The Village (2004)

A series of events tests the beliefs of a small isolated countryside village.

Director:

M. Night Shyamalan

Writer:

M. Night Shyamalan

Stars:

Sigourney Weaver, William Hurt, Joaquin Phoenix

Nominated for 1 Oscar. Another 4 wins & 22 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Bryce Dallas Howard	...	Ivy Walker
Joaquin Phoenix	...	Lucius Hunt
Adrien Brody	...	Noah Percy
William Hurt	...	Edward Walker
Sigourney Weaver	...	Alice Hunt
Brendan Gleeson	...	August Nicholson
Cherry Jones	...	Mrs. Clack
Celia Weston	...	Vivian Percy
John Christopher Jones	...	Robert Percy
Frank Collison	...	Victor
Jayne Atkinson	...	Tabitha Walker
Judy Greer	...	Kitty Walker
Fran Kranz	...	Christop Crane
Michael Pitt	...	Finton Coin
Jesse Eisenberg	...	Jamison

Storyline

M Night Shyamalan's The Village revolves around a desolate town in Pennsylvania. The residents of this town live by strict rules - They are not to leave the village or the monsters beyond their boundaries will surely attack them. Lucius and Ivy have an attraction - a strong one. But when Noah - a man with an intellectual disability and who also has feelings for Ivy, finds out that the two are In love, Noah attacks Lucius. He will die if brave Ivy (who is blind) does not breach the borders and find help to save Lucius.

---

Plot Keywords:

ambiguous ending | plot twist | mysterious creature | death of loved one | surprise ending | 

---

Taglines:

I: Let the bad color not be seen. It attracts them. II: Never enter the woods. That is where they wait. III: Heed the warning bell, for they are coming.

---

Genres:

Drama | Mystery | Thriller

---

Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for a scene of violence and frightening situations

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

30 July 2004 (USA)

Also Known As:

M. Night Shyamalan's The Village

Filming Locations:

USA

Box Office

Budget:

$60,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$50,746,142, 1 August 2004

Gross USA:

$114,197,520

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$256,697,520

Company Credits

Production Co:

Touchstone Pictures, Blinding Edge Pictures, Scott Rudin Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

108 min

Sound Mix:

DTS Dolby Digital EX SDDS

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Local Chadds Ford artist Andrew Wyeth's works were used as inspiration for the look of the film. In fact the house shared by Joaquin Phoenix and Sigourney Weaver was a copy of the one that appears in a Wyeth watercolor painting titled "Open Shed."

---

Goofs

Casting Joaquin Phoenix. No one in an isolated 18th century village could have repaired Phoenix's cleft lip, never mind that his was/is almost certainly accompanied by a cleft palate. It's one of the most common birth irregularities and it's quite likely that a village that size could have had at least one child with the defect - but it would not have been repaired. It makes suspension of disbelief very, very difficult, and almost impossible after the big reveal.

---

Quotes

[first lines]
August Nicholson: Who'll pinch me to wake me up? Who will laugh at me when I fall? Whose breath will I listen for so that I may sleep? Whose hand will I hold so that I may walk?

---

Crazy Credits

During the end credits we see pictures of the village.

---

Connections

Referenced in How to Train Your Dragon (2010)

User Reviews

Not necessarily a horror film, but a character study with elements of horror

I went to see M. Night Shyamalan's "The Village" today.

First things first... I won't even discuss a SINGLE aspect of the plot, here, so you can read this safely. I will say this: If you plan to see the movie, do not read a single review (besides mine!). As with most of Shyamalan's films, the less you know about the plot going in, the better.

As far as the quality of the film... it is solid. Beautifully directed, well acted, dramatic, scary, sometimes funny, and with some great plot twists. It is not as good as "The Sixth Sense", but it's probably not fair to keep comparing Shyamalan's work to his first big hit, one of the best psychological horror films ever made. A director could work his entire career and never make a SINGLE film as good as "The Sixth Sense", let alone recapture that movie's amazing brilliance.

But, I hear you asking, is "The Village" better than "Unbreakable" and "Signs" (Shyamalan's second and third films)??? Well, that depends on what you thought of those films. Personally, I'd probably say that it is a better film than those two. At the very least it is more sophisticated, with stronger themes, a much bigger and better cast, and more subtle surprises than in those two films.

"The Village" continues Shyamalan's pattern of there being twists in the plot, but this time there are SEVERAL of them and they occur sporadically throughout the film... not one big one at the end. You WILL be surprised by the film, but don't expect to be bowled over.

I would describe this as his most subtle film, and also as more of a character study than a horror film. The characters here are very rich, and their interactions and relationships with one another are very rewarding in big and small ways. The acting is phenomenal, most noticeably by Academy Award winner Adrian Brody and Joaquin Phoenix. But first time actress Bryce Dallas Howard (Ron Howard's daughter), William Hurt and Sigourney Weaver all give solid performances as well.

"The Village" is a character study of how a community and individuals respond under pressure and fear. And while it has elements of horror, I'm not even sure I would describe it as a horror film.

But don't get me wrong, there are some real scary moments in the film... just don't go in expecting a roller coaster ride. While I was watching it, I kept thinking about some of the better episodes of The Twilight Zone that had a few thrills but left you thinking about human nature more than anything.

Go see "The Village", but bring someone with you.