To me the only thing that makes any sense is that this was only chapter 1. The background was laid out through a minor adventure and everyone comes back and thinks they can continue on as if nothing happened.
But in chapter 2, the guard who we left pondering in the road, goes after Ivy and enters the village. This would inevitably shake the village, as the lies about the woods and the news about the reality of the outside would increasingly be revealed.
THAT would be a good story, and one that I could look back and agree that this was a good first chapter of. I haven't heard anything about there being a sequel, but Shymalan is just weird enough to not tell us right away ;~D
End