like a 90 at the least but a 40? harsh

There are so many ways this could have been a better movie. I don't want to spoil the movie for anyone thinking of seeing it, but I will say that the climax was spoiled very early in the movie. There are very few suprises. The few that are there, don't really matter, and that is the shame.

Solid and expertly crafted. However, the writer/director becomes a patsy for the studio and its marketing machine as it clearly misleads critics and audiences into having completely different expectations. Nevertheless, shame on critics for giving into the marketing machine, in the first place.

This is one of M. Night Shyamalan's best movies! I liked Signs a little better, but this was a very good thriller. Creepy and scary in some parts. Outstanding cast, and great costumes. M. Night Symalan is a great director. I love all of his movies!

[***SPOILER***] All I have to say is: "Scooby Doo 3". All they had to do was tell you that the spooky night janitor did it and we all could've gone home. NO Horror, NO Suspense, and the best actor in the movie is on his death bed half of the movie!

Not bad! Quite scary at the start but when the blind girl appered to know where the 'creature' was, and when she didnt notice it was the same colour as the disabled guy, I kindof lost intrest. Much better than Unbreakable and with much more of a plot!!

Personallly, this was the worst movie of the year. It was so boring, the whole movie, just one creature from "the Towns."

It's a good film, but Sixthy Sense is still the Shymalan number one.

[***SPOILERS***] This could have been a great movie, but some moments went beyond suspense into annoying. Making the viewer wait to see something when it needs to be shown to paint a picture is a waste. Also, there were some holes in the movie. If Noah was wearing the costume each time, how was he in the cellar when Lucious was outside with one? How did Noah skin so many animals in such a short time? The elders wouldn't have made the creatures meat eaters then fallen for the idea the creatures were skinning the livestock then not eating the meat. To me that's three big holes and there were still other small ones I won't go into right now.… Expand

The movie, regardless of it's classification as horror, drama, etc. required me to sit still and watch the dynamics playing out on screen. There are two types of people who view movies, those who wish to be entertained without using their own thought process and those who enjoy having something left to the imagination. If you like movies that make you think, this is a winner.

Here are the facts, people: Shymalan is not supposed to rewrite 'The Sixth Sense' over and over. Unbreakable was good but campy, Signs was a terrific third film, and this one is a high quality if not incredibly well thought out 4th feature. I saw it in the theater, and had I not read a couple of reviews, I wouldn't have been so analytical, and probably would have enjoyed the movie even a little more. But I'm telling you, Shymalan has created a good movie, it has replay value, and I'm going to buy the DVD. Don't let a critic's being jaded by his first film effect your opinion of a completely different movie...… Expand

The reviews against this movie are some of the most intellectually dishonest I have seen. The Village is well-directed, beautifully shot, elegantly orchestrated, and precisely acted. It is a chilling horror, a somber love story, but above all, a sympathetic political allegory, letting us know that are greatest fears our real.

While I agree that the advertising campaign made for this film was rather misleading in regards to the type of movie this is, that does not make The Village a poor film in and of itself. It's a great "period" film with many surprises, a rare enough thing in modern cinema. It's definately no Sixth Sense, but it was beautifully filmed and acted, and the story is not so bad for those willing to think about it, and for those not watching The Village expecting a purebred horror film.… Expand

I think The Village was a wonderful movie. The final twist made me want to stand up and cheer. Shyamalan is an absolute genius.

Shyamalan continues his slide since the 6th sense. This is probabably a hair better than Unbreakable, though it was easy to figure out to anyone who grew up watching Twilight Zone or similar.

It was so awesome!!! It scared me the first time i saw it!!! I liked it so much that i bought it!!! I clearly give it a ten!!!

Fantastic. I am a big fan of M. Night's work, in particular, the less than warmly receive UNBREAKABLE. That, like VILLAGE, may not be for everyone, but those who get it will love it. A film, a story, that dares to be different. To venture from the norm. No gore, just tension. The man has incredible talents as a director and the story here provides great premises to ponder. Reflections on traditional religion and just beliefs in our society in general are challenged. Question everything and enjoy.… Expand

Obviously I may be on my own for this, but I absolutely love this film.

If i could rate this film with a minus score i would the biggest load of rubbish i have ever watched.you just sit there waiting for somthing to happen and nothing does im going to ask for my £3.50 rental money back utter crap.

(7.5) I feel obligated to note that the look of this movie is gorgeous. And the music is spot on. But...There is plenty of time to ponder the various possible outcomes - time enough, I'm afraid, to reach the one Shyshy decided on, long before it actually comes. We must (for a while) declare a moratorium on these whoopsie daisy endings, if only so we may stop expecting them again. Like Hendrix realized when setting his guitar on fire: It's cool the first couple of times, but very quickly ceases to be utilitarian. And in The Village, the "twist" works to the detriment of beautiful things that came before. The business with Brody and the feathers and the pit in the woods - that was fantastic. Brody's character Noah was incredibly tragic, I thought, supplying a sort of horror-slash-sympathy common in Shakespeare. And Howard was perfect; I could watch her in anything. But the obligatory switch-on-switch pulls an expensive, hand woven rug out from under all that, giving a beautiful movie a so-so sendoff. Idea: if this were the first time we'd seen this from Shyshy, perhaps we'd all be much more excited. A shame, because the setup is better than his others.… Expand

The underlying concept of The Village is a great one, but Shyamalan is too reluctant to abandon his traditional thriller formula. As a thought-provoking allegory to post 9/11 America, The Village could have been an excellent film, but it ends up bogged down amid pointless "BOO" moments and stilted dialogue. It looks pretty enough, and it's evident that Shyamalan has not lost his gifts as a filmmaker. I wish I could say the same for his screenwriting ability.… Expand

I can't believe all the people who couldn't appreciate story and drama. It's obviously not supposed to be a horror film where a group of people get picked off one by one. This is a horror with an actual dramatic storyline!

Really enjoyed it but you just know this is the type of film that most critics will hate. Oh well their loss.

I don't know why so many people don't like this movie. I find it truly amazing. Don't expect it to be a slasher/gory horror movie cuz it's not. The acting is superb from everyone in this movie and the cinematography is different and interesting.

All the numbers you see below that are in green are from people who actually have a higher sense of intelligence and can comprehend concepts that are not based around solely the shallow physical world. All the red numbers are from people who lack any capacity for art and need shallow entertainment to keep them afloat. Great movie.

This movie is not ment to be a horror/thriller movie. It creates its own genre. The story has great detail and a great plot. It also scares you with your own fears. A great movie, see it.

I thought this movie was good. It was well thought out. It wasn't ment to be a thriller, or a horror movie. It was ment to show you reality, what happens in society. It's not a crappy movie. It leaves you with unansered questions, because they want to make you think. The creatures also made you wonder what they were, why they were out there.. Then the black box and all of that, and the town secrets. It captures your attention so well. There is a great plot to the movie, there are many points of suspense, and it leaves you with suspense. If you thought it wasn't good, you either didn't understand it, or you don't like being left with no answers. The camera work was great, it was eery. It wasn't supposed to be a horror movie at all. Just because it wasn't horror, doesn't mean it's crap.… Expand

A lot of people disliked M. Night Shyamalan's lastest thriller "The Village" but I thought it was a great film. Sure it isn't as groundbreaking as "Signs" or "The Sixth Sense", but it intrigues you through the entire run of the movie. I was on the edge of my seat from the time the movie started to the time the credits started to role. Almost everyone panned the ending, but I thought it was extremely clever and unexpected. Unexpected because we all expect a different kind of ending from Shyamalan. I was a little disapointed by the ending the second I left the theater, but as time progressed and I thought about it, the more I liked it.… Expand

Entirely disappointing. Too many problems to get into. After the film you are left with too many questions of the probability of events in the film and neccesity of others.

Pure garbage!!! don't waste time and money, please!

No, this movie isn't as thrilling or "scary" as other Shyamalan films, but it's saving grace is a muted intensity built around a simple love story. The film excels by juxtaposing this fragile grace with the harshness of the environment--socially, politically, ecologically. Is the film "great?" No. But it's a good story that provides lyrics to the luscious score, making it leagues better than most of the other drek coming out of Hollywood.… Expand

I'm not a big scary movie fan; I'm interested in Shyamalan's twists more than the suspense engendered by his monsters, anit-heros, aliens or ghosts. Unfortunately, I figured out the Village's secret way too early and spent the rest of the movie shaking my head at what to me were obvious clues and wanting the elders to just spill it, already. Great individual performances, interesting premise, beautiful cinematography (although I'd have appreciated the use of a steadicam at certain points) and use of colors. Unfortunately, the parts don't make up a great whole. Wait for the video.… Expand

The Village is a perfect example of how neglecting the little things can bring down a movie. From begining to end, Shyamilan made a rather decent story. I enjoyed the twists and was interested in at least some of the characters. The little things that bogged this movie down were indeed little, but they nagged at me and prevented me from thuroughly enjoying it. I thought the dialogue was overdone as to sound 'old-timey.' The storyline early on is boring and the male lead Pheonix doesn't have much to offer. The little things such as improving dialogue here and there and giving more life to characters could have made this better. I thought Shyamilan could have built up the movie better from the begining. If, when watching this, you aren't enjoying the begining, sit back and wait. I started to enjoy it more as it went on.… Expand

The dialog was truly annoying. You've got to do something more interesting to make language sound old fashoined than just eliminate all the contractions (no one in this movie ever says "don't" when they can say "do not" instead). The real problem with this movie, though, is that the surprise ending works at cross-purposes with the premise. In a successful thriller, the revelation would increase tension. In this movie, the revelation eliminates all the tension and then the movie struggles to somehow manufacture some. Though I didn't leave the theater feeling cheated exactly, I didn't feel like this is the kind of movie I would wind up discussing w/friends either.… Expand

One of M.Night Shyamalan's best work.The movie kept you going the whole way through.The ending was great and unpredictable.Go see this it is worth the money.I give it an a A+.