The Happening

Director - M. Night Shyamalan

Year - 2008

Country - U.S.

I have seen a few movies between my last post and this one but I actually have some time to write now. It is sad because this movie was amazingly bad. It was bad in disturbing ways. I couldn't sleep the night I saw it because I was thinking of ways to fix it. It could have been a great movie. There were many good ideas and little kernels of wit but they didn't work. Everyone I know who saw this movie was disappointed. We like Shyamalan's other work and couldn't believe he put this movie out. The acting was horrible even though I like many of the actors. I think it had more to do with the writing. There are one liners all over the place that don't belong. When everything is done, the viewer is left wondering what would possess someone to make this movie in this way. The science was counterintuitive and even if I were to suspend belief long enough to absorb some of the theories espoused, they were contradicted by other strange drop-ins. I have often admired some of Shyamalan's strange characters but this time he went overboard. It seemed that everyone in the movie was crazy before "the happening" even occurred. I don't want to give everything away for those still willing to find out for themselves but I could definitely make a list of things I would change.