Isolationism and Troubled Times

I admit that I may have been misleading last time. I can’t think of any conservative films, at least not right now. And after thinking more about it, I have decided that the film I wanted to talk about is really a condemnation of conservatism, at least of the kind practiced by the Pat Buchanan types. But this film also projects at least initial support for Bush-type agendas.

I’m sure you have all guessed the film by now. It is, of course, M. Night Shyamalan’s newest film The Village. Yeah, it’s pretty blatant isn’t it? Not really, I know, but sarcasm doesn’t come through too well in blogs like this. Perhaps sincerity is a better tactic: The Village condemns isolation for a more interventionist policy.

I hate to just rehash plots, but I have to to make this analysis work. Shyamalan’s films are all centered around a “surprise” at the end, and I’m going to give that surprise away here. If you have not seen the film, go onto my next blog.

In The Village, a group of adults in the 1960s/1970s has each experienced a terrible tragedy related to the horrors of city life. And they meet one another in a counseling center, probably discussing the tragedies of their lives. So they get together and decide to forsake the city to create a new life as Luddite-type people who are completely removed from society. Not only do these people not participate in any activity associated with contemporary life, but they create scary monsters and stories to keep future generations from ever leaving the compound to see what city life is for themselves. The one girl who does leave is treated with kindness, and she even comments that the person she meets is not like what she expected from “the towns.”

The life on the compound is actually treated with great respect by Shyamalan. He doesn’t condemn it or suggest that it's ridiculous. Instead, it is seen as a valid alternative lifestyle. At least until the end, that is. Jealousy, evil, and even murder cannot be kept out of the compound, as we see everything basically crumble, and the alternative lifestyle becomes partially untenable. Then the people must break their vows to never return to the towns in order to get medicine that will save Phoenix’s character.

It’s a provocative premise, if not a great movie. The “surprise” at the end works against the premise, I think, because we forget about the premise by the end. Instead, it’s “Oh, so that’s what that was.”

But the plot is basically about isolationism as a viable alternative, treated with respect, and perhaps even the better way to live. But this isolationism cannot be sustained, and really doesn’t produce a perfect society, anyway. The people must break their vows and go outside their compound in order to survive.

So isolationism is out and interventionism is in. We are left to wonder how far they take their new relationship with the towns, but the fact is that it’s now an alternative. And once that happens, it’s…well, Iraq all over again…