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Since “The Sixth Sense,” M. Night Shyamalan has had phenomenal popularity with his explorations of the supernatural -- his last film was “Signs” with Mel Gibson -- but with “The Village” he has overreached. It’s tedious instead of provocative and so unconvincing as to be preposterous.

Newcomer Bryce Dallas Howard, the beautiful daughter of director Ron Howard, has presence and a key role that is such a cliche it’s hard to evaluate her abilities. Shyamalan has surrounded her with Joaquin Phoenix, Adrien Brody, William Hurt, Sigourney Weaver and Brendan Gleeson -- and with the exception of Hurt, has given them little to do.

The village of the title appears to be a 19th century community in a remote Pennsylvania valley that has deliberately cut itself off from a world full of danger and greed. It is surrounded by a forest that may or may not be inhabited by some fearsome creatures; either way the belief that they are out there has the effect of ensuring the community inhabitants stay put.

Lucius (Phoenix) is curious about the world beyond the forest, despite the warnings of community leader Edward Walker (Hurt) and of his mother (Sigourney Weaver). In the meantime he and the mischievous Noah (Brody) are captivated by Walker’s daughter Ivy (Howard), who is blind but, as is the case with heroines of such movies, has rare gifts of perception and plenty of spunk besides. Spooky events begin to happen, culminating in an incident that will require Ivy -- though sightless -- to make her way through the forest to get help from the outside world.

Shyamalan is exceedingly vague about how the community sustains itself and seems unconcerned with credibly establishing that it could actually exist in the first place. Everyone speaks with a formality that is at once pretentious and unintentionally comical. It’s as if they were capitalizing all their words -- e.g., the forest creatures are referred to as Those We Don’t Speak Of. Then there’s The Old Shed That Is Not to Be Used and The Clothing of the Safe Color, which turns out to be a chic mustard hue and the color of the cape Ivy dons for her perilous journey.

Pennsylvania’s Amish should not be confused with The Villagers. They don’t seem to be particularly religious yet are deeply concerned that everybody abide by their many rules. They dress like prosperous Victorian farm families, and their homes have more of a tasteful Martha Stewart look than austere authentic Shaker interiors. To be sure, “The Village” has a handsome feel.

Shyamalan seems to be attempting to suggest how difficult it is to protect innocence in the world, and it’s easy enough to go along with the arguments Walker puts forth. What’s not so easy to go along with is “The Village” itself.

*

‘The Village’

MPAA rating: PG-13 for a scene of violence and frightening situations

Times guidelines: Some images too intense for children

Bryce Dallas Howard...Ivy Walker

Joaquin Phoenix...Lucius Hunt

Adrien Brody... Noah Percy

William Hurt...Edward Walker

Sigourney Weaver...Alice Hunt

Brendan Gleeson... August Nicholson

A Buena Vista Pictures release of a Touchstone Pictures presentation of a Blinding Edge Pictures/Scott Rudin production. Writer-producer-director M. Night Shyamalan. Producer Sam Mercer. Cinematographer Roger Deakins. Editor Christopher Tellefsen. Music James Newton Howard. Costumes Ann Roth. Production designer Tom Foden. Art directors Tim Beach, Chris Shriver. Set decorator Larry Dias. Running time: 1 hour, 48 minutes.

In general release.