The Happening

Mark Walhberg, Zooey Deschanel, John Leguizamo, Ashlyn Sanchez, Betty Buckley

Dir. M. Night Shyamalan
Scr. M. Night Shyamalan

I’m a big M. Night Shyamalan fan. Sure, not all his movies have been winners. But he brings a unique vision to the cinema and I commend him for it. Having said that, he’s not been able to translate that vision into a truly solid film since Unbreakable. I really did hope that The Happening would see a return to form. Alas, this is not the case. I would even venture to say that The Happening is Shyamalan’s worst film. Aside from a few truly chilling and disturbing scenes, The Happening is largely terrible.

The Happening tells the story of nature fighting back. In Central Park, on a lovely spring day, suddenly people start to talk nonsense, become motionless and, finally, take their own lives in a variety of ways. Why, you might ask. Terrorism, surely. Well, yeah, but not of the kind George Bush is warring against. As the phenomenon spreads to other surrounding big centres, many flee the cities, including our protagonist Elliot Moore, a high school science teacher, his troubled wife, Alma, Moore’s colleague Julian and his daughter Jess. It soon becomes clear that where there are few people is where they want to be and the group venture into very, very small town America. They end up lodging for the night with the incredibly mad and scary Mrs Jones and, well, by this point the movie has long since ceased to be credible, interesting or compelling. It ends well for some, not so well for others, and we are fed a not-so-subtle and downright laboured environmental message.

This film suffers from some very bad writing and some even worse acting, but it is slightly redeemed by some truly unforgettable scenes. Shyamalan is undoubtedly a visionary director – he gives us shots and scenes that will make you gasp out loud. Reminiscent of Hitchcock, Shyamalan makes us see in different ways, at different angles. The scene early on in the film, at the building site in New York City, is incredibly chilling and truly memorable. There are several scenes that fall into that same category. Unfortunately, a few great moments do not add up to a great film.

Almost without exception, the acting on offer here is poor. At times, more than poor – truly terrible. The main culprit is Walhberg who, as the lead, is meant to carry the film. Shyamalan has had some great leads to work with – Bruce Willis in both The Sixth Sense and Unbreakable, Mel Gibson in Signs, Joaquin Phoenix in both Signs and The Village – but Walhberg is simply not in the same class. And without a believable, approachable lead that the audience can hang their hopes on, the film crumbles. Deschanel, as Alma Moore, is equally rubbish. She does wide-eyed horror quite well, but that’s about it. Leguizamo is woefully underused as fellow high-school teacher, Julian. By the time we get to Buckley, as creepy Mrs Jones, the film has become something else entirely – a cheesy horror flick – and she’s nothing more than a cliché. I hate to say it, but the best acting comes from little Ashlyn Sanchez, as 8-year-old Jess. Shyamalan does have a knack of getting good performances out of kids.

Signs and Unbreakable received more than their fare share of criticism, but I gladly stick up for two films I believe are misunderstood by many critics and cinema-goers. I will not, however, be going into bat for The Happening. If you’re a Shyamalan fan, I guess you will see it despite what I write. I would have. But, if you’re not, I recommend you stay at home and re-watch Signs – it really is his best work.