Most undeservingly overhyped movie of all time??

It isn't all that great, actually. Really cheesy and very predicable of how certain scenes are gonna turn play out. However, I guess that's the charm of it all, because I would consider this one of my guilty pleasures.

At first rather annoying in its heavy emphasis on reenactments, this movie ultimately proves fascinating, simply because the complicated, highly dramatic tale it tells still almost defies belief.

I think this is a new genre that they're all sort of working their way through it and haven't got all the kinks worked out yet but it's a genre that works for me.

Will make things clear right now. This is in no way intended to sound hate-filled or like a reviewer who hates everything review. Quite the contrary. Am actually a fair reviewer with a love of film of all decades, genres and regardless of what the budget is. IMDb's lowest possible ratings are very rarely given out by me, and also have no bias against low-budget films, there are watchable, and even good, ones out there.'The Secret Village' (called 'Salem Witch Hunters' in my country but will call it by the title that in my view sounds more appropriate and more relevant to my feelings on the film) is not one of them. It is actually one of the worst ever examples to me, and not only has a recent viewing for any film been this bad it is one of the worst films ever viewed. Am being serious about this and am imagining the jaws-dropping-to-the-floor-in-disbelief reactions from some right now. Where to begin criticising a film where everything is done so catastrophically badly and where nothing is halfway good? 'The Secret Village' is very ugly visually, especially in the headache-inducing editing, one of the worst cases where a film has made me physically ill. In no way is this intended to be a joke, flippant or malicious, but for anybody epileptic or with any neurological condition, beware, this film should come with a health warning. Apologies if any offense has been caused, that is not the intention. Music is very important to me in film, the music here is dire and perhaps one of the worst ever, even failed composition projects of pre-GCSE music students have written better than what is heard here, a score so inappropriate tonally and in mood and placement as well as sounding cheap it is embarrassing. The direction is non-descript. Have no better news about the script and story, the latter being the worst thing about 'The Secret Village'. The script is horrendously stilted and very intelligence insulting. The practically non-existent story never gets going and never knows what to do with itself in terms of tone or even anything. There is no tension, no horror and no suspense, just non-stop cheese and dullness, and then there is the jumpy structure and constant and often downright confusing back and forth that renders things borderline incoherent, coming from somebody who likes to think that their comprehension is just fine. Regarding the characters, no effort is made to develop them, when they are not coming and going without reason and the few times it's obvious who is who, and they are also really annoying. For a secret village, the film does very little if anything to explore that and make it clearer, what makes this village secret comes over as at the end remaining a secret. The pacing is some of the most erratic for any film, on both spectrums of rushed and dull. The acting is barely worth mentioning, with the leads being atrocious. In summary, incredibly bad and not worth visiting a second time. 1/10 Bethany Cox

A film with a twist at the end is often judged on that twist. Reading a number of online reviews of The Secret Village (or Salem Witch Hunters, as it has been known), it was predictable. I am happy to say I didn't find it so. I felt the audience was successfully lead to believe a couple of red herrings before the truth was finally revealed. That's not to say I found The Secret Village entirely satisfactory.As a horror, it was lacking any real chills. Instead, we get a thunderously urgent musical soundtrack accompanying tension-light scenes, furiously trying to convince us that very solid, tangible, cowled figures walking around in broad daylight is endlessly terrifying. Equally, the two heavies in constant pursuit of heroine Rachel (Ali Faulkner) bungle her capture every time, meaning that the next time they show up, the viewer is hardly given cause to be overly concerned.Ponderous though some of the scenes may be, all performances are fine. Faulkner excels, as does Jonathan Bennett as Greg – truly we don't know where his allegiances lie, and this is communicated very well.Yet the revelation at the end which really sells this. The viewer is left to trace the various clues throughout the film. Hardly incongruous at the time, they are given new meaning in retrospect.

I will start with what this 'film' is supposed to be about; here goes. Greg - an unsuccessful screen writer - and Rachel 'a beautiful journalist' investigate occasions of mass hysteria in some dreary backwater. This they cunningly discover may be linked to ergot poisoning!! Yes a theory that has been around since medieval times - that is investigative journalism for you.So what happens? Well the villagers are all failed am dram applicants who have a penchant for wearing monks robes with hoods; they wander about in a lack lustre way to induce a sense of 'scariness'. The plot is such a botch that even if you can be bothered to follow it you will realise it was a waste of effort. The music is all overly dramatic and tries to add some horror by being jumpy etc - needless to say it fails miserably. The camera shots are childish, the SFX look like they were done on some 1980's Nintendo and the lighting is reminiscent of an insipid wedding video I was once forced to watch.As mentioned the acting is beneath awful despite the efforts of the two 'stars' who do manage a half decent job of what is a laughable script. The rest of the ensemble should never have been put in front of a camera. We have scenes that are so obviously staged and stilted with no mood setting - just the 'shouting is acting' type approach. The sound levels vary too - possibly in an attempt to stave off a potential coma that could be induced from such turgid dross.Some of the make up is juvenile too and the whole oozing mess is about as scary as putting your knickers on back to front. I think the 'unsuccessful screen writer' may be a case of art imitating life. The editing is lamentable with scenes all over the place and obvious filler that at least give you the chance to hit the fast forward. There is not one reason to see this atrocity and thousands why not too - seriously avoid like an e-coli buffet.

Not new to telling everyone my opinion but new to doing it here.There is a scene that keeps presenting itself that defies physics, not in a supernatural, or cartoon manner. The story is not slowly bled out in the way a suspense/thriller would in fact there is a defined beginning and the end. No real substance, the acting is poor and the only character i liked was the guy from office space but that's cause he is awesome, actor not character. It was very difficult to make it through this movie. The audio was poorly timed and exaggerated at times, not always but enough that its bad. I will agree with some others that the cinematography was good not great bud good. The story truly had the potential it just needed more substance. I feel very mislead by the synopsis of the film. It was not the worst film I have ever seen I will say that perhaps many others went in expecting the same thing i did and where still holding it to the standards of there preconceived thoughts on what it would be, not what it was. Overall it is a love story, and Disney movies are darker. Please remember this is not dark this is not twisted and there is a lot in place to confuse you from what is really happening. Watch for yourself though and judge it on your own likes.