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The Village

The Village

Drama · Mystery · Thriller · 2004

When a willful young man tries to venture beyond his sequestered Pennsylvania hamlet, his actions set off a chain of chilling incidents that will alter the community forever.

Movie details

The Village

“There is no turning back”

2004 Drama · Mystery · Thriller 1h 48m

Critical arithmetic

One number, for now.

TMDB

6.5 / 10

Community rating

When a willful young man tries to venture beyond his sequestered Pennsylvania hamlet, his actions set off a chain of chilling incidents that will alter the community forever.

CriticWise case file

What this film says about your taste.

Not a recommendation score. A measure of how closely the film’s taste signals resemble yours.

The archetype split

Who fights over The Village?

The split comes from the same five-axis model used by the test, not audience ratings or review sentiment.

Taste neighbourhood

Nearby on the taste map.

TMDB supplies the candidates. CriticWise reorders them by craft, strangeness, prestige, emotion, and pace.

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The Little Girl Who Lives Down the Lane

The Little Girl Who Lives Down the Lane

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13-year-old Rynn Jacobs lives in a New England beach town. Whenever the landlady inquires after Rynn's father, she claims that he's not available. But when the landlady's son, Frank, won't leave Rynn alone, she teams up with a neighbor Mario to maintain the dark family secret that she's been keeping to herself.

Suburbicon

Suburbicon

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In the quiet family town of Suburbicon during the 1950s, the best and worst of humanity is hilariously reflected through the deeds of seemingly ordinary people. When a home invasion turns deadly, a picture-perfect family turns to blackmail, revenge and murder.

Twelve Monkeys

Twelve Monkeys

Sci-fi · 1995

In the year 2035, convict James Cole reluctantly volunteers to be sent back in time to discover the origin of a deadly virus that wiped out nearly all of the earth's population and forced the survivors into underground communities. But when Cole is mistakenly sent to 1990 instead of 1996, he's arrested and locked up in a mental hospital. There he meets psychiatrist Dr. Kathryn Railly and the son of a famous virus expert who may hold the key to the Army of the 12 Monkeys; thought to be responsible for unleashing the killer disease.

The Clovehitch Killer

The Clovehitch Killer

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A picture-perfect family is torn apart after Tyler finds a cache of disturbing images in his father's possession. He begins to suspect that the man he trusts most in the world may be responsible for the murder of 13 women ten years prior.

At Close Range

At Close Range

Crime · 1986

Brad Whitewood Jr. lives in rural Pennsylvania and has few prospects. Against his mother's wishes, he seeks out his estranged father, the head of a gang of thieves in a nearby town. Though his new girlfriend supports his criminal ambitions, Brad Jr. soon learns that his father is a dangerous man. Inspired by the real events that led to the end of the Johnston Gang, who operated in the northeastern United States in the 1970s.

Witness

Witness

Crime · 1985

While protecting an Amish boy—the sole witness to a brutal murder—and his mother, a detective is forced to seek refuge within their community when his own life comes under threat.

A History of Violence

A History of Violence

Drama · 2005

An average family is thrust into the spotlight after the father commits a seemingly self-defense murder at his diner.

Where it lives

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Names above the title

The people responsible.

Directed by

M. Night Shyamalan

Written by

M. Night Shyamalan

Bryce Dallas Howard

Bryce Dallas Howard

Ivy Walker

Joaquin Phoenix

Joaquin Phoenix

Lucius Hunt

Adrien Brody

Adrien Brody

Noah Percy

William Hurt

William Hurt

Edward Walker

Sigourney Weaver

Sigourney Weaver

Alice Hunt

Brendan Gleeson

Brendan Gleeson

August Nicholson

Cherry Jones

Cherry Jones

Mrs. Clack

Court is in session

Put The Village on trial.

Two incompatible taste archetypes. One film. Read the arguments, then issue a completely binding cultural ruling.

The defence The Auteur Devotee

“Form is the argument.”

Every composed frame and deliberate cut is evidence that control can be thrilling in its own right.

The prosecution The Popcorn Loyalist

“Technique in search of a pulse.”

Immaculate construction is still construction. The film may be too busy proving its craft to feel alive.