"The Village"

     Here's a very quick review of M. Night Shyamalan's "The Village." I liked it. It was creepy, fun and consisted of a great cast. Adrien Brody plays the village idiot (he's special). The stand-out performance I believe however, is Bryce Dallas Howard in her debut role as the blind yet brave and charismatic Ivy Walker. Daughter of director/producer Ron Howard ( Apollo 13, A Beautiful Mind ), Bryce has definitely made her mark in Hollywood, and will be seen and appreciated in many upcoming roles I believe.
     Although critics seem to have bashed this film. I really enjoyed the breathtaking scenery and acting, and I jumped out of seat a little more than once. The overall plot was fun and was an interesting concept, although as the story unfolds, and all is explained, there are plenty of holes in the plot. It's one of those films where I walked out of the theater asking myself "why didn't they do this or why didn't they do that?" Still, I would watch it again if it were rented for me in the future.
     According to some (including Shyamalan himself), this film is an allegorical tale of the Bush administration's patriot act, and their propagation of a culture of fear (apparently, it's no accident that the main characters' last name is Walker). I'm not going to go there. I like to watch my films for their entertainment value, not their political undertones. You can decide for yourself however, and there is a link to the Fox News article at the bottom of this review.
     Most others I have talked to that saw the film enjoyed it for the most part, and I recommend it to all. Rated PG-13, so it's okay for almost everybody. Although full of holes, there is enough light on the other side of the holes for The Village to shine.



Related links:

The Village on imdb
Official movie site
Rotten Tomatoes' review
Bush allegorical article