The Great American Backlash

M. Night Shyamalan has probably the greatest fan base of this decade. Almost year after year he has been able dish out movies that his fans ravenously devour. Making the blockbuster bucks and making is producers very happy which probably makes him one of the most artistically “free” directors at an age so young. (34) And M. Night does not disappoint. I would be the first to admit that I have not seen any of his movies since the Sixth Sense, which blew me away in spite of its sometimes boring storytelling. The Village is like that but BETTER storytelling.

The movie takes place in a Puritan-type village set in the 1890’s. Life is simple but sweet. The cabbage grows larger than your head and the broccoli is bigger than a bouquet of roses. Though in spite of all this joy, there is threat, beasts loom in the woods beside them and nobody can get out. So obviously, somebody has to enter it. And the movie begins.

As in all M. Night movies, it is better not to talk about the movies, so I will talk about lifestyles. Puritans and their like came to America to escape the world of sin. Though conservatism is looked down upon by many liberals of this world, the Puritan way has come to be admired with a little misty-eyed fascination. A world without risk may be looked down upon by some, but one must admit it’s one way to go.

Anyway, going back to the movie, even without the trademark Shyamalanesque twist in the end, the movie was great. The love portrayed in the movie was powerful and touching. In the Sixth Sense, it was between mother or father figure and child, here it was between two people just starting out in life. A definite date movie, The Village will have you and your significant other jumping entertainingly out of your seats, falling in love and having something to talk about over coffee afterwards.

So why did I give this article the name, The Great American Backlash? Because it seems the fanboys are starting to scream blood already that M. Night has let them down. That he did not give them what they want. Frankly, I’m sick and tired of internet fanboys. Bashing Star Wars was fun, but ever since then it has become kind of stupid. So here’s what I predict for M. Night’s career, he’s still going to make another movie because this one is bringing in the big bucks. But the next one will bomb, no matter how good it is. Though of course, it could also make money, because all the fanboys will watch it again anyway, just to say “how bad it is”. So it goes.