Good premise, but very poor follow through

Rating: 4/10 (18 June 2008)

All of Shylaman's older works were his best, but with this film, he brings us a poorly drawn story with some very bad dialoque and acting. I loved the premise, but the movie itself doesn't deliver.
THe story starts off in Central Park, where we find the average people doing their average routine. Than there's the ominous wind blowing through the trees, and suddenly people freeze in time it seems and suddenly start to do uncharacteristic things like walking backwards, talking as if disoriented and then, well you will know if you see the movie. Other events start happening as well. One of the more important scenes happens at a construction sight, but I will offer no spoilers here.
Cut to a teacher (Mark Wahlberg) talking about the disappearance of Honey Bees with his class where he is soon interrupted by the vice principal, who leads him from the class to the auditorium where all other teachers have gathered and are discussing what has happened. Of course school is dismissed, and Elliot Moore (Wahlberg) is soon leaving town with his wife Alma (Zooey Deschanel) his friend Julian (John Leguizamo) and Julian's daughter Jess (Ashlyn Sanchez) to escape what is happening. They are soon confronted with the fact that whatever is happening is now spreading from bigger cities into the smaller towns and on. WHat happens along the way? I will say no more. I will say though that you do learn what is causing the problem. At least Shylaman doesn't leave us hanging.
I loved the idea. THe plot is preachy but I think it could've worked much better if Shylaman had let someone else write the story. Like I said above the dialogue in this movie is really bad, and the actors seem embarrassed or just not sure what to do. THe Happening suffers from some of the same things that hurt The VIllage a couple years ago. Shylaman is good with building suspense and making things ominous and spooky as he always has been. I also loved the score to the movie, but none of these things can save this movie from being anything but below average. Sorry, but this movie cannot be recommended.