Shyamalan's Worst to Date

Rating: 1/10 (14 June 2008)

The Sixth Sense. Unbreakable. Signs. Writer/Director/Producer M. Night Shyamalan has created some remarkable, original, and enjoyable films. Then there are the more recent ones. The Village. Lady in the Water. And worst of all, The Happening.
I will first admit that I was quite looking forward to this film, I thought from the previews that it could be Shyamalan's return to originality, quality screen writing, and inherent understanding that a shocking conclusion does not necessarily make a film great. The Happening, however, is far and away his worst effort, and easily the worst film I've seen in the last five years (although admittedly I do try to avoid those that have no chance of being good). The film actually gets off to a decent start, when people in Central Park begin to die mysteriously. The intrigue created by the first scenes lasts only momentarily, however.
I would typically begin a review with a few positive words about a film before ranting about its negative elements. This film, however, lacks any redeeming qualities. The dialogue is as bad as it could possibly be. Cheesy lines, unrealistic arguments, and pointless conversations quickly erode any interest in the larger plot. The dialogue gets worse, not better, as the movie progresses. One particular scene, involving an argument between the two main characters, is particularly painful to watch. One doesn't know whether to laugh, cry, or get up and leave the theater at such moments. The director never comes close to achieving his desired emotional reactions from viewers. A general moaning and groaning could be distinctly heard at such moments from the crowd at our local theater. Never mind the plot, which is far-fetched, under-explained, and generally nonsensical. The dialogue and acting alone kills this movie quicker than you can say "Marky Mark, what were you thinking?" A writer/director must implore the reader to CARE about at least some of the characters in a film, allowing the viewing audience to relate to them in some sense, otherwise, the entire plot appears nothing more than a joke.
While on the topic of jokes, my colleague and I assume that this entire film IS in fact a joke, a setup by Shyamalan to see how much money he can make writing, directing, and producing a worthless film with no redeeming value. My advice? Do not contribute to his funds. I feel as though someone ripped my wallet from my hand, extracted $7.50, and threw it back in my face, only this process somehow took an hour and a half to complete. Talented directors like Shyamalan should be forced to produce something of value once in awhile. For this director, it has been years. And the trend, unfortunately, is headed in the wrong direction.