The Happening

[ElPandaRoyal]

*SPOILERS*

oh yeah, and he makes the wind scary? really, was it scary for anyone? was people on the edge of their seats in that scene? because I was mad at this film for being so stupid. this guy seemed to think that because he says so, now the wind is scary, because "it has gas in it"...jesus, just thinking about it I get angry again.

There's the scene where they decide to break off into smaller groups and the wind is shown gradually blowing the grass as it's approaching behind them. I found it to be the same as a killer coming up behind the unsuspecting heroes, because once they realize it, there's that panic for them to run.

My thoughts exactly. One thing is not like the film, but if you actually enjoy it, you'll get scared. Because you saw those horrible deaths before, you know what wind can do and, worst of all, you know all that except when/if it attacks, because you can't see it. It's not "because he says so", it's because that's what happens in the movie. It's all legitimate to not like it, or even get angry if you want to, but nothing in "The Happening" happens any differently than it does in other movies. You have a threat, it can kill, people get scared. As simple as that.

[Alexandro]

yes, i saw the movie. i will never forget that scene. the idea must have sounded great, but you have to earn that moment, and this movie never earns anything.

[john]

right. the intentional humor in the happening is terrible. and that cell stuff is bad in every possible way. when i saw this in the theatre i couldn't believe it. it was like seeing acting in the worst mexican soap opera imaginable.

Shyamalan's attempts at humor have always been pretty sketchy to me. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. It might even be the biggest gimmick he lifts from Spielberg, using a very commonplace sense of humor to diffuse these extraordinary situations. And, in Shyamalan's case, it usually seems unnecessary because it just doesn't work. The main exception to me is Unbreakable... or maybe Bruce Willis just delivers it better.


I still don't think this films a failure, I just think it's his most introverted effort yet. I'm not entirely sure his intention was even to be scary, rather than bewilder. What stuck with me is the calmness he instills into everything. The film is quiet and still in a way no other big-budgeted studio effort has been this year and I appreciated it.

[Alexandro]

the sixth sense and unbreakable have almost no attemps at humor. they deal with pain and suffering and regret, and they work better because of it. signs is the first time he uses a character (phoenix) as a comic relief. form then on he has become more and more inclined to balance his films with humor, but I don't think it's working at all.

i admire what he tries to do. lack of ambition has never been his problem. and i undertsand the "from a to b" point you guys are making about why the wind scene it's supposed to be scary, i knew that the first time i saw it too. i seriously doubt he was aiming to make an absurd film on porpuse, but that's exactly what he did. i remember one scene when a large group of people leaves a train for some reason, they all get out and suddenly every person on that train is gone in cars (except the main characters of the film of course) even though there was no reason for anyone to have cars in the middle of some random town in the first place!! the film is full with ludicrous crap like that. his reasoning seemed to be that the effect was more important than the cause. that the fact the characters were suddenly all by themselves in the middle of nowhere was enough, he didn't need to explain how come they were suddenly alone even though it made no sense. the film proposes a logic and then ignores it. the wind has gas in it and they most outrun it? and they do? really? his thinking seems to be: "oh, people will be on the edge of their seats because they can't see the wind", but all I was thinking was: "man, this is awful".

back when lady in the water came out i was one of the three people on the planet who liked it. i thought it was an inspired anarchic film. it was about fantasy being more important than reality. and visually it was beautiful. even the attemps at humor felt organic to the thing. the happening is one bad choice after the other. i understand the concepts are cool and intriguing, but the execution sucks big time. i wasn't expecting the usual disaster movie, of course, but just because he tried to do something different doesn't mean it worked. yes, it's nice that the pace is slower, it's interesting that the characters have spiritual concerns in a film like this, but what about the writing and acting?

[tpfkabi]

*blows off the dust*

I know this is an oldie but baddie, but I just saw it.

For whatever reason I actually enjoyed it.

The comments on the acting and dialog I felt applied to Lady in the Water (which I really hated when I saw it in the theater and have not revisited) but it didn't really call out to me like that film.

So now I am conflicted as to why I liked it.

I can only guess that maybe watching a lot of MST3K and b-movies lately has messed with my mind somehow?

Maybe because it is a flat out B-movie the absudity didn't bother me as much.

Honestly, the only thing that really stood out as cringe worthy off the top of my head was the slow-mo look back of Legizamo(sp?) out of the Jeep.

[picolas]

the hot dog scene didn't bother the hell out of you?

[tpfkabi]

the hot dog scene didn't bother the hell out of you?

you'll have to remind me already. 

something about "everyone likes hot dogs" but i've already forgotten the context/scene.

there were moments the dialog fell flat, but nothing on the scale i remember with Lady.

btw - I also liked Cloverfield which i just saw a month or so ago.