In order to maintain the illusion that theyre living in the Nineteenth Century, which they do for oh some reason, William Hurt, Sigourney Weaver and Brendan Gleeson dress up as those we dont speak of in order to keep the children from venturing into the towns (ie the normal world). But when Joaquin Phoenix is stabbed by village irregular Adrien Brody, someone needs to make the journey to fetch medical supplies so they send the blind girl. Cue scenes of Bryce Dallas Howard wandering through the woods with her white stick while Hurt, Weaver and Gleeson continue speaking in the language of the time, even as Phoenix bleeds to death. After being nominated for numerous awards, including two Oscars, The Village exposed Shyamalan as a charlatan, but the lesson went unheeded and he received the money to make Lady In The Water, The Happening, The Last Airbender etc. Like 9/11, these pictures may have come as a shock, but they were no surprise.
Ian Watson is the author of 'Midnight Movie Madness', a 600+ page guide to "bad" movies from 'Reefer Madness' to 'Poultrygeist: Night of the Chicken Dead.'