The Happening (1 of 5 stars)
Let me just start by saying that this movie really sucked. In fact, it was so bad it took me a week just to muster up the strength to write this. I saw this last weekend, on opening night, with my wife and parents. We are all fans of M. Night Shyamalan’s other movies, and as a result we had somewhat high expectations for this movie. It was shocking how lame it was.
If you’ve seen the previews, then you’ve probably picked up that something “happens” that causes people to start killing themselves randomly. At first they think it’s a terrorist attack, but later they determine it’s something else. It’s the discovery of what the cause actually is, that is most disappointing about this movie.
I’ll try to justify my comments without giving it away for any of you who may still want to see it, even if it is out of sheer morbid curiosity…
- Horrible acting: There was such an over-the-top campy feel to this film, that I have to wonder if it was intentional. If so, I’m at a complete loss as to why M. Night would do this… It was stupid.
- Weak special effects: There are a handful of CG scenes in the movie (mainly of people killing themselves in horrendous ways) that are pretty cheesy looking. You’ll know what I mean if you see it.
- Humor confusion: There are scenes that are clearly meant to be funny that just aren’t, while other scenes that would seem to be intended to be scary or intense are comical in their own weird little way…
- Retarded Plot: But above all, the worst thing about this movie is the whole premise of what “The Happening” actually is. It’s such an asinine idea, that I could hardly stand it.
Who knows. Maybe M. Night was trying to make such a bad movie that when people left the movie theater, they would be so disappointed that they would partake in their own little “happening” and brutally end their own lives in the parking lot…
I left the theater actually feeling betrayed by this movie. I’ve spoken to a number of other people who’ve seen it as well, and I was somewhat comforted by the fact that they were as disappointed as I was. I hope that if I’ve accomplished anything writing this review, it’s to lower your expectations so low, that if you see this movie you might actually like it…
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