The Happening

Directed by: M. Knight Shyamalan
Rated: 14A (Can) / R (USA)
Runtime: 91 min.

The theater was definitely happening ('scuse the pun, I couldn't resist) at tonight's 10:50 showing of The Happening, though I have to admit the most boisterous acting was going on in the audience as fans jeered and cheered raucously during some of the more intense moments of M. Knight Shyamalan's latest thriller.

The story begins with Elliot Moore (Mark Wahlberg), a highschool science teacher asking his students to theorize about certain environmental phenomena. Shyamalan asks the viewer to continually shift and adjust their own theories throughout the movie as we follow Elliot and his wife Alma (Zooey Deschanel) on a desperate attempt to escape a biological attack that is making its way through the North-eastern United States.

Dropping disjointed pieces of information, interspersed with Shyamalan's lust for suspense and the occasional horrific scene, the film doesn't fail to keep you guessing on the edge of your seat. Though the stilted distance between the characters provides a unique sense of dramatic tension throughout the film seeming almost like a throwback to the days of Vertigo, there are a few too many moments of awkward pacing and ill-pursued possibilities. On the plus side, there are some beautiful instances of comedic timing that provide some much needed relief from the tightly wound aura pulsing off screen.

In contrast to the overall atmosphere, the acting in the film is surprisingly subdued. The cast seemed to react to the unexplainable and often gruesome events with a reserved disbelief, occasionally ranging into quiet panic. Though this could be mistaken as bad acting, the consistency of the performances and the slightly off-beat pacing is indicative of Shyamalan's trademark style. I can understand why this comes across as melodramatic to some, however, the remoteness of the actors succeeds in amping up the tension of the physical events going on around them, creating a similar effect to the lack of background score in No Country for Old Men.

I would definitely rate Shyamalan's latest attempt above his previous Lady in the Water, and would recommend it if you enjoy his particular brand of suspense, though by no means does it compare to The Sixth Sense, and one must wonder if he peaked on the first try, and will be forever measured by that previous success.

(I would recommend watching the beginning of the final credits for the heartfelt cameo with which Shyamalan credit's himself)