The Village

We got around to watching this movie on DVD tonight, and I enjoyed it quite a bit. But then, I always enjoy M. Night Shyamalan's movies even when I don't particularly like them, as was the case with THE SIXTH SENSE and UNBREAKABLE. His work just looks so interesting to me. He frames his shots in such a distinctive way, often aiming the camera through windows and doors and fences, etc., that the look of his films is unmistakable. I think his often-hyped plot twists are pretty predictable -- I guessed them without much trouble in THE SIXTH SENSE, UNBREAKABLE, and also tonight in THE VILLAGE -- but I like the way he writes anyway. And while his movies are definitely leisurely, they never seem slow to me.

Anyway, I liked the creepy feel that THE VILLAGE achieved without much gore and little in the way of action. No one makes better use of things unseen or half-seen. There are some great shots of the creatures blurred and in the background, or just out of the frame. And even though I knew the twist was coming, it was effective.

I haven't said anything yet about SIGNS, which I consider Shyamalan's best film and one of the best I've seen in recent years. It's a beautiful example of the sort of layered writing at which he excels. I love the way that things which don't make much sense early on in the movie come to make perfect sense and take on a deeper meaning by the end. I need to watch this one again, if I can ever find the time.