THE F*CKING BLACK SHEEP: The Village (2004)

Last Updated on July 23, 2021

THE BLACK SHEEP is an ongoing column featuring different takes on films that either the writer HATED, but that the majority of film fans LOVED, or that the writer LOVED, but that most others LOATH. We’re hoping this column will promote constructive and geek fueled discussion. Dig in!

THE VILLAGE (2004)
Directed by M. Night Shyamalan

“It may not be Saw, but sometimes a movie doesn’t need to rely on carnage to be interesting.”

In a lot of ways, M. Night Shyamalan reminds me of Uwe Boll. Despite his lackluster success as a director, the guy keeps reeling in the stars for his films. Granted, M. Night has a bit of a better track record with three certified hits on his resume while Boll has, well, I don’t know. Somehow the dude keeps getting movies made. Maybe he threatens to beat up producers like he wanted to fight members of our staff? But I digress.

I realize that defending The Village is a difficult task. It’s a bit on the slow side, the dialogue is muddled, and the acting a little stiff, however, what works is the cohesiveness of the piece. It feels like a single thought, a well-constructed idea from start to finish even if it’s not completely successful. It doesn’t feel like the studio gave notes or 252 people had their say. It plays like a short story (a long one) come alive from a single author.

Ok, so a lot of movies fall under that category, but The Village carries a tone throughout it that some how captivates me. It draws me in without any real reason why. I often bitch about pictures that fail due to pacing or acting. That isn’t the case here even though it is slow and the actors look in pain spitting out their lines at times because despite its flaws, it plays out like an old-school piece of filmmaking, from Roger Deakins beautiful cinematography to Jason Newton Howard’s score. It’s classy with a signature style.

Let me be straight though. I’m no M. Night apologist. The Happening was downright stupid. The Lady and the Water I found insultingly bad. And I never bothered with Airbender. I don’t care anymore. Clearly, whatever mojo he had long since disappeared. But M. Night still had something left in the tank with The Village, and whether or not people still dug him, at the time I thought he was the next classic filmmaker. Now I hadn’t watched The Village since it’s initial release in 2004. I remember being the only one out of friends who actually enjoyed it…I’m not sure if I zoned in better than them or what, but I was drawn in and what it attempted to do. M. Night created an environment based on fear and tradition that seems both realistic and terrifying (well, to a point. Not really scary but more eerie). Creating a near alternative world (for three quarters of the movie at least) where monsters ruled the woods and humans lived in fear. Where colors mean something more than a color scheme. It may not be Saw, but sometimes a movie doesn’t need to rely on carnage to be interesting.

While the acting is a little stiff, everyone still beings their A game to the party…and it’s pretty amazing the cast assembled. If I remember correctly, there are three Oscar nominees here and one winner, all living in M. Night’s very subdued town. Notably, Adrian Brody’s “special” character was some fine acting. Yeah, he’s rocking some terrible Dio hair, but he’s convincing in his performance, especially after sticking Phoenix with a blade. While Ron Howard’s kid is good as the blind chick, it’s William Hurt who anchors the movie. The man carries weight without really doing a lot. Maybe I’m complete off here, but he made the movie utterly believable. At the same time, I never quite figured out Joaquin Phoenix’s character. I’m not sure if he was supposed to be slow, shy, or stupid, but he’s a little bit of all three. He’s a little annoying as if M. Night must have instructed him to remove any and all of his usual personality and just exist. And Sigourney Weaver, well, she’s just kinda there, taking up space.

In my last column I bitched slapped Rosemary’s Baby for not only being too slow and prodding, but most of all for being predictable as an episode of House. My case was that it shouldn’t be in the classic horror category, but more of the classic drama. Everything in that film relies on the amazing ending. The baby is the devil’s spawn! Oh….! It’s not that it’s a bad movie; it’s just that it’s rather obvious and not really scary. So I guess I’m contradicting myself by recommending The Village FOR it’s twist ending. I know most of the public had already tired of M. Night’s final surprises as he had already pigeonholed himself by playing into expectations. He was that director. The asshole that could fool the world with a mindblowing ending.

But this twist works. Any fan of the Twilight Zone must respect it. It’s a true extension of the series – from the tone, to the plot, to the pacing, to the idea that a group of people could remove themselves completely from the modern world. Twilight Zone never concerned itself with rushing through a tale, and M. Night controls this picture and what the audiences see. Maybe some don’t wanna see what he has to offer any more, but The Village was his last gasp before he drowned by the hand of a lady in water who was happening. Disagree? Get the DVD and discover for yourself.

GET THE VILLAGE DVD HERE