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The Village (2004) (1 Viewer)

Nate Anderson

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I completely agree. She was given directions on how to get to the road. In essence, she was the only one who could go to the towns, because she wouldn't see the modern world, and since she only met the security guard, the illusion wasn't shattered. (except for the siren sound, but she seemed to forget about that pretty quickly.
 

todd stone

Screenwriter
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Dec 1, 2000
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Ya, it almost seems the siren should NOT have been used in the film as it served no purpose through dialog. It was just a WOW moment for the audience as it was the first thing we heard.
 

Edwin Pereyra

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Actually, either one of those interpretations work. I'll have to watch it again to see which one was truly intended by Shyamalan. Either way, it does explain why one of the elders cannot go to the town and fetch the medicine needed.

On another note, this must have been explained in the film and I just missed it. The preserve is known as "Walker Preserve" from the sign on the side of the vehicle of the ranger.

In order for this group to get as far away as possible from the evils of modern society, I take it that Ivy's Dad took all of the money he inherited from his Dad who was murdered and along with the wealth of the other elders, they pooled all of their material possessions and resources, bought the land that they now live on and are able to establish their own boundaries and be left alone by the outside world.

~Edwin
 

Patrick Sun

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I was cracking up listening to the sport radio guys going off on Bryce Howard's "blind" acting, Matt Chernoff(sp) said it was the worst he'd seen of someone acting like a blind person in the movies (and I agree). The way Ivy walked and ran in the film just wasn't believable to me either.
 

Edwin Pereyra

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Most actors do extensive research on their roles especially in a part like this as to how a blind person would react under these circumstances including their mannerisms, hand, eye and head gestures.

Not having been around blind people in these types of conditions, as a competent actor, I would take Bryce Howard's interpretation of the role over any sport radio guy, unless of course, Matt Chernoff (sp) has had extensive dealings with blind people and in these circumstances. ;)

~Edwin
 

todd s

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I was wondering a few things. Curious as to what others think.

-How many families would have to settle their to make it biologically viable?

-How big of an area do you think the Preserve is? The only hint is that it is a 1/2 day's travel by foot to the fence.

-How bad that one Elder felt with his son's death at the beginning. Not only the saddness of losing a son. But, knowing if he was out in the "real" world. He probably would have lived.

-I guess Ivy would have found out eventually about the creature ruse. Someone has to keep the tradition of dressing up every so often to keep the fear around when the elders are too old to do it. Although, they did say the death of Brody's character reinvigorated the fear.
 

todd s

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I forgot to add. If you were to write the shock twist. What would it be? Mine would take from a Outer Limits episode. That the whole community & land was taken to another world. And they are being studied by Aliens. And if you go to the other side of the forest. You will see the Alien world. So the creatures are a way to keep the villagers in the village.
 

Edwin Pereyra

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I would say probably between 55 - 70%. But most of these "bad reviews", especially the one that you quoted early on, are looking at the film from the wrong perspective. The same thing happened with A.I..

~Edwin
 

Rick Guynn

Second Unit
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That was one of the points that Walker was making to the other elders during their little outdoor meeting when he told them he had given Ivy permission to go to the towns.

RG
 

Malcolm R

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Real Name
Malcolm

Still, planes wander into closed airspace all the time. It would have happened eventually.
 

Lewis Besze

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That's rather presumptious.The same can be said for "positive" reviews as well.I didn't read any reviews before viewing it,and found many of the same problems with this film,as most "naysayers" here.
 

Edwin Pereyra

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I guess my point is it doesn't matter whether the film falls 40 or 70% from opening weekend. Regardless, the film will have its own followings.

~Edwin
 

Edwin Pereyra

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Actually, it isn't. Some of the reviews I've read say that it isn't scary enough, there wasn't much tension, it was boring rather than suspenseful, etc. etc. To me, that's the wrong perspective.

~Edwin
 

Dome Vongvises

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Regardless of what anybody says, there's no way in hell somebody can ask me to give up working indoor plumbing, a refridgerator, and air conditioning.
 

Noah Gottula

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I thought this was a pretty good movie, as did the group of people I went with. (None of us knew anything about the movie coming into it, so the ending wasn't spoiled)

Some random points:

1. I also do not think he was sacrificing Ivy by letting her go into the woods. He sent the two guides to go with her to make sure she made it to the road safely. But also told them to stay at the base of the road and wait, so they wouldnt discover the secret.

2. My interpretation of the part with Mr. Walker talking to Sig Weavers character about letting Ivy go into the woods, was that this was the only thing he could give her (the possible saving of her sons life) because there was no other way he could show his true love for her while still holding the society together.

3. It has been asked by a couple other people, but I'm gonna ask again because I haven't seen a clear answer. But what exactly was different in this version from the original (leaked?) version?
 

Carlo_M

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I actually very much enjoyed this movie. Although I "figured it out" about half-way through the movie (both surprise aspects) I consciously went in to the movie saying "don't try to figure this out, try to appreciate the story as it unfolds."

And what a wonderful story!

******SPOILERS AHOY! THIS IS THE DISCUSSION THREAD SO TUNE OUT AND GO TO THE REVIEW THREAD IF YOU HAVEN'T SEE THE MOVIE YET!******

SPOILER AHEAD!

SPOILER UPCOMING!


Okay, you were warned. I just had to do that so as to not piss people off...

I really got sucked into the love aspect with Lucius and Ivy. The scene where she is holding out her hand and Lucius finally takes it, with the perfect music accompaniment, was the most moving scene of the movie for me.

The levels of blindness didn't bother me. I simply assumed that she's lived her entire life in the Village and knows every nook and cranny within its borders. When she's outside of it, she's truly blind, and only the familiarity of that fallen tree w/ the hole saved her in the woods.

The payoff was also great for me because it was a social commentary that I agree with. Trying to stay within the rules of HTF, I'll just say that the world is growing ever more dangerous, and I'd be lying if I didn't wish for a return to idyllic times like the Elders tried to capture in The Village.

I thought the principles were great, with Bryce Dallas Howard and William Hurt leading the way. Sigourney's understated but emotionally accurate role was perfect. Adrien Brody cast against type was fine too.

I figured it out as I said, about half way through it. I actually thought the reveal would include skyscrapers, but I'm glad it didn't. But as I was focusing on what was onscreen and not dissecting each and every line and camera move, I think it helped a lot. I enjoyed this on a visceral level and understood what the character motivations were. Everything made sense in the end: why the Elders did what they did, why Lucius and Ivy's relationship was so complex, why Brody's character did what he did.

And it moved me.

Which is exactly what I wanted from it.

To me, Night's movies are less about the twist, or trying to figure it out, and more about what he's trying to say. This movie was about a group of people who are so sick of the world today that they want to escape into a more innocent time. Who among us hasn't wished for that at some point?
 

Patrick Sun

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Well, in my youth I was familiar with blindness because my grandmother was blind for quite a while before she got some partial vision relief via corneal transplants, and though she was old, I doubt she could have ever moved the way Ivy did in "The Village".
 

Shawn_KE

Screenwriter
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Nov 25, 2003
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Saw the movie expecting something completely different, but then again, it is a MNS movie.

I liked it, it did have the Twilight Zone vibe to it. The love element was handled very well. I do think they should have revealed the photo's AFTER Ivy met the ranger.

As for her blindness, there are different levels of blindness, she may not have been 100% blind. She may have had some mystical power, hence the "color" she saw with people, and not seeing Lucius's color as he was dying.
 

Scott Weinberg

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Oct 3, 2000
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My Aunt Marie has been blind since birth, and even SHE has to walk slowly (with hands out) when she walks through her own house.

This is a woman who has three kids, plays the piano wonderfully and works as a computer programmer.

But moving from place to place is still really tough...even in a setting she's VERY familiar with.

So while I do think Ms. Howard gives a very good performance in her dialogue scenes, the stuff with her bolting from spot to spot had me rolling my eyes uncontrollably.
 

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