The Village

(The Village)

At first glance this late nineteenth century village seems picture perfect. Villagers live harmoniously in an idyllic setting. However, this close-knit community lives with the frightening knowledge that a race of creatures resides in the woods around them.The innocence of “The Village” is threatened by the creatures referred to by the townspeople as “Those We Don’t Speak Of.” The villagers share the fear of the evil and foreboding force that lurks outside. So frightening that one dare not venture beyond “The Village” and into the woods.

Despite the advice of his elders, a curious and determined Lucius Hunt has a burning desire to step beyond the boundaries of the town into the unknown. Town leader, Edward Walker warns Lucius of the danger amongst the town’s outskirts, and Lucius’ mother, Alice Hunt advises him to stay at home and spare himself of the greed and desires that exist in the outside world.

Lucius’ strength is matched only by Ivy Walker, a beautiful and mesmerizing young blind woman with an unusual wisdom beyond her years. Her fearless nature and gift-like perception are beyond anything Lucius has ever known. Both Lucius and the mischievous Noah Percy admire Ivy passionately, though her heart only has room for one of them. Her devotion eventually leads her down a forbidden path where terrifying truths are revealed. The ominous presence of the unknown boils over into chaos for the town, with one’s bravery being the only thing that can save them. The truce between “The Village” and the creatures is ending.

DoctorSF's Words

THE VILLAGE M. Night Shymalan's new movie, one of the most original contemporary moviemaker as he demonstrated it in recent and exceptional films like THE SIXTH SENSES (1999), UNBREAKABLE (2000) and SIGNS (2002). This time, the Indian director from Philadelphia entails us in a trip in the heart of our fears. If these ones are pushed to the limits within a small trenched community in the middle of nowhere, it is in reality a means to analyze ours, ahead threats of the modern world but also ahead to prejudices that they arouse us.

The story unfolds at the end of the nineteen century, in 1897, after the Secession War and before the beginning of the industrialization. THE VILLAGE depicts sentiments of fear, courage and love, what is new at Shymalan. By approaching there themes love and romanticism, he underlines the way with which these feelings can help to overcome tests.

By finding back his fetish actor, M. Night Shymalan offers Joaquin Phoenix the role of Lucius, specially written for him. The actorthat began his career at the age of ten in SPACE CAMP (1986) and who played Merrill Hess in SIGNS (2002) besides Mel Gibson, is found besides prestigious actor like William Hurt and Sigourney Weaver who interprets the widow Alice Hunt. So as to dive actors in the reality of life conditions of this end of century, the director imposed on main actors an « internship » of three weeks in immersion in this past. In historical famrs of Pennsylvania, they have thus overdraft necessary qualities for the surviving of the period.

This experience, appreciated by all, in which they lived « the hard way », allowed actors to forge a spirit community, basic notion of this village life, to fit totally and naturally to their characters.