What on Earth is Happening?
M. Night Shyamalan is one of the great cinematic storytellers of this generation. He has made three certified masterpieces — “The Sixth Sense”, “Signs” and the majestic love story, “The Village”. I was also thoroughly enamored with “Lady in the Water” and “Unbreakable”. Over the past decade, I can count on one hand the number of directors with comparable résumés.
The notion that he is a “twist” director is patently false. I don’t even know where the idea comes from, as there hasn’t been a twist in any of his films since “The Sixth Sense”. The search for twists can be blamed solely at the feet of the viewers who like to pigeonhole films before they actually see them.
What people are actually trying to say is that M. Night Shyamalan is a secretive director — who doesn’t like to give away all the answers for the simpletons in the audience. He is a great director because he demands that we work a little. Many viewers take offense to that notion, preferring to be spoon fed all their entertainment.
“The Happening” represents somewhat of a departure for Night — who delivers a 70′s-style B-movie disaster flick, replete with melodrama, gore and cheesy moments that will elicit some hearty chuckles. I had fun with this film… a Shyamalan effort that doesn’t feel as weighty as his previous films. Sure, there is a message beyond the tension — but it doesn’t take itself too seriously.
There was a dreadful film, in 2007, called “The Mist” which plays on many of the same themes seen here. However, that cinematic turd was a miserable and overly-serious fustercluck. It failed to accept the inherent silliness involved in the story and went on to deliver the most ridiculous ending to a film in years.
“The Happening” accepts itself for what it is — cheesiness-incarnate! There may be an underlying theme which begs us to contemplate our relationship with the Earth we live on, but it never forgets to entertain and thrill. It never wanders into the realm of preachiness.
I find it amusing that Night’s “lightest” film is the first of his career to receive an R rating. It probably deserves the R for some rather gruesome death scenes — but in terms of tone, I think it is his most child-like film to date.
There is no denying that this is Shyamalan’s least powerful film to date. It doesn’t have the emotional impact, nor the grand ambition of his other work. “The Happening” doesn’t try to be much more than a 70′s B-movie. In that endeavor, it succeeds nicely. It is far from a great movie, but it certainly entertained me enough to merit a solid recommendation.
