The Villagers
Imagine you wake up on a planet that looks vaguely familiar in the sense it has the same foliage as a rainforest. Imagine you don’t know what just happened, all you have any sense of is you’re possibly on a mission of some sort, given you’re still wearing an astronaut-like suit and you’re lying next to a mysterious black box. What would you do? What could you do?
That is exactly how the short film “The Villagers” open and I must say, what an intriguing way to open and introduce the audience. The main character is a female astronaut that wakes up from what would be an assumed crashed landing of some sort, or so we are to believe… There’s next to no information as to why the protagonist is on this planet, but not being given that context, the filmmakers still pull off a thrilling ride that has your mind racing when the credits roll.
What this film accomplishes is not having to focus on the creatures of the planet this protagonist is on. Instead, it slowly unravels as a mystery and when we think we have the answer as to why she’s there, but then it does a complete 180. It focuses primarily on her own survival skills rather than showing what other life forms might exist. That’s not to say that there aren’t any lifeforms on the planet, because there certainly is. When you realize how this film is structured, you realize the encounter with the lifeforms are actually quite terrifying both psychologically and physically. At first glance, they’re mysterious. But as the mystery and the plot move forward, their revelation becomes an event you wish the protagonist had to never come across out of pity. All I’m going to say is this: imagine you are in her shoes when she first encounters them.
I’m purposely being vague on what happens exactly because how it’s unraveled is a pure trip and joy. I loved the elements this film had to offer. Like I have already stated, it doesn’t give you a reason as to why anything happens. Instead, what it expects of the viewers is to accept the laws of reality might be different than they are on earth. It plays with possibilities. Those possibilities are endless and what we witness might just be the beginning that represents the power of the planet; which is exactly why her encounter with these other lifeforms are terrifying.
I just want to point out the creature design for one moment. They’re so meticulously designed but simple that it makes them that much more mysterious and ominous. Their faces are never shown and just being put in that situation would suck due to the fact you would have no idea whatsoever what they’re thinking. They’re expressionless. Emotionless. Their motivation is unknown. And I love it. Everything about them works. So, if they’re possibly just the beginning of new laws introduced to mankind, then what can be the end? What can top these creatures? Who is on the top of this ecosystem’s “food-chain”? – metaphorically of course.
If the filmmakers decided to expand the lore of this planet and introduce new concepts to the laws of reality on this planet, I would not be opposed. It had me thinking once you see the raw power and I certainly this film is worth watching alone just for that. Perhaps viewers can even expand on it with theories. It’s a fun idea and it is certainly well-executed.
