TheRetroCritic

Here's one I've been defending from the beginning. Before M. Night Shyamalan suffered his first flop ( Lady In The Water ) and made what most consider to be his worst film to date ( The Happening ), he divided audiences with The Village . Back in the day, Mr Shyamalan was all about the twists and this one either made people mad or... didn't. Personally, I liked The Village and still do. A period piece, the film bears Shyamalan's trademark slow-burning pace and dark undertones but demands that you pay attention and immerse yourself in that strange little world. The village in question is overseen by a group of elders, which include William Hurt and Sigourney Weaver, who may or may not be hiding some sort of secret. Joaquin Phoenix and Bryce Dallas Howard play two of the young people living in the village with Adrian Brody standing out like a sore thumb as a mentally challenged buddy of theirs. Look out for a young Jesse Eisenberg and Michael Pitt in there too. E