The Village (2004)
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A secluded community lives in constant fear of creatures lurking in the woods, unaware of the truth behind their isolation.
The story
In 19th-century Pennsylvania, a remote village is isolated by a perimeter of watchtowers and lanterns to protect its inhabitants from 'Those We Do Not Speak Of'—mysterious creatures in the surrounding woods. The community enforces strict rules, including a ban on the color red. When a young man named Lucius Hunt is injured, his community faces a crisis of faith and safety. The tension escalates as the boundaries between the village and the outside world begin to blur, and the residents must grapple with the secrets held by their elders and the true nature of the threats they believe they are fighting.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
Set in 19th-century Pennsylvania, a village is protected from 'creatures' in the woods by a strict set of rules, including a ban on the color red. When Lucius Hunt is injured, his lover Ivy is sent into the woods by Elder Edward Walker to fetch medicine. During her journey, she encounters a 'creature' which she defeats, only to discover it was actually Noah, a man with a disability who was part of the elders' deception. The elders actually staged the threat to keep the community together. Ivy eventually crosses a wall into the modern world, where she meets a park ranger. It is revealed that the village was created by Edward in the late 20th century as a sanctuary from societal violence. Despite the truth, Ivy returns to the village, and the elders continue the charade to maintain the community's peace.
- Original title
- The Woods
- First release year
- 2004
- Runtime (minutes)
- 108
- Production countries
- United States
- Original languages
- English
- Directors
- M. Night Shyamalan
- Writers
- M. Night Shyamalan · writer
- Cast and characters
- Bryce Dallas Howard · Ivy Elizabeth Walker; Joaquin Phoenix · Lucius Hunt; Adrien Brody · Noah Percy; Sigourney Weaver · Alice Hunt, Lucius' mother; William Hurt · Edward Walker, Kitty and Ivy's father; Brendan Gleeson · August Nicholson
- Genres
- horror
- Tone and mood
- creepy
- Premise and plot tags
- mystery; survival; cult-like community
- Reception
- The film received mixed reviews, with critics praising its atmosphere while criticizing the twist ending.
- Production trivia
- The film was originally titled The Woods.; The script was stolen over a year before the film's release.; The village set was built in its entirety in one field in Chadds Ford, Pennsylvania.
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
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