Every M. Night Shyamalan Movie Ranked From Worst To Best

7. The Village

Unbreakable Bruce Willis
Buena Vista Pictures

The Village is one of those frustrating almost-good movies that has a lot to praise, but doesn't quite manage to stick the landing.

By far the most divisive and widely-debated of Shyamalan's films, The Village is dripping with ominous atmosphere, beautifully lensed by Roger Deakins, and superbly scored by James Newton Howard.

It also boasts a bevy of memorable performances from the likes of William Hurt, Adrien Brody, Bryce Dallas Howard, and Joaquin Phoenix, but falls apart in a deeply misguided third act which drops a comical clunker of a plot twist in the audience's lap.

This is the film which made it clear Shyamalan wasn't a bulletproof filmmaker - despite The Village grossing over $250 million worldwide - and that his desire to surprise audiences had the potential to be his undoing.

Contributor
Contributor

Stay at home dad who spends as much time teaching his kids the merits of Martin Scorsese as possible (against the missus' wishes). General video game, TV and film nut. Occasional sports fan. Full time loon.