Not great, but has some good moments

Rating: 7/10 (14 June 2008)

From what I understand, M. Night Shyamalan is a huge Hitchcock fan. What struck me right away about "The Happening" is how much it reminds me of Hitchcock's "The Birds." The theme of people caught up in the mayhem when nature inexplicably runs amok is common to both films. Modern man wants to think we are always in control and are pretty darn smart. So when suddenly faced with a deadly situation that seems to originate with nature, strong feelings of despair and impotence surface. The realization that we simply can't win a fight with mother nature quickly sinks in and we are left feeling very small. Conveying this sense of despair is what "The Happening" attempts.
While "The Happening" is not a great film like "The Birds," there are many similarities. I wonder how a film like "The Birds" would be reviewed today. Plodding? Lacking action? I agree with Roger Ebert's review. This film is not a blockbuster action flick, and anyone who can't sit still for five minutes without a car chase or explosion, will probably be bored. But if you appreciate a film that doesn't rely on special effects to move the plot along, this film is worth a look.
I do agree with some of the negative reviews pointing out the weakness of some of the dialog in the film. (I especially did not care for the man who owned the plant nursery, who first guessed that plants might be behind the problems. His character really made no sense and was almost cartoonish.) I also agree that the message behind the film could be a bit more subtle, although I was not that put off by it. But the reviewers who are taking issue with the plot may be missing the point. How many films of this genre have a plot that really stands up to scientific scrutiny? The fun of these films is in the suspense and if throwing logic out the window for 91 minutes helps the fun, then I'm all for it.
This is not a great film, but if you are a M. Night Shyamalan fan, I think it is a step back toward his earlier promise and is worth seeing. You might want to wait to see it on DVD. I don't think it will lose much on the small screen.