Movie MarauderThe Happening: Not Happening
December 15th 2008 20:57
I was very excited to see the new M. Night Shayamalan movie, "The Happening". In fact, I wanted desperately to see it while it was still playing in theatres, but I never quite found the time. I have been a huge fan or Mr. Shayamalan's films since "The Sixth Sense". I think that he has a way of creating very interesting characters whom need to overcome some seriously bizarre and interesting circumstances. These facts coupled with his way of twisting the story back and forth in a fashion so that the viewer never quite knows what is going to happen, makes me such a huge fan.
I waited on Netflix's waiting list to receive my copy of "The Happening" in the mail. When it finally came, I dropped almost everything that day to watch it.
I was sorely disappointed. I am a reader/film viewer/writer who needs well developed characters with which to work. The characters in this film were far from it. I felt as though I simply could not connect with them, on any level. They were bizarre and untouchable. Mark Walberg's character was married to Zooey Dechanel's character in the movie. They were both strange, especially when they were together. There was no apparent chemistry between, which I am sure contributed to the akwardness. John Leguizamo's character showed some passion and some all around omph, in comparison to the others, but his character bites it less than halfway through the movie, leaving the audience with an odd couple of people dragging around a kid and a host of other characters, whom are all killed off along the way as well.
As for the story line and plot, it was an interesting concept, but far too many questions were left unanswered. There is never a feasible explanation given as to why what was happening was happening. M. Night Shayamalan spent more time killing people off for shock value as it would seem, than developing strong characters and a strong plot.
Overall, it was a very poor movie. Again, the concept itself was interesting, but the film left the viewer wanting so much more, and not in the kind of way that we hope for a sequel. M. Night Shayamalan started out with some fantastic movies in my opinion, but is starting to lose a bit of traction here. "Lady in the Water" wasn't that great either in my opinion and "The Happening" just validated my feelings that perhaps he is losing his touch after his initial jaw droppers "The Sixth Sense", "Signs", and "The Village".
I waited on Netflix's waiting list to receive my copy of "The Happening" in the mail. When it finally came, I dropped almost everything that day to watch it.
I was sorely disappointed. I am a reader/film viewer/writer who needs well developed characters with which to work. The characters in this film were far from it. I felt as though I simply could not connect with them, on any level. They were bizarre and untouchable. Mark Walberg's character was married to Zooey Dechanel's character in the movie. They were both strange, especially when they were together. There was no apparent chemistry between, which I am sure contributed to the akwardness. John Leguizamo's character showed some passion and some all around omph, in comparison to the others, but his character bites it less than halfway through the movie, leaving the audience with an odd couple of people dragging around a kid and a host of other characters, whom are all killed off along the way as well.
As for the story line and plot, it was an interesting concept, but far too many questions were left unanswered. There is never a feasible explanation given as to why what was happening was happening. M. Night Shayamalan spent more time killing people off for shock value as it would seem, than developing strong characters and a strong plot.
Overall, it was a very poor movie. Again, the concept itself was interesting, but the film left the viewer wanting so much more, and not in the kind of way that we hope for a sequel. M. Night Shayamalan started out with some fantastic movies in my opinion, but is starting to lose a bit of traction here. "Lady in the Water" wasn't that great either in my opinion and "The Happening" just validated my feelings that perhaps he is losing his touch after his initial jaw droppers "The Sixth Sense", "Signs", and "The Village".
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