The Happening

Morwen

Morwen

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Has anyone else seen this? If so, what did you think? Was 'all that' (you know what I'm talking about) really necessary? >_>;;
 
Yes, I saw it. And no, it really wasn't necesssary. lol I had high hopes that M. Night might actually get back to some good storytelling but seemed to me to be all shock value and little substance. Bleh.
 
I guess it's probably best that I didn't go see it then~ I forgot tbh.
 
He's one of those directors I used to trust to tell a good story, but that trust has been steadily dwindling after Signs and The Village, although I enjoyed Lady in the Water more than most people I know.

But The Happening is conclusive evidence, as if Signs wasn't already, that Shyamalan should stick to smaller, intimate stories and avoid trying for an epic feel because he falls flat on his face.

I wasn't thrilled by Wahlberg's character, either. His first scene in a science classroom quickly establishes that he's not someone I'd want teaching science to my kids. I've read criticism that says The Happening is Shyamalan's wet kiss to Intelligent Design, and I'm inclined to agree after Wahlberg's dismissive attitude that (paraphrasing) "they'll come up with an explanation but it'll still be just a theory." You want to smack him and say "Hey, dumbass.... theories are explanations."

But I had high hopes for it and tried my best to like it. It starts strong, and that construction worker scene is awesome to watch, as are the gun suicide relay races.
 
In my opinion M. Night has only made one good movie, and one OK movie.

To me the good movie was Unbreakable.

The OK movie was Signs.


All his other movies including Sixth Sense have been disappointing to me, especially The Village (terrible movie).
 
Anglis said:
In my opinion M. Night has only made one good movie, and one OK movie.

To me the good movie was Unbreakable.

The OK movie was Signs.


All his other movies including Sixth Sense have been disappointing to me, especially The Village (terrible movie).
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I agree, but I have to switch The 6th sense with signs.

Good: Unbreakable

Okay: 6th sense

Unbreakable was awesomely good, and I dont really know why I like it so much, lol.
 
I liked Signs, it was odd, but I liked it.

Wahlberg's character was likable to me. I had teachers that actually talked to people like that, they were real and they forced you to think. I didn't like how awkward everyone acted towards eachother, but I was most impressed the moment Leguizzamo said "Only take my daughter's hand if you mean it". That, was good. "Be scientific douchbag" was cute.

I didn't like the copious amounts of graphic deaths (the lion thing made me laugh though) but I did like that it kind of made you think. The actual Happening is possible in this case, but so highly improbable its laughable. I was still going for the Lemmings theory that I had when I first saw the previews on TV.
 
Morwen said:
I liked Signs, it was odd, but I liked it.

Wahlberg's character was likable to me. I had teachers that actually talked to people like that, they were real and they forced you to think. I didn't like how awkward everyone acted towards eachother, but I was most impressed the moment Leguizzamo said "Only take my daughter's hand if you mean it". That, was good. "Be scientific douchbag" was cute.

I didn't like the copious amounts of graphic deaths (the lion thing made me laugh though) but I did like that it kind of made you think. The actual Happening is possible in this case, but so highly improbable its laughable. I was still going for the Lemmings theory that I had when I first saw the previews on TV.
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I liked Signs too. I liked Sixth Sense and Unbreakable also. But after that, his movies went downhill in a big way I think. And it's too bad because he looked promising early on, but now it's like he's trying too hard or something.

I agree with you about the deaths, but I think that had the story that followed had been strong enough to support it, you could almost justify it. The problem is, it seemed like violence for the sake of violence rather than to actually enrich the plot. Those deaths became all there was to the movie; the rest of the story was pffft.
 
Morwen said:
I didn't like how awkward everyone acted towards eachother, but I was most impressed the moment Leguizzamo said "Only take my daughter's hand if you mean it". That, was good.
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I hated that line. It comes out of nowhere, and he says it with such undeserved venom that you're forced ask "Dude, what the fuck?" Just because the Zoey Deschanel character wasn't committed to having kids of her own -- they were "waiting" -- it didn't mean she was going to let Leguizamo's daughter walk into traffic or jump the fence at the zoo to play with lions.

Then again, another well-deserved criticism I've read is all about how Deschanel's character basically transforms from an emotionally distant wife who doesn't want kids into a loving breeder who can't wait to have a kid of her own. After Signs, it's like Shyamalan is saying "She's happier now that she's a mommy. Jesus would want it that way."
 
Halifirien said:
I hated that line. It comes out of nowhere, and he says it with such undeserved venom that you're forced ask "Dude, what the fuck?" Just because the Zoey Deschanel character wasn't committed to having kids of her own -- they were "waiting" -- it didn't mean she was going to let Leguizamo's daughter walk into traffic or jump the fence at the zoo to play with lions.
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I actually didn't mind the line, while it was quite surprising. But, thats just really showing the human mind. I think it was retarded of him in the first place to even leave his daughter, but he wanted to find his wife and he knew he probably wasn't going to come back. Deschanel's character was having some huge non-commital issues that were barely explained and only hinted at (ie. crying at the wedding, the tiramisu guy) so of course any parent would have concerns considering she'd pledged her life to someone and was cold/distant towards them. I would say that taking his daughter's hand was the absolute turning point for her character, resigning herself to the fact that she can't just always be about #1, that there are greater things than just "what she wants".

Halifirien said:
Then again, another well-deserved criticism I've read is all about how Deschanel's character basically transforms from an emotionally distant wife who doesn't want kids into a loving breeder who can't wait to have a kid of her own. After Signs, it's like Shyamalan is saying "She's happier now that she's a mommy. Jesus would want it that way."
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I think the turning-point was necessary and that regarding it as a 'Thats the way Jesus wants it' thing is a few steps off of the beaten path. I know that everything is open to personal interpretation but I think thats going a bit too far. I think it was more showing that it was what she really wanted, but the entire situation let her get over her personal hang-ups about it and be who she wanted to be. In my personal opinion I dont consider it a 'breeding makes zombie guy smile' thing, just a way that strenuous situations can help you realize the self when you stick together and have hope that things can go right.
 
Excalibur said:
M. Knight fucking rules.
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Hoff approves:
KnightRider3-735681.jpg


But M. Night is a sad panda.
M-Night-Shyamalan.gif
 
Ruffyreborn said:
I agree, but I have to switch The 6th sense with signs.

Good: Unbreakable

Okay: 6th sense

Unbreakable was awesomely good, and I dont really know why I like it so much, lol.
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I agree with this.
 
I was horribly disappointed and very pleased that I saw it at the matinee price. I didn't much like the characters, I didn't like the reason, I didn't like...frankly...a lot. The concept is great, but it could have been taken in a whole different direction. He needs to be kicked down a few notches.
 
I was excited about this movie. But everyone says its awful..meh guess I'll wait a bit before watching it.
 
Not to many people liked Signs huh? Well i thought the captured the real cheese that is aliens by today standards. LOL the blurry walking fake looking alien in that movie was great. It was all done on purpose which I liked.
 
Anglis said:
Not to many people liked Signs huh? Well i thought the captured the real cheese that is aliens by today standards. LOL the blurry walking fake looking alien in that movie was great. It was all done on purpose which I liked.
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this movie seems be a cross of signs and war of the worlds if you didn't like signs won't like this movie.

As for me there was parts I like and some I didn't. For one it had that same awkward acting like in signs didn't like that. However story has a interesting twist. I would give it a 5/10 stars.
 
Kelyon said:
I am watching it right now... He is talking to plants! This movie is really fucking stupid.
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Spoiler:
well if the plants was trying to kill you I think you would be talking to them too
 
Kelyon said:
This movie is really fucking stupid.
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this

Spoiler:
i think the whole fuckin concept is retarded, honestly, plants emitting a chemical that makes people kill themselves? i mean cmon, honestly. i wonder how many people after seeing thise movie walked out of the theater and said "omg i wonder if that could really happen :shock: :shock:"


you know, i tried, i could believe the little things like in unbreakable where jackson's character could be super fragile, there is an actual bone condition that can cause that, iirc it's a merrow deficiancy...but bruce willis being practically impervious? nah, not buying it, i kinda shluffed that off, and the sixth sense, while the idea was cool that some people could actually talk to ghosts i just kinda cast it away as pure fiction, but i seriously am dissapointed with the concept of this movie, it's just inconceivably out there...like he took the idea of the little shop of horrors plot and put an m.night twist on it.
 
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