Fabian’s review published on Letterboxd:
In M. Night Shyamalan's The Village, it's all about the masterfully executed atmosphere, and the acting - with Sigourney Weaver, Adrian Brody, William Hurt, Joaquin Phoenix, Bryce Dallas Howard and Brendan Gleeson, there is no scenario this film would not have featured superb acting.
The screenplay itself is the film's weakest spot. It's full of uninspired plot holes and its own obsession with delivering a stunning twist. Ever since his famous twist in The Sixth Sense, I feel like Shyamalan is writing himself into corners trying to deliver the perfect twist audiences were not expecting.
However, in this film, horror, thriller, dystopian elements, drama and romance are all interconnected in a consistently interesting way, setting this movie up for some wonderful genre thrills. I personally consider it one of my favorites from Shyamalan's body of work; it's not without its flaws, but there is still a beating heart at the bottom of this that makes it tremendously enjoyable to watch for me.
