The Village

Dark woods, scary legends, isolated townspeople: M. Night Shyamalan's portentous period thriller wrings some efficient thrills from these clichéd elements, but collapses under the weight of a labored and unsatisfying ending. Pennsylvania, 1897: The close-knit farming settlement of Covington Woods valley embrace a simple way of life. Having rejected the corruption of "The Towns," they take their meals together, abide by the decisions of the village elders, celebrate communally and support each other in times of sorrow and loss. But a shadow hangs over their apparently idyllic existence: The deep, dark woods are alive with mysterious, flesh-eating creatures so terrible...