The Happening, it happened for me!

Rating: 8/10 (21 July 2010)

Two years ago M.Night Shyamalan brought his awkward cousin; The Happening to the world. Of course this movie was promoted as the horror movie of the year for marketing purposes which came out on the typical day of Friday the 13th of July, if i remember correctly. After his latest movie; Lady in the Water which came out four years ago, it was obvious that Shyamalan chooses for the non-typical Hollywood-movie approach. After his successful movies like The Sixth Sense, Unbreakable and Signs, it became clear that with The Village and LitW Shyamalan wasn't making movie pictures for the 'crowd'.
With "The Happening" on it's way I was very excited. I'd assembled allot of friends that time to actually watch "The Happening" during premiere night in a dutch cinema nearby. My friends got excited by me and after seeing material from the trailer. It looked very promising and 'non shyamalanish' which could turner either both ways. I'd didn't really mind as long as it would entertain and surprise me and my friends.
My friends and the rest of the audience just giggled and laughed out loud during the entire movie, including myself. At first I didn't get the story at all. What is the message of this movie and what is up with the awkward and strange acting and dialogue flow in this movie? Well people, after two years I totally understand the meaning of "The Happening" and my creditability in Shyamalan has rises once again. The movie itself is just fine and a beauty to watch and listen to thanks to Shyamalans main cinematographer; Tak Fujimoto and composer and friend; James Newton Howard who arranges as usually amazing tense and emotional music to bring his movies to a higher level. But the story and all the dialogues kept bothering me for years, until a few days ago. Let me explain. (Do only read when you've seen this movie once or twice!) The movie starts with strange 'events' happening. People notice that these events occur in three stages of the human body. First lack of speech, movement and the full control of the mind and body In this picture we get to see Elliot, a teacher played by Mark Walhberg who teaches biology. His wife Alma (Zooey Deschanel) we get to meet later on struggles with herself and her relationship with Elliot.
The events that are happening, get spread worldwide by word and media. People assume at first that terrorist are at work by releasing toxic-gas, but later on other assumptions are being made, time after time. It's hard to explain but in this part of storytelling lies the 'twist' of this movie.
People just follow each other and show group behaviour, when they are in these kinds of unknown and strange situations. During there trip to avoid and try to unravel this 'happening' they get in contact with lots of other people who are on the same road as they are. A little girl who travels with them is one of these people who doesn't have a opinion yet, a innocent child that just experiences and observes all the theories and events they encounter. She stands in the middle of this chaotic chain of communications and interpretations of mankind.
Once Elliot thinks he knows what's actually happening, they enter a path which leads ultimately to a very mysterious and strange character named; Mrs. Jones. A old widow who lives isolated from the daily world. Once they meet each other strange things are happening once again.
The climax of this film looks incredible cliché and strange, but seen from the perspective of this characters it's obvious and understandable the way they react. The strenght of this movie lies as all the other Shyamalan movies in the human emotions and believes of each other. with one simple line i could spill the entire movie. But if u look further, deeper and with a non-standard movie scripting look, you will embrace this movie at a time. My advice is to start listening to the story by the very first lines and discover how magically this 'Happening' enrolls.
With this picture Shyamalan shows again what a brilliant storyteller and movie director he is. I am really looking to his upcoming trilogy of the anime series; Avatar and his other stories like "Devil" who will come out in 2011.