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The Happening (2008)

Director: M Night Shyamalan

Time Out rating

Average user rating

51 reviews

Movie review

From Time Out London

M Night Shyamalan’s mix of modern ecological fable and ’50s sci-fi paranoia is not a happening thing. At first, a great deal happens, then nothing much happens for quite some time, then something so underwhelming happens that one is left wondering, ‘Did that really just happen?’

Since the surprise success of ‘The Sixth Sense’, Shyamalan’s ambitious but increasingly frustrating films (‘Unbreakable’, ‘Signs’, ‘The Village’) have been all build-up and no pay-off. ‘The Happening’, likewise, has lots of clever cinematic sleight of hand but no actual magic trick.

Philadelphia high school teacher Elliott Moore (Mark Wahlberg) is quizzing his students about the mysterious disappearance of millions of honey bees, when reports start emerging of a possible terrorist attack on New York’s Central Park. Together with his wife Alma (Zooey Deschanel), fellow teacher Julian (John Leguizamo) and Julian’s 8-year-old daughter Jess (Ashlyn Sanchez), Elliott flees the city on a train. But it stops at a tiny rural station: ‘We’ve lost contact,’ explains the guard. ‘With everyone.’

Vague, speculative news reports now suggest that an invisible, airborne ‘natural compound’ has induced mass suicides in densely populated areas. Does our ecological abuse of the planet have a nasty sting in the tail? Have plants instigated a targeted, coordinated attack on their number one enemy?

John Leguizamo suggests that Shyamalan’s ‘fanciful nightmares’ reflect the post-9/11 fear that something world-shattering might happen at any moment. Witness the shocking scene that echoes newsreel images of people jumping from the stricken Twin Towers. Sadly, for all his ill-focused Revenge of Nature eco-babble, Shyamalan lacks the courage of his apocalyptic convictions, so the film’s flabby (anti)climactic scenes are a virtual re-run of ‘Signs’, in which an external threat re-cements fragile familial bonds.

Author: Nigel Floyd 2008-02-26 14:55:56

Time Out London

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User reviews of this film

amy king said...

Posted on Jun 25 2008 13:41 The Happening is not happening. The first few scenes with the falling bodies made it seem promising and shocking but the more i watched the moe i waited for whatever was supposed to be 'happening'! I disagreed when people dismissed signs and even the village but this was just appalling!!! The acting was truly terrible, the only good thing was the mad old woman.
Oh and did anyone notice, twice through the film the boom kept dropping into the frame??! I seriously wondered whether we had been shown a spoof cut.
Go see it just to see how terrible it is

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cathy said...

Posted on Jun 25 2008 13:06 What a load of tripe!!! I cannot beleive the hype! Trees that wave around and kill us, then stop waving when people fall back in love! oh what tosh!
Dont go and see this film! The most interesting part was when a girl 3 rows back got up and left to go the loo. Halfway through the film i entered despair and put my cardy over my head!!!!!! Oh my goodness!! The only reason we stayed the whole hog was my partner who was determined to get his monies worth : which he was by watching my agony at such a droll despairing film!!

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Dino said...

Posted on Jun 24 2008 19:49 If you are expecting good acting and a good plot - do not see this film. Look at the picture of Mark W's wife in the car in the picture on this web page - that is the face she pulls 100% through the film - and Mark is no better. The audience were laughing at this film as well as myself. If it's need anymore evidence to convince you to ignore the idiots who rate this film, a soldier who again acts like he is a social retard runs up to the car and after hearing some news says "cheese and crackers" in a serious but half scared manner. All the people I know have said the same thing as me... this is so bad it had to be a spoof but a crap one.

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Sarah said...

Posted on Jun 23 2008 12:20 By far the worst film i have ever seen.
why anyone would rate this with more than 1 star beats me. Acting - Dreadful. Story line- Equallly as dreadful. Which leaves? urmm... Camera angles and what not? Which are JUST ok. Shyamalan has gone down in my books!

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jimi said...

Posted on Jun 22 2008 20:58 i thought it was good but the recording was baad really really good but recording was bad

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Jonny said...

Posted on Jun 21 2008 16:38 There's nothing "happening" here......

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bob marley said...

Posted on Jun 20 2008 16:20 i like cheese

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Mark said...

Posted on Jun 20 2008 09:15 Danielle has it spot on. I couldn't believe what I was watching actually got released at the cinema. The story was hilarious and Wahlberg cracked me up every time he spoke. Zero effort. I also considered whether it was a spoof, but I don't think it was, which makes it even funnier. In the closing scenes I was considering whether it was the worst film I've ever seen. Yes, it is. For those of you who rated this film highly, are you sure you didn't see something else?

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Court said...

Posted on Jun 18 2008 17:26 I really am shocked by all these poor reviews about this movie. I enjoy Shyamalan's movies, and I agree none can compare to his first hit, yet I still find them intriguing. This film was his most disturbing yet, with graphic scenes of people continuously commiting suicide in the most uncanny ways. I couldn't look for half the film because of the shock value and gore. Really good concept for a film. Many people are writing on here about how the ideae is ridiculous and over the top, however, I feel I left the theatre more conscious of my surroundings and it made me think. I did my research on the film and the director did talk to many scientists about the idea and as crazy as it sounds, everything in the film is true. Something like this really could happen. However, we do not think plants can have emotions and seek revenge on us because of the way we have destroyed our planet, but plants can communicate and put out toxins in the air, thereofre, this is an event that is a possibility. Thought it was horrifying and I def recommend seeing it for yourself!

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Jojo said...

Posted on Jun 18 2008 13:48 Oh dear, what a pile of bollocks.
first 20 mins good, then give up.
Apparently this was a make or break film for M Night Syamalan.... oops!!
Save your money and see something else.

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Cedric said...

Posted on Jun 17 2008 20:42 good concept...poorly executed though..

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jake and lewis (not gay) said...

Posted on Jun 17 2008 19:43 best film we've seen in years.
the acting was triumphant and an enjoyment to watch
the storyline was outstanding. BRAVO!
you will be on the edge of your seats and when it reches its climax you will leave the cinema feeling very very happy with yourself.

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Nik said...

Posted on Jun 17 2008 08:07 It really was the worst film I've ever seen - the acting was dreadful. Great concept, poor film.

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anna said...

Posted on Jun 16 2008 14:43 Everyone has pretty much said it all. The main two areas at fault for me were 1)the acting by the two protagonists. I usually quite like Mark Wahlberg, but oh dear oh dear..there was ham coing out of his ears this time. 2) The script and dialogue was pretty shccking, and not in a good way. There were many characters that had no relevance for the story (cue crazy old lady, best friend and his little girl). The dialogue actually made me laugh when it should've made me hold my breath in suspense. What a shame, because with more thought it could have the potential to be good. Very disappointing and suprising.

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Craig said...

Posted on Jun 16 2008 12:53 Why oh why oh why did i pay to see this film? booo hisssss i want my money back. Possibly the worst film i have seen to date from anyone in the industry. Who funded this drivel? A true reason to demand a refund. Is it just me or was the florist talking about the benefits of hot dogs the final straw? On numerous occasions my wife and i could only turn to look at each other in amazement at how poor this film was. The acting was terrible at best alomg with the plot. Its a pity the director and cast did not commit mass suicide before making this film, if you can call it that. Look out for the microphone in shot at begining when Wahlbergs wife is messing with mobile phone at home very poor!

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