Once the characters are established, the film takes off. From here it's a series of gorgeous and visceral images, from the first assault of raining construction workers, to the insane and eerily coordinated hangings. The peripheral actors and actresses wander from scene to scene surprising us with their uniquely picturesque deaths, while the main ones try and find people to trust and protect, all the while fighting off the nagging suspicion that they just may be doomed. Shyamalan does 'tormented' really well, and every character in The Happening does a decent job of portraying their own quiet or loud desolation as hope evaporates.
Maybe it's me — I have a thing for disaster films that don't bog themselves down with too much poorly thought out explanation (The Day After Tomorrow), but I found The Happening to be a fairly thrilling, lighthearted B picture. There are a lot of arguments against this movie, and some of them are well formulated, while most are asinine in nature, but all in all, if you go in with an open mind and not a cultivated prejudice against M. Night Shyamalan (which, in your defense, is a fair one), you just may enjoy it despite yourself. It's a weird ride, humorous yet with serious implications, well executed technically, and goddamn, is it fun to watch.
Article comments
1 - Derek Fleek
Sticking up for The Happening? Watch out, you are going to get nailed to the wall for this one.
Between me, you, and whoever happens to read this, I happened to enjoy The Happening also. Just don't tell anyone. :)