I won't tell you the secret of The Happening...

Rating: 2/10 (23 October 2008)

...because it just isn't worth it. I found myself initially curious, then almost bored to tears. I am so glad I did not see this in a theater as that would have been a waste of time and money.
So, by now you realize that I hated this film. I'm still trying to figure out how a brilliant writer/producer/director like M. Night Shyamalan could create masterpieces of film-making (The Sixth Sense, Unbreakable, Signs) and then give us little nothings of movies (The Lady in the Water, The Village, and now The Happening). To be honest, I felt sorry for Paul Giamatti, Joaquin Phoenix, and Mark Wahlberg in these latter movies because each of them has talent...at least Joaquin Phoenix got to work with Shyamalan on a good day (Signs).
I won't bore you with any plot details for two reasons:
1. You've already read about the "plot" of the movie
2. There really isn't a plot.
The story never really makes you to care about any particular character, and I found it to be dull rather than creepy or even interesting. If you are a huge fan of Shyamalan then rent this film...but please don't waste more than a dollar if you can manage it.
P.S. I'm sure that M. Night Shyamalan won't read this comment or very many others, but I hope that with his next movie, whatever that is, we find the real him again.