Oh God my eyes...

Rating: 1/10 (12 January 2009)

Why do they hype M. Night Shyamalan movies so much? I won't ever understand. They are bad with the exception of Sixth Sense and (usually depending on preference one other). This is just another in a long line of bad movies. What is upsetting is that it is a good premise. Mother Nature strikes back. Wonderful idea. I can see why they gave him the budget for it. It is good for a laugh with a group of friends, when you wonder why Mark E. Mark is talking like that, or why that little girl is acting so dramatic. But watching this movie by yourself is a mistake.
Why is the movie bad you ask? Very good question. The answer poor execution by a poor director. Yes I said it someone had to say it. M. Night Shyamalan is a bad director. His movies went from having good twists, The Sixth Sense and Unbreakable, to mediocre twists, The Village, to every element of the plot being spelled out in the first 20 minutes, The Happening and Lady in the Water. Maybe if we weren't told by the equivalent of a homeless man, that it was the plants 30 minutes into it, it would have been better, but alas.
The acting was horrible period. You can make an argument that it was supposed to be a parody of b-movie classics, but no when your last few movies suck, you aren't afforded the leverage to make such a subtle commentary on movie culture. Wahlberg seemed flat the whole movie, the little girl just seemed annoying and stupid and the woman was just there to complete the set.
Here is a hint for whoever he brings his next movie idea to. Just Say No. His movies are an act of his own self indulgence and if he likes them so much he should be forced to watch them for all of eternity.