The Happening

I loved Signs.

Joe(but then I am an idiot about movies)Nation

I also liked "The Village".

Definitely pumped to see this.... his movies are always awesome. Anyone seeing it this weekend?

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READ AT UR OWN RISK

It's plants that are responsible. They've decided to wipe out humanity and release the neuro-toxin as their natural weapon. This was far, far more clear in the script (and even the title "The Green Effect") and I'm really of the opinion that it's a pretty neat idea, though. What Shyamalan quickly finds, though, is that it's very, very hard to menacingly cut to an evil-looking tree. That doesn't stop him from trying, though, and he inexplicably adds wind as a way of livening up the scenes. When the leaves of a tree start to blow, evil's afoot. It's really, really hard not to laugh at and there's even a real groaner of a gag-scene wherein Wahlberg timidly apologizes to a houseplant only to find that it's made of rubber. Really.

I'm on the boat with most people when it comes to M. Night, Unbreakable and Sixith Sense were great, but it got really shitty after those gems. Well I'm here to say that The Happening isn't a far fetched fairy tales or some complex surpernatural story. The story is simple and based around science. This adds a really erie effect to the movie as you get this feeling of "this can actually happen". Not to mention when I stepped outside I looked at the "world" differently. YOu'll understand when you see the movie...

The only con I see is the acting can be a little over the top. Also there is music. How is this bad? With a movie trying to be intense music distracts from the intensity of the moment. Anyways the death scenes can be sometimes hilarious or uncomfortable. I say give the movie a chance if you like M Night movies and if you want to see something original. If you already criticized the movie before seeing it you'll be disappointed. I'd give The Happening a 8.5/10.

Didn't care for "Unbreakable" and all his subsequent films as being pretentious self-indugent wanna-be auteur. "The Village" was a lame pasting together of several old films, "Signs" was over-wrought and Mel really hammed up the angst as if he had a murderous hangover. "The Lady in the Lake" was just simply syrupy sentiment that was about as moving as watching snow melt.

The new film is receiving scathingly bad reviews, although it did better at the box office than "Lady":

http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/10007985-happening/

I was disappointed in The Happening, probably because my expectations (for suspense) were so high. The trailer and the beginning were great. I marveled at the effect of the loud landings of bodies in the beginning--VERY effective, that's something we never hear. After 9/11 they were very effective for me.