As I left the theatre after seeing The Village, all I could think was that M. Night Shyamalan is his own worst enemy. A few years ago he did The Sixth Sense, which had the best twist ending EVER, and every movie since all people can think are "what's the twist in this one" and, even worse "was it as good as the one in the Sixth Sense?"
SO, first off… NO. It doesn't matter which of his film's we're talking about, it's never going to be as good as the one in the Sixth Sense because you didn't expect it in the Sixth Sense. The ending came out of left field and, even if you thought you might have figured it out (I have friends that say they did—I'd never call them liars, but I'm dubious), it still was gratifying to have that twist confirmed.
But now, every time you go to see one of his films, you sit there through the entire film wondering what he's going to do at the end. And it distracts you from what might be a really good movie leading up to that ending… the one you're going to be disappointed with because it didn't surprise you like the ending of Sixth Sense.
I liked Unbreakable a lot and thought the ending was very cool and had a nice little twist at the end. It wasn't the shocker that Sixth Sense was, but I liked it. But, of course, people complained that the ending wasn't as good as the Sixth Sense.
I liked Signs somewhat less—the best way I can put it is it seemed to be "trying too hard". But I found the complaints about the ending of that one to be somewhat fatuous. This one wasn't about the twist ending, as far as I'm concerned… or at least, wasn't about the twist that everyone seems to think it was. It's not about the aliens being "allergic" to water. The twist, if it was one, is that Gibson's wife's dying words were the answer that told them the aliens were allergic to water. (Which does kind of beg the question "Couldn't God have found a less traumatic way to get that message to poor Mel, other than cutting his wife in half and having him watch her die?". Well, that question and "why would aliens that can't be exposed to water come to a planet that's mostly water?" But that's a whole different discussion.) And the complaints about the ending of this one were even louder.
But the reaction to the Village has been even worse with people complaining that "the ending's fine, but the movie just exists to get you to the ending". But maybe—just maybe—if you stopped sitting there thinking about "wow, I wonder what the twist is going to be this time" you'll stop focusing on the ending and be able to enjoy the movie that gets you to that ending.
I know I was as guilty about it as anyone during the first part of the movie. Then somewhere along the line I stopped watching for clues to what was going to finally happen and I just started watching and, you know what? I actually liked the damn movie. I thought it was a pretty interesting little story and had a good time. Not that I don't have quibbles with it. Not that I don't think there were problems. But I think the movie was enjoyable and it told a pretty good story. And, while it obviously had a little twist at the end, I think that this one, as with Signs, was a lot less about that twist ending and a lot more about the journey to get there.
(As an aside, I found it pretty amusing when I went home and read the review in Entertainment Weekly and they started if off with the same sentiment I had—that Shyamalan's success with Sixth Sense is his greatest danger—and yet arrived at almost exactly the opposite conclusion… they were disappointed with the movie and felt it was all done just to set up the ending.)
SO, first off… NO. It doesn't matter which of his film's we're talking about, it's never going to be as good as the one in the Sixth Sense because you didn't expect it in the Sixth Sense. The ending came out of left field and, even if you thought you might have figured it out (I have friends that say they did—I'd never call them liars, but I'm dubious), it still was gratifying to have that twist confirmed.
But now, every time you go to see one of his films, you sit there through the entire film wondering what he's going to do at the end. And it distracts you from what might be a really good movie leading up to that ending… the one you're going to be disappointed with because it didn't surprise you like the ending of Sixth Sense.
I liked Unbreakable a lot and thought the ending was very cool and had a nice little twist at the end. It wasn't the shocker that Sixth Sense was, but I liked it. But, of course, people complained that the ending wasn't as good as the Sixth Sense.
I liked Signs somewhat less—the best way I can put it is it seemed to be "trying too hard". But I found the complaints about the ending of that one to be somewhat fatuous. This one wasn't about the twist ending, as far as I'm concerned… or at least, wasn't about the twist that everyone seems to think it was. It's not about the aliens being "allergic" to water. The twist, if it was one, is that Gibson's wife's dying words were the answer that told them the aliens were allergic to water. (Which does kind of beg the question "Couldn't God have found a less traumatic way to get that message to poor Mel, other than cutting his wife in half and having him watch her die?". Well, that question and "why would aliens that can't be exposed to water come to a planet that's mostly water?" But that's a whole different discussion.) And the complaints about the ending of this one were even louder.
But the reaction to the Village has been even worse with people complaining that "the ending's fine, but the movie just exists to get you to the ending". But maybe—just maybe—if you stopped sitting there thinking about "wow, I wonder what the twist is going to be this time" you'll stop focusing on the ending and be able to enjoy the movie that gets you to that ending.
I know I was as guilty about it as anyone during the first part of the movie. Then somewhere along the line I stopped watching for clues to what was going to finally happen and I just started watching and, you know what? I actually liked the damn movie. I thought it was a pretty interesting little story and had a good time. Not that I don't have quibbles with it. Not that I don't think there were problems. But I think the movie was enjoyable and it told a pretty good story. And, while it obviously had a little twist at the end, I think that this one, as with Signs, was a lot less about that twist ending and a lot more about the journey to get there.
(As an aside, I found it pretty amusing when I went home and read the review in Entertainment Weekly and they started if off with the same sentiment I had—that Shyamalan's success with Sixth Sense is his greatest danger—and yet arrived at almost exactly the opposite conclusion… they were disappointed with the movie and felt it was all done just to set up the ending.)
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