The Almost!

"Can I have a ticket to The Happening thats happening right now?"

The title and trailer of this film always lead me to believe this was a 'movie within a tv show' from the Simpsons. Its ambiguousness and vague outset gave that extra point that you have to see this film to actually find out whats going on! However, it did give me a sense of curiousity and it was instantly put on my to see list.

Unfortunately, I saw this film with people who tend to read spoilers before they go and see a movie. Which all I can say, it ruined the premise. There was no longer any mystery and I was just left waiting for what was happening to happen so I could see it with my own eyes. Wankers.

The word 'eerie' is used quite a lot with this film and I couldn't agree more. As with a majority of Shyamalan films, you expect something different and malevolent occurring behind the scenes. The score backed this mood for the film aswell as the handheld they seemed to follow the expressions as they manifested.

The concept was highly evocative. It had a slight Darwinism twang to it which made it much more intriguing. The main nemesis of the film was an immobile but omnipresent natural organism that you couldn't avoid easily which kept the suspense drilled in throughout. It came about all of a sudden, the explanation, so I felt that reflected the title (and poor narrative structure). "Yeah, plants are dangerous."

Mark Wahlberg also attracted me to this film. He provided a solemn and whimsical addition to the situation. His facial expressions were questionable but there couldn't have been a better person to have the camera shoved right in his face. You could count his worry lines. Zooey Deschanel is a rising star that I've been keeping my eye on aswell, luckily she had beautiful eyes for the closes ups to be even more pleasurable. Their relationship was comical at best, there was no turmoil between them but there was no love either. Just a load of indifference.

Another aspect with Shyamalan films is that he gives 'the crowd' a personality. You see a group of people and he manages to give them a unique aspect so that they aren't your usual background characters. Cheesey and sometimes overpointless but they give that sense of realism which derives from the core heroes which media is accustomed too.

The film wasn't a cut above the rest but it was a vast improvement over Lady in the Water which shall never be named again. I'm still holding out hope for the director, even if I have to wait a lifetime.

5/10