The underrated 'Village' of Shyamalan

The titular "Village" is a 19th century utopian community surrounded by woods. In the woods, there are a group of unknown creatures referred to as "Those We Do Not Speak Of." An uneasy truce exists between the creatures and the humans; each agrees to stay off one another's land. The problem for the village members is that they are low on medicine and the citizens are dying of various maladies. The only way to get more medicine would be to go through the woods into the towns, risking the wrath of the creatures by breaking the truce.\n"The Village" was one of the most underrated films of 2004. For a variety of reasons, professional critics couldn't seem to appreciate Shyamalan's most recent effort. It seems like they only wanted another "The Sixth Sense" that followed the same basic plot line: 2 hours of scares with a twist at the end. This film does have those features; there are a few good scares, but the ending is both predictable and one of the film's only weak points. However, there's also another level of filmmaking that Shyamalan explores. For example, the village really seems like a 19th century community and the movie features a love story in a thriller that is actually good.\nThe acting in this film is incredible. Joaquin Phoenix, as the silent Lucius Hunt, is more powerful not speaking than when he is. Adrien Brody's performance as the mentally handicapped Noah Percy is very convincing and William Hurt is terrific as village leader Edward Walker, a man torn between being a father and a leader, which provides for some very emotional scenes. However, the most noteworthy performance is from Bryce Dallas Howard, who plays Ivy Walker. Howard's performance is outstanding -- it's a shame that she won't even be thought of when Best Actress nominations come out this year -- she's a breakout star of 2004.\nThe DVD features are a mixed bag. The main featurette is a behind-the-scenes look at the making of the film which has some interesting facts but is boring as a whole. Only one of the four deleted scenes is worth watching, a diary of Howard's is an interesting look at how into a role a method actor can become, and a home movie that I have dubbed "Indiana Shyamalan" is good for a laugh.\nIn the end, everyone needs to give "The Village" a chance. Brilliant acting, beautiful cinematography and an acceptable storyline round out a film that wasn't given a fair shake by many people. Don't believe the hype; visit "The Village" yourself.