The Happening

I think many veiwers don't understand M. Nights style. when i first heard about this film i was hugely excited. then as i got more information on the film i wasn't sure if it was going to be good. i thought ,before seeing the film, that it seemed out of his element and maybe even a little cliche. i didnt think i'd enjoy the film at all at this point but decided to go see it to support him.
i LOVED it!!! i was so surprised! at the beginning of the movie i wasn't sure where he was going but it all came together and screamed amazing! i'm not a huge mark walburgh fan but after thinking about it for awhile i was glad he chose him. this film, although rated low by others because of lack of understanding of his style, is amazing. you should at least view it once and give it a chance. i did.

When I put this movie into my DVD player, it made all kinds of noise. I was never able to watch the movie. I had to return it. Now I am waiting on either a replacement or a credit.

I think I totally understood this movie,yet I am not sure,possibly I overthink things,but it seemed obvious to me.I believe as w/all M.Knight's movies there is an underlying theme which if people aren't willing to put any thought into a movie it will easily be missed.I believe it's about the state of affairs in the world after 9-11.Fear and Paranoia running rampant.The "disease" if you can call it that starts in NYC/Central Park(Where the 1st attacks took place) then spreads like a Virus,starting w/metropolitan areas then spreading to the small towns.The thing that stops the "Disease" spreading is when Love for another overcomes the Fear and Paranoia(Farmhouse scene).Also,the End,starts anew in a different Country,coincidence that it starts in our Allies in Iraq War's Country???Hmmmm....

This is a tricky movie. I watched it with my husband who agreed with most of you. Saying that it was long and relitivly pointless. However I found it quite different. I enjoy a film that doesn't put it all out there. If it doesn't require any thinking on your part then it really isn't very good. I'm not saying that I kept guessing because he let you know what was happening, but it instilled doubt in the minds of the characters. I did not think that the female lead was a very good actress in this movie but Mark Walburg shined and the old lady was scary as hell. I saw a movie a few years back called The Virgin Suicides. The youngest is always trying to kill herself and then after succeeding the rest follow her. There really wasn't a reason. The movie allowed the viewer to contemplate it and draw their own conclusion. The Happening was like that. If your one who likes to think about it and draw your own conclusions as well as putting yourself in the characters shoes this is a really good movie. On the otherhand, if you watch a movie to pass the time and get a drink without pausing, then possibly try something requiring a little less thought.

I've been a fan of M. Night Shyamalan's movies since the Sixth Sense. Unbreakable is a really overlooked gem, and Signs was a cool take on the alien invasion cliche. There is a slower, more deliberate pace to his movies compared to most Hollywood thrillers, somewhat reminiscent of Hitchcock. However, his past few movies have taken a slide in quality. I found the Village to be somewhat disappointing,with a strong beginning but a weak finish, though it was still watchable and reasonably entertaining. But then there was the Lady in the Water. I really don't know what to say- that movie was just plain terrible. I think it was one of the worst movies I saw in 2006.

When The Happening was released in theaters, I sort of wanted to see it, but I never got around to it. Bad buzz and too many other good movies this summer kept me away. So I finally got around to seeing it on DVD, and I'm happy to say I really enjoyed it.

The movie is a disaster movie of sorts, but it's not exactly clear what kind of disaster is going on. People just start killing themselves. Trying to keep this as spoiler free as possible, the movie follows schoolteacher Elliot Moore and his wife Alma as they flee the deadly and mysterious "happening." The movie is creepy and tense in a fairly original way.

Don't buy the negative hype on this one. Check it out, you might be surprised. It's a bit slow, but it's pretty good and worth watching.