Thrills, chills, people standing still...

Rating: 6/10 (14 June 2008)

So far, I think viewers have been a little tough on this movie, perhaps because of Shymalan's reputation. A good amount of people who went to see "The Happening" loved "The Sixth Sense" and hoped for something of that caliber. However, Shymalan may have peaked a bit early -- and you can't hold that against him. Though not as fantastically terrifying and mind-bending as "The Sixth Sense", "The Happening" holds its own as a decent (but not terrific) horror film. Compare it to most horror films you'd see in theaters now. I would recommend "The Happening" to any horror buff or individual simply seeking a gore fix/adrenaline shot. It does have its graphic death scenes, and it does have its "jump" moments. They were mostly shoved into the first half of the film, but still... prepare to hold onto your popcorn. While the elements we always seek in the horror films (suspense, violence, scariness) are all pretty much there, "The Happening" also brings definite creepiness to the table. Get used to the hairs raising on your arms whenever the phenomenon strikes another population... The unsuspecting residents of whichever city being hit with the strange effects of... well, I won't tell you... stand perfectly still, frozen in whatever they were doing. And then they end their own lives. Not gracefully. It creeped me out in a manner unlike that of any horror film I've seen. It struck an emotional chord no films have gotten to, for me. While I did expect a Shymalan twist, and was slightly disappointed by the last half hour, it was all worth it for those genuinely disturbing moments. Say what you will. For me, "The Happening" definitely happened.