Good plot, well made, shame about Mark Wahlberg...

Rating: Null/10 (30 July 2011)

I find this film a difficult one to review. It is not a bad movie but it is definitely not a great movie. The problem with M. Night Shyamalan is that he started off with one of the greatest psychological chillers ever (The Sixth Sense) and since then has not been able to produce anything quite on par with it. Signs and Devil were good and The Village had its moments but was ultimately disappointing. The problem lies in the fact that everything Shyamalan does now is compared to the Sixth Sense and, of course, nothing quite rivals that film.
The Happening revolves around a teacher and his partner who are witnessing mass suicides sweeping various states in America. They, along with others, are escaping from the affected areas and trying to find a safe haven. The cause of the devastating events are attributed to a neurotoxin released by plants that are threatened by the presence of humans.
I like the plot of the film and thought the suicide scenes were very well done and quite disturbing. The script and performances however are average. Mark Wahlberg (who I personally think is a terrible actor) is a weak lead and I find the actress who plays his wife a bit annoying. The reliable John Leguizamo delivers a good, but sadly short performance, as Wahlberg's friend. I feel Leguizamo would have made a far more competent lead. The best performance comes from the actress who portrays the creepy Ms. Jones, but yet again she has little screen time.
The ending is quite disappointing but overall the film does leave an impression.