Chris Olson's Film Review Blog

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Reviewing Films Since 2010





Wednesday 14 December 2011

The Happening (2008)


M. Knight Shyamalan tries his hand again, this time, an unknown epidemic sweeping the North-East coast of the U.S. which causes people to kill themselves.

Starring Mark Wahlberg and Zooey Deschanel, The Happening follows the couple’s attempt at staying alive during this curious event. The outbreak starts in Central Park, in New York, when a sudden breeze caused everyone to stop what they were doing, forget what they had been saying, and then find a way to end their lives. As more and more events occur across the city, authorities declare some kind of terrorist act, whereby a substance has been spread into citizens causing a fault somewhere in their brain which switches off the survival button, making us all suicidal zombies. Panic ensues and everyone flees to the countryside.

As Wahlberg and Deschanel leave the city, and go in search of a safe zone, they begin to find themselves trapped within more and more events, with people topping themselves all over the place. The coincidences between the events start to pile up, and soon the pair have a hunch as to what is causing it.

Arguably one of Shyamalan’s worst films, The Happening actually makes The Village look half decent. Wahlberg is an extremely poor choice for the lead role, playing a science teacher whose dedication to problem solving becomes more irritating than the ridiculous lines he comes out with.

The script is appalling, trying to connect scenes and development with outrageous simplicity and shallowness.

Deschanel is easily the best thing is this film, her quirky character and the competency of her delivery make her seem a grade above every other aspect of this film, but it offers little comfort to any viewer who wasted and hour and a half of their life.

Only watch this film if you have a desire to see how bad films can get.

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