Title: The Village
English Title: The Village of the Spirits
Starring: Joaquin Phoenix, Adrien Brody, Bryce Dallas Howard, Sigourney Weaver, William Hurt
Genre: Thriller/Drama
Distributor: Touchstone Pictures
Plot Summary:
In 1897, in a small village in Pennsylvania with only 60 people, it is well-organized and easy to manage. At first glance, this late 19th-century village is like a beautiful painting. The villagers live peaceful, secluded lives filled with pastoral charm, working from sunrise to sunset. However, behind this seemingly self-sufficient, tight-knit, and stable rural community lies a "common knowledge" that all the villagers are aware of – there is a group of unknown "creatures" living in the woods surrounding the village. There is a simple and clear agreement between the villagers and the "creatures" – "you don't bother me, and I won't bother you." No one dares to venture beyond the boundaries of the village and enter the forest.
"The village must not be left!" – Such a baseless taboo cannot stop the curiosity of the young. Lucius Hunt (Joaquin Phoenix) constantly questions this rule, hoping to step beyond the boundaries of the village and explore the unknown world. Lucius turns a deaf ear to the advice of the village chief Edward Walker (William Hurt) and his mother Alice Hunt (Sigourney Weaver). The danger of the forest and his strong desire for the outside world gnaw at his heart constantly. Only Ivy Walker (Bryce Dallas Howard), the daughter of the village chief, can bring him some peace. Ivy is a beautiful blind girl whose congenital defect has given her wisdom beyond her years and extraordinary abilities. Both Lucius and another young man in the village, Noah Percy (Adrien Brody), deeply love this unique girl. It is Ivy's brave nature and her innate perception that help Lucius make up his mind to finally take the forbidden path into the forest to uncover the terrible truth.
The "peace treaty" between the villagers and the "creatures" is thus invisibly torn apart. This originally very peaceful forest begins to become terrifying and threatening. An evil force starts attacking the village, plunging the entire village into panic... Lucius must bravely stand up to face everything, clean up the mess he himself has created, and save the whole village.