Movie Review: Village of the Damned (1995)

Village of the Damned (1995) 

Starring: Christopher Reeve, Kirstie Alley, Linda Kozlowski, Michael Paré, Meredith Salenger, Mark Hamill, Pippa Pearthre, Peter Jason, Constance Forslund , Karen Kahn, Thomas Dekker, Lindsey Haun, Cody Dorkin, Trishalee Hardy, Jessye Quarry, Adam Robbins, Chelsea DeRidder Simms, Renee Rene Simms, Danielle Keaton, Hillary Harvey, Bradley Wilhelm, Jennifer Wilheim, George 'Buck' Flower, Squire Fridell, Darryl Jones, Ed Corbett,  Ross Martineau, Skip Richardson, Tony Haney, Sharon Iwai, Robert Lewis Bush, John Carpenter (as Rip Haight) 

Director: John Carpenter 

Universal Pictures, Alphaville Films, USA, 1995. 

Based on John Wyndham's book "The Midwich Cuckoos" and 1960 movie "Village of the Damned."

Small town Midwich is a friendly little place. School teacher Jill McGowan (Linda Kozlowski) is organizing a school festival. Something evil floats around the town and everyone faints. Some villagers die because they were at the wrong place at the wrong time. Jill's husband Frank (Michael Paré) faints also and dies in a car crash. Dr. Alan Chaffee (Christopher Reeve) and Dr. Susan Vurner (Kirstie Alley) are puzzled. 

Dr. Alan Chaffee

Jill and Frank McGowan

Dr. Susan Vurner

Drunk janitor Carlton looks familiar. It's Buck alright! 

Carlton

Soon after the incident a lot of village's women are pregnant. The local seller of birthday cards must have a blast. All of the children are white haired and very intelligent. They also have telepathic skills and they work in almost synchronized way. Their leader is Alan's daughter Mara (Lindsey Haun). The kids cause some accidents and suicides.  If someone hurts one of them, they use their powers to avenge. They lack any sense of relative response, and they will kill for even least offense or whenever someone gets on their way. 

Mass baptism

Mara

Local priest George (Mark Hamill) is worried about the demonic children killing people and tries to fight against them. Alan tries to teach the kids to be humane but only Jill's son David (Thomas Dekker) shows any signs of empathy. As the children are of alien origin it becomes ultimately the survival of the fittest. 

Reverend George

Beware the children

David

The setting of telepathic kids creating havoc in a small town brings some Stephen King vibes. However this time the kids are not bullied teens who snap or devil worshippers, but cold-hearted alien invaders. Mark Hamill's reverend character is not purely religious fanatic, but more concerned about the safety of the villagers. 

This film was Christopher Reeve's last movie role before he was paralysed in horse riding accident. Garry Kibbe's cinematography is beautiful, using ultra-wide shoots of the village. The kids are creepy but the other characters are not as interesting as one would expect in a Carpenter movie. Not that they are bad actors, but the characters are just too standard small town thriller types. Carpenter's skill of creating suspenseful atmosphere still works although this is not one of his best films. Especially the opening is great.

Rating: Good