The Village

Positive—If you enjoyed other movies of M. Night Shyamalan, like The Sixth Sense and The Others, you will enjoy this movie. Shyamalan knows how to tell a story. He takes his time, slowly developing the setting and the characters. Many movie buffs today won’t have the attention span to allow a story, like a good soup, to simmer. They want action and they want it now. That’s not the way Shyamalan works. With virtually no sex and no profanity, one might wonder why the PG-13 rating. There ARE a few scary moments—and there is a violent scene with some blood being spilled. The scary moments are typical Shyamalan, who believes one’s own imagination can be more scary than simply showing the Monster. There is a thought-provoking theme involved in The Village. Can God-fearing people listen communally, far from other communities, alone and self-sufficient, and then escape the violence and evil in the World? You’ll have to see the movie and answer that for yourself.
My Ratings: [Excellent!/5]

Positive—The bad reviews coming about this film really surprise me. I admit I’m not good at trying to figure out so-called “surprise endings,” but neither do I want to. I’m a huge fan of Night’s because of the way he directs his movies. I love the sub-text, the symbolism, the deliberate way he tells the story. In all his film the creepy/horror factor is only the vehicle for the deeper story, so I never feel ripped off if the “aliens look fake” etc.

“The Village” is a love story, and while it’s fairly simple in plot, love can also be simple. When you love someone, you’ll do whatever it takes to prove it. I personally don’t see the whole “fearful villagers” thing as something to do with 9/11 or how Christian sub-cultures are “fearful” of the world. That hasn’t been my experience at all. The biggest thing I got out of this movie was that people make choices, good or bad, out of love—for each other, for innocence, etc. The characters are good people dealing with dark forces rather than people who seem okay on the outside but are really filled with all kinds of evil and psychosis. A character’s outburst speech shows why he made the choice he did, and I understood it, whether or not I agreed with it.

If you want to see this movie, go in open-minded. It’s not a horror or slasher pic, it’s a love story with an edge of darkness that must be overcome, and the price we put on innocence.
My Ratings: [Good/4½]

Positive—Shyamalan’s latest will not disappoint fans of his earlier films. While not as faith-inspiring as Signs and not as award worthy as Sixth Sense, The Village is sufficiently scary and will leave Christians with much to talk about after watching it. Chiefly, the fact that this is a fallen world and God is the only hope to overcome the heartache that is inescapable. I liked this film very much, although many of my peers did not. If you are looking for a scary monster movie, you will be disappointed. Younger and sensitive people should not see this film. The scene of violence haunted me for days. However, The Village overall is thought-provoking, is entertaining, and leaves one with a sense of hope. And those qualities are what movie watching is all about.
My Ratings: [Average/4]

Positive—I’ve heard a lot of negative reviews for this, but I really liked it. I was totally taken aback by the twists. Just when you think you have everything figured out, another twist is thrown at you. There are some violent scenes in this movie though, the main one being a bloody knife attack, and the overall theme would most definitely frighten young children. I would keep kids and young teenagers (though depending on maturity, some young teens could handle it) home, but everyone else should really enjoy this.
My Ratings: [Average/5]

Positive—I absolutely loved this movie! I would definitely not recommend it to people who don’t like scary movies though. There were a few parts that were violent but I wasn’t bothered by it. I don’t really remember any cussing, but there might have been. If you like Shamalyn’s movies then see this one!
My Ratings: [Better than Average/5]

Positive—This film was the cleanest secular movie I have seen in a long time. The plot was very exciting and the intensity of the suspense scenes are moderate. There is one brief scene of violence, but other than that, there is nothing that can be offensive. There is no inappropriate language, or sexual scenes of any kind. I would recommend this movie for teens and adults. Overall, I found it to be very entertaining and interesting!
My Ratings: [Good/4½]

Positive—I believe this movie is about how wounded, hurting people try to cope and protect themselves from further pain and particularly try to protect their children. What they don’t realize is we cannot escape man’s sinful nature and its consequences. My teenager and I definitely appreciated this movie, it’s a shame the secular critics can’t see past their own expectations. Some words of caution: There is a brief scene of violence that brought me to tears (not gory) and there are also some unpleasant images of animals. Overall, I would recommend this film for Junior High age and up.
My Ratings: [Better than Average/4]

Positive—I have come away from this movie with one word pulsating through my mind: Smart. I’m sorry if some of the negative reviewers haven’t realized that this is NOT The Sixth Sense. I found this movie to be absolutely brilliant and different. Movies nowadays are cut and dry, but Shyamalan decided to create a movie that didn’t leave you with the feeling of “Wow!,” but with the through-provoking “Hmmm…”

From a Christian perspective, the morality of certain characters can be questioned. There is nothing absolutely objectionable, and I believe I heard maybe one swear word. No sex, no junk, just flat out story. Frightening movie? Yes, it definitely is. I would not take younger children to see it, and there is violence. But this is a much cleaner film than the rest of the garbage heap we’ve been fed over the years. I found “The Village” to be a movie I wanted to talk about often. You will find that you cannot discuss this movie with yourself, it needs to be voiced. Out of all the movies this year, this has been my favorite… the acting is superb as well. Keep a look out for Bryce Dallas Howard, she’s magnificent.
My Ratings: [Good/5]

Positive—Well, I am a huge M. Night Shyamalan fan, with one of my favorite movies ever being Signs. I saw this movie two times and I’ll tell you why in a second. First off I would like to admit that I went into it at first with my expectations way too high. I had been anticipating this film since I first heard about it before summer began. I left slightly disappointed I think because I had so much time to wonder what the “surprise” would be that when I finally saw it, some of my guesses were more creative than the actual film. I left, like most in the theater, feeling like there should have been more. However, in the next week, the more I thought about the movie as a whole the more I realized I really did like it. Great acting (despite the above reviewer’s opinion), A love story that isn’t corny (hard to do-I’m studying screen writing in college) it is creepy enough to keep you guessing, unsettlingly perfect music score and I always liked the way Shyamalan creatively uses camera angles and the “feel” he gives to scenes. I think that most people were turned off by its abrupt ending. However, on my second viewing I realized it wasn’t too abrupt. I really enjoyed the movie the second time and would recommend at least that you give it a try, but try not to expect too much from it and you’ll find it exceeds your expectations. I still liked Signs better but I’ll definitely be excited to add this one to my M. Night collection. Not for young kids but perfect for some good suspenseful fun.
My Ratings: [Better than Average/4]

Positive—…This movie has so many levels, that it can’t just be dismissed as pale or cardboard. How many of us have said to ourselves in light of the horrors around us that we wish for the simpler times? This movie just asks the question, is it better to live the simple life, albeit in fear… or to live in this world with all its problems, but knowing what those problems are. Yes, the references to September 11 are obvious, even to the point where the head elder’s name is Walker… but I think we can look past that. Also on another level, I think it goes to show the sin and evil nature of humanity. *spoilers will follow*. They left a world full of crime and death… for a better life. They lived in such bliss for awhile, but then they found that no matter how secluded they made themselves… evil still is within us, and we are still capable of horrible crimes. We can’t escape sin, we can’t run away from evil. The only one who can rescue us is Jesus Christ. The obvious lack of religion in the movie just goes to show, they had no refuge… no matter what they tried to build with their own hands.
My Ratings: [Good/5]

Positive—Wow, this movie was simple amazing. I can understand why some people hated it, because it was nothing like advertised but it was still a great movie. It one of my favorite for 2004.
My Ratings: [Better than Average/5]

Positive—“The Village” is the newest movie by what I believe to be one of the most talented writer/directors in Hollywood. I am surprised by the negative reviews. I believe people are judging this movie when comparing it to Night’s other projects and not to most movies in general. This movie far surpasses other recent movies because of its movie making and moral quality. I did not feel any “undercurrent “or hidden messages comparing it to society today. I do not believe these characters are portrayed as villains (Walker) and it gives a clear view as to why the village and its townspeople are the way they are. The actress who portrays Ivy does a wonderful job as well as Joaqin Phoenix. I feel the “elders” characters could have been developed more and had more screen time… I cannot comment on the “shock” of the ending since I had known the ending beforehand… however, I think most will be hit from left field with the twist… It may be farfetched yet, after all movies are a way of escaping reality and we are expected to suspend reality to some degree. I thoroughly enjoyed this movie and admired the restraint of the director to use intelligence as opposed to sex, foul language and violence to execute his story
My Ratings: [Excellent!/5]

Positive—My husband and I went to see this movie, we both really enjoyed it. It’s scary, but not “scary,” such as gory or a slasher type movie, just suspenseful. Not for little kids. Good story line, funny parts and a little romance to. No bad language or sex, actually very clean. And a different perspective at the end, kind of neat. I recommend it if you like his movies.
My Ratings: [Better than Average/4]

Positive—This movie has been judged unfairly by those expecting it to be another Sixth Sense or Signs. It’s simply a wonderful movie about how we are to face our fears. The cinematography—camera angles, framing, etc.—is remarkable as well. Moreover, not one profane word is uttered during the entire film.
My Ratings: [Excellent!/4]

Positive— The Village is a cutting-edge testimony of the power of imagination over visual images. Unlike so many of today’s Hollywood productions, in the Village we are not spoon fed copious graphic detail, but rather the subtle imagery tempts the imagination to run wild, which leads to an hour and a half’s worth of unrelenting suspense culminating in a crescendo of tension. There is a wholesome morality about the village people which reflects much of the “goodness” of human beings, who are created in the image of God. The movie’s poignant reflections on human nature more than atone for any lack of definite point to the storyline. Finally, the brilliant and original camera-work which characterize M. Night Shayamalan’s other movies once again provides intriguing viewing.
My Ratings: [Better than Average/5]

Positive—There will be a lot of people that don’t like this movie because its not what they will be expecting to see. I myself thought it was great.
My Ratings: [Good/4½]

Positive—I went to see this movie to evaluate it before my 15 year old daughter saw it and was impressed. Very clean in regards to bad language and sexual immorality, there wasn’t any. There was also a lot of material to discuss afterwards in regards to sin, the sin nature of man, and whether or not we are able to hide from it. I would highly recommend this movie. You leave with a lot to think about.
My Ratings: [Good/4]

Positive—This is a great movie. There is no swearing and no sexual content. There are plenty of twists and surprises, but it isn’t very scary. It is actually an intelligent suspense movie about the power of love and the effects of fear. There is a positive message if you watch for it. I recommend it!
My Ratings: [Better than Average/4]

Positive—I loved this film! I went with my husband opening weekend concerned that it was going to be a horror film, but I was so pleasantly surprised to discover that it is was a love story and a very good, dramatic, well-written, suspenseful film. There was no swearing or sex. I highly recommend this movie!
My Ratings: [Good/5]

Positive—The movie is awesome. It may be a tad bit too scary a few times throughout for children. But there is no bad language, sexual content, or anything used throughout the film. It was fantastic and had a great small twist toward the ending.
My Ratings: [Good/4½]

Neutral—Overall, The Village is very well made. By the end of the film, it left me with a question. A question about lying. How long can a lie last before the truth comes out?
My Ratings: [Better than Average/5]

Neutral—“The Village” is a bit of a guilty pleasure for me. Yes, the pacing is pretty slow at times and there should have been more action scenes to keep things interesting, but the story is so unique and the big twist at the end makes the movie worth it. I am an M. Night Shayamalan fan and really enjoy some of his films such as “The Sixth Sense,” “Signs,” and even “The Lady in the Water.” While “The Village” is no where near as good as these other films, there are still some good things about it.

First of all, the film contains very little problematic content. There is no bad language except for one or two misuses of God’s name, no sexual content, and no gory violence. There are some shots of dead, skinned animals, and a scene with a bloody knife after someone get’s stabbed, but other than that, there is nothing to worry about. There are some creepy imagery as the design for the creature suits looks like an animal standing hunched over on it’s hind legs with a wart hog’s head, long claws, and porcupine quills sticking out of it’s red-cloaked back. There is also a suspenseful scene where the main character, who is blind, is being hunted by one of these creatures in the woods, and he stands at a distance, staring straight at her, before suddenly charging. However, as I mentioned earlier, the lack of general peril is what also weakens the film. If there had been more chase scenes and scary attacks, the film would have been much more thrilling and enjoyable.

Still, I really liked Bryce Dallas Howard in this film and, fun fact, this was one of the first movies she ever did! She was so convincing in her role and is just a great actress. I also like the music in this film and the movie’s violin theme is very pretty and haunting. Finally, this movie has two really big twists that are great, but I don’t want to spoil what they are. I just wish that the movie hadn’t felt so slow or “The Village” would definitely be somewhere in my top five favorite M. Night Shayamalan films.
My Ratings: Moral rating: Better than Average / Moviemaking quality: 3

Negative—WOW, what a VERY bad movie. This movie leave with the question “WHY?” running through your head, I feel sorry for the director, his movies are usually very suspenseful and enjoyable, but now his credibility as a film maker just went down in a blaze of not so much glory. So if your looking to waste 2 hours out of your life that you will never get back then see this movie, but trust me you will lead a happier and longer life by skipping this movie.
My Ratings: [Extremely Offensive/1]

Negative—I loved this movie but I think I think the overall theme is a real dig at Christianity and religion overall. I may be way off but the sense I got was the village represented our whole world and the elders were the ones in control and of great influence like founders of faiths. They made up the idea of the creatures and the outside forest like some feel others had made up the idea of God and heaven and hell to keep fear in those less intelligent and ignorant and thus maintain a sense of control. Also to run a world as they see it should be. In this case, it’s to continue to live a life style that they wanted but not necessarily what was best for those who were not aware. A non Christian friend of mine felt it was very insulting towards believers as he picked this theme up as well. Again I might be way off.
My Ratings: [Average/4]

Negative—If you suffering from insomnia, “The Village” is the best cure!
My Ratings: [Very Offensive/1]

Negative—I have real trouble understanding calling this film intelligent. Most of the people I know who found it startling made early, giant (and I might add unwarranted) assumptions about the characters and setting. Additionally, the picture has me wondering about the idea of thoughtful Christians judging a film almost entirely by the “bang” at the end. (That it comes with a minimum of pyrotechnics is only partially redeeming.)
My Ratings: [Better than Average/1½]

Positive—This is one of my favorite movies to watch. A strong, suspenseful story, a sweet romance subplot, and excellent acting all made the film for me. My mother didn’t like it, and my father(who took me to see it) only liked it enough to watch it twice. From a Christian viewpoint, the movie is almost content free. There is a painful scene with some blood, but there is no sex, and if there was any profanity, I sure missed it. Some people thought the story a political allegory, I didn’t think so. I just thought it posted to viewers the question of how far would you go to protect your loved ones and keep your family together.
My Ratings: [Better than Average/5]

Positive—I loved this film and have come to believe that it is symbolic of where we stand as Christians. “The Village” elders desperately want to prevent the people from leaving for “The Towns” and so created the myth of “those we don’t speak of” to discourage anyone from leaving. The elders ultimately wanted to protect the people, their actions were “not meant to harm,” but in the end we must ask ourselves—if something must be lied about in order to save it, is it really worth saving?

It is my belief that this film contained many Christian symbols, and reflects the situation that many of us Christians face each day in this complex and misleading world. There are many people who believe this film to be boring and a waste of time, but maybe that is because of the lack of sexual obscenity, graphic violence and brainless scripting that they are usually entertained by. The overall theme—innocence is to be treasured—a gift from God that we must all strive to protect. Learn from this wonderfully refreshing film!
My Ratings: [Better than Average/4½]

Positive—A wonderful movie! No profanity at all, and only one violent scene with a stabbing.
My Ratings: [5]

Positive—…I saw the movie several times. The movie making quality… is M. Night’s best. The movie kept me on the edge of my seat from start to finish. It had an ongoing feeling throughout the entire film. The movie was quite frightening but it did not use gore to scare you it used smart film making and acting, a psychological thriller. The acting was superb, I couldn’t ask for a better cast. There was a wonder full subplot in the movie, a beautiful love story.
My Ratings: [Good/5]

Positive—…The writing was some of the best Shyamlan’s yet done. The language, while somewhat archaic, was deep and rich. And the actors, namely Bryce Dalls Howard, carried the whole thing off remarkably. I have always puzzled why people think Shyamalan is out to scare them, because frankly, his only scary movie was The Sixth Sense. He has a deeper meaning, a purpose and a message to his films, and he chooses to carry them out in a suspenseful manner. But The Village was not about scaring people, it was about morality, about honesty, about responsibility. I think that this was a very deep, very moral, even Christian film. I highly recommend it, to fans and non-fans of Shyamalan’s previous work.
My Ratings: [Good/5]

Positive—This movie is awesome! I love the way it’s so secret. It’s not like most scary movies. This movie makes you think. It really does have a moral to the story. The ending is totally unexpected, but also amazing! I didn’t see it coming at all. I loved it so much!
My Ratings: [Excellent!/5]

Positive—I think this movie was great! I am a big fan of Jaoquin Pheniox and and a big fan of M. Night Shyalam (I’ve seen all his movies). I think “The Village” was a meaningful film. The bond between Lucius and Ivy is so sweet. Lucius is very brave and sincere and is able to confess to the village that he may have provoked the creatures in the woods. Ivy Walker is able to accept her blindness, she says “i just see differently than others,” she is willing to go into covington woods to save Lucius from dying. The elders in the village are just trying to protect the children from getting hurt. This movie was definitely one of my favorites of M. Night Shyalam. It portrays, bravery, overcoming your fears, friendship, love, protection, and caring. And the villagers also acknowledge God and that is a plus. I really enjoyed it and I think everyone should see this one. I am going to buy it for sure.
My Ratings: [Excellent!/5]

Negative—The fact that Shyamalan is so good at creating very visceral visuals in his movies draws more attention to the fact that this script is pretty weak, when you base the whole success of a movie on whether the twist in the third act works you’re skating on thin ice, but when that twist is as ridiculous as the one in The Village you’re ultimately doomed. The first 40 minutes of the movie are good, they move slow but they drop hints and clues that you assume are ultimately building to something brilliant, but then you find out are a cheap trick and everything just becomes silly. Shamalyn puts slow motion to good use in building suspense, the film isn’t gratuitously violent, sexual, or vulgar, and it’s the kind of film that I’d have no problem watching as a Christian, but it’s just such an awful film I wouldn’t recommend it to anyone.
My Ratings: [Average/2½]

Positive—I’m a bit surprised at the negative reaction this film received… both from this review and from my friends. Frankly, I thought the movie was amazing. Sure, maybe the acting could have been better and maybe it wasn’t “as good” as some of his other films but what I loved about it was that it was thought provoking. The fact that The Village made so many points in one movie made it an instant winner for me: a critique of utopias, revealing the nature of man (no matter how far you run, pain, fear and death follow you), and questioning whether the ends justify the means (after all, didn’t the elders of the town use deceit and fear to escape a similar evil in the world?). And that is just off the top of my head. Beyond all of that, I am a great fan of surprise endings. The Village was also great because it WASN’T just your ordinary there are big bad monsters about to eat you… but I won’t say any more. All that said, if you want a good, thought provoking movie… watch The Village.
My Ratings: [Excellent!/4]

Neutral—I can honestly say that I enjoyed this movie. The plot held my attention and the music was terrific. However, as I walked out of the theater, I was a little disappointed. I came expecting a VERY different movie, and in my opinion, this was not the thrilling or suspenseful movie that I came to see. Overall, the movie was enjoyable, but it will never compare to the likes of “The Sixth Sense” or “Signs.”
My Ratings: [Better than Average/4]

Neutral—This movie I liked until the very end, when the truth about the surrounding forest came out. I was held in suspense until William Hurt told his daughter the truth, and then I spent the last half-hour wondering why they would lie to everyone. I’m glad I saw it, but I don’t think I’d see it again. Morally and historically, it’s nice, but the story lacked something.
My Ratings: [Good/3½]

Positive—I really enjoyed this movie much more than I expected. Though the people I was with did not enjoy it as much as they expected, I was pleasantly surprised. It is a very “sweet” love story and I thought it was very well directed. The plot might have been somewhat predictable, but I found it almost more believable with the “surprise ending.” I did not feel as if it was demonic like some movies in its genre. Though I wouldn’t recommend you rush out to the theater to view it, I think it was a good movie overall.
My Ratings: [Better than Average/3½]

Positive—What a great film! M. Night Shyamalan has made another great suspense/thriller. Though the twist at the end can be predictable (especially to Shyamalan fans) the quality of this movie is very good. I suspect that Bryce Dallas Howard (daughter of the director Ron Howard) will receive a nomination (if not an award) for her excellent portrayal of a blind woman. All of the actors and actresses were amazingly breathtaking and the cinematography was excellent.

As for moral and Christian objections this movie contains a brief but graphic stabbing and much horrific elements. Many critics have noted that The Village is more of a romance then a suspense/horror. In my humble opinion this is definitely not a horror (though it can be quite scary at times) but a Romance will some scary themes. The plot of the film is very romantic, but catch this: This film does not have any sex! We need more of these kinds of romantic movies that have no sex. Because of some sudden jolts of thrill this is not a movie for children. So I myself (a Shyamalan fan) give thumbs up to this movie!
My Ratings: [Better than Average/4]

Positive—I really enjoyed this movie!! It is the most un-offensive PG-13 film I think I have ever seen. I was surprised at the beautiful romance. Also the monsters really astonished me, I had no idea who they really were! Although it’s different than other Shyamalan movies, I would say the show is worth your money.
My Ratings: [Good/4]

Positive—Raise of hands, who thinks M. Night Shyamalan is the best filmmaker of our time? He makes wonderful films that don’t resort to sex or excessive bad language! “The Village” is no exception to his record of clean but still fun films. My only objections were POSSIBLY a few bad words (that’s the moral part), and I also didn’t think this lived up to his phenomenal (cinematically and spiritually) “Signs.” This one doesn’t have as many creepy moments or jump scenes…
My Ratings: [Better than Average/4]

Positive—I personally loved this film. Yes, there were some disturbing images, but it is a PG-13 film. There is nothing morally corrupt that I can remember. There is talk that a married man loves a woman who is not his wife, but he always keeps his distance and remains faithful to his wife. This movie is much different than any other film by this director. It has a wonderful message about love, truth, and lies. There is not much more to say without spoiling it, but if you have two hours free, it is a good choice for teens/adults.
My Ratings: [Good/4]

…a colossal miscalculation …a premise so transparent it would be laughable were the movie not so deadly solemn…

…What does it take for a manipulative director to lose his credibility with a mass audience? It takes a Village.

…portrays this apparently Christian community as actually being deceitful and hypocritical…

…if you want to be scared and actually think about a movie for more than five minutes after you finish watching it, enter “The Village”…

…starts strong, but cannot deliver…