Embarrassing

Rating: 2/10 (3 October 2016)

The career of director/writer/producer Shyamalan is something of a mystery. Neither Signs or The Sixth Sense are bad movies - at least not in a way that makes you regret that you've spent the time watching them. But then there are those of his films that make you feel exactly like that, and it makes me wonder why this guy still gets to make movies. After Earth. The Visit. The Happening. How can someone go from good to incomprehensibly bad and still have the continued support from the industry? I guess his name for some reason still makes money.
The Happening is a B-movie, or at least it feels like it. The characters are incoherent and act and talk like they're in an exploitation movie from the seventies, and it's not done on purpose - like Machete-on purpose. Most of what comes out of Mark Wahlberg's mouth sounds weird, and his reactions are constantly disproportionate to the situation. He's not a favorite actor of mine but I have never experienced his acting this disjointed before so I'm guessing it's a directorial issue. Zooey Deschanel's performance doesn't sit right either, and the fact that the two characters are supposed to be married is simply laughable. There is no chemistry between them whatsoever.
If the acting and characterization is flawed, what about the story? Well, I do find the premise of the film somewhat intriguing. Unfortunately, it's presented in such a way that it comes off as highly improbable - almost as a joke. The awkwardness of any dialogue concerning the underlying cause of "the event" doesn't make things better. Because of the bad writing the attempts to scientifically explain the infection falls completely flat.
Thinking about watching The Happening? Don't. Watch the 1978 Invasion of the Body Snatchers instead. Similar idea - much better movie. Heck, even the remake from 2007 will do.