M. Night Shyamalan’s The Happening Slammed and New 5-Minute Video Clip

Posted on Friday, May 16th, 2008 by Peter Sciretta

The Happening

Our friends at Collider have the first reader review of M. Night Shyamalan’s The Happening and it’s not good at all:

“The Happening is a terrible, terrible movie. I mean, it’s bad on an epic scale. It’s so bad that I can’t possibly tell you how bad it is without understating the point or making it sound like I’m picking on the film. But let me stress: this is not pent-up Shyamalan aggression or a desire to see him fail. This is bad in a jaw-dropping “they can’t really be serious, can they?” kind of way. The closest comparison I can draw is to Neil LaBute’s “Wicker Man” and, like that film, the only consolation I can offer potential theater-goers is that you might want to see it just to be in on the ground floor when the film gets its ass handed back to it.”

It couldn’t really be that bad, could it? The reviewer makes note of Wahlberg’s horrible performance (likely due to Shyamalan’s direction), pacing issues, and last act problems.

“If you’re dreading the Shyamalan trademark twist-ending, you can breathe a sigh of relief. There’s no twist whatsoever. But there’s also no ending. I won’t ruin it any further by talking about what’s not there, but prepare to feel very, very cheated and figure out in advance what consultation you can offer when the person next you confusedly asks, “Is that it?”"

The line-reading/questionable acting is really evident in this new 5-minute video clip which has been released by Fox. Watching the clip you’ll notice how M Night does a great job selling the concept of the film. He might even have you believe that the Collider review might be dead wrong. But then comes a 2+ minute clip from the film which displays the line delivery and pacing problems that are mentioned in the review. I really want The Happening to be a return to form, but this doesn’t bode well for the film’s pre-release hype.

Discuss: What do you think of the new video clip from The Happening?

via: Yahoo

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  • Marcus
    NOOOO!!
    I wanted this to be good...it looked like it could be.
    Scrap the film Shyamalan and make it good!
  • I agree, I wanted this to be a return to form. My fingers are still crossed for M. Knight. I used to work across the street from the guy before he "made it" and you couldn't ask for a nicer, more passionate filmmaker. But there is a fine line between tension, paranoia and thrills... and wooden acting and sillyness.
  • Frank
    I liked Signs even though everyone else seems to hate it, so I won't let this "review" bother me. I'll watch it and then decide.
  • "Seeing a Shyamalan has become this horrifically abusive relationship where I desperately cling to the belief that if I keep loving him, he'll stop hitting me."

    I feel the exact same way.

    And so I'm going back for more no matter what anyone says. He's a changed man, I swear.
  • Oh wow that was very horrendous. You can't even fix that shit in editing. Some student films have better acting.
  • Seth
    I read the script for the film, and I thought it was really good. Not so sure about Wahlberg’s performance, but it's only a short clip. I really don't feel you can add much feedback from such a short clip.
  • POO!!!
  • A. J.
    I don't see what is wrong with that clip. Someone
    should write a movie about mass hysteria on the
    internet from one person's review affecting everyone's
    judgement. However, I know what it's like to watch
    something for two hours and be disappointed by the
    conclusion. I personally can't see this ending any
    worse than "No Country for Old Men" where you have
    a great movie with no end.
  • Hey, it can;t be any worse than "Village", "Lady Water", or Captain Awesome. Wahlberg looks like he went back to Dirk Diggler - oriented character. Young Innocent. Ad by the way, Wicker man wasn't a bad film. It was just terrible acting by Cage. It is actually a cool film. I WILL GUESS THAT AT THE END OF THIS FILM, ALL GOES BLACK, AND EVERYONE DIES, THEN WAHLBERG WAKES UP AND ITS JUST A DREAM. ALSO, I WONDER HOW BIG A PART SHYMALAN GAVE HIMSELF.
  • Larry Leonardo
    SPOILER ALERT

    The plants are killing off all of the people.


    LOL PLANTS

    LOL PLANTS

    LOL PLANTS
  • Nate
    Did they replace the actors with androids? It's as if all the lines are delivered with no emotion behind them. Like they filmed each line independent of each other, one at a time, with no context.
  • Israel Groveman
    This is exactly what I don't like about M. Night. I'm not talking about poor acting, or direction, but how he so willingly over hypes his stuff while quoting all the seventy other pop culture references he is using to try and sell his movies. Seriously, who makes a movie and then expects people to believe you when you compare it to 10 of the best movies of all time in one sentence? I don't see any humility or true artist's passion there, just someone scrounging to sell tickets. He is really good at being original with cinematography, but I think he used his last good script several years ago, and is proving he is not very good at coming up with truly original stories and material. Honestly, when I watch that clip, it is so schlocky, trying SO hard to scare you, trying so hard to act like some people have a secret, that I find it funny. Plus, Mark Wahlberg is miscast - I can't believe that the Marine from "Shooter," or the cop from "We Own The Night" would be "oh so scaredy scared!" on a silly train ride like that. There is such a lack of subtlety and believability there, it makes you wonder how he ever pulled off the Sixth Sense.
  • mike
    A.J.,

    There was an ending in NCFOM, its right in your face but it is clearly there. Not everyone can see the ending, but if you think about the movie and who the actual main characters are you will see the ending is there and makes complete sense....
  • Jake
    I didn't see anything wrong with that clip. I have to see more to determine if Wahlberg's acting is lacking. By the way, he's playing a different character. He's not the Marine from Shooter anymore, Groveman. I think it's a good cast. It's a good change for Wahlberg as well. Well, the film should be intense. Can't wait!
  • Bob
    The Happening is a monster movie where the monster is invisible.

    That leaves it to the actors to convey ALL the excitement/danger in their performances. By choosing to have no drama in the actors performances, and with no explosions or cgi to fall back on, Shyamalan's has doomed this film to failure.
  • ck
    no one is interested in what happened to the bees?
  • There is no doubt that clip felt a bit "off". BUT...I sensed a little tribute to old twilight zone in that "bad" acting. I think it may be on purpose, to give you that late night rerun of 60's twilight zone feel.
  • Webb
    hahah awesome. I don't know why people are surprised. Lady in the Water was horrible. The village was alright and it had a pretty cool look to it. Signs was alright. The only really decent movie he's made imo was unbreakable. and that i see dead people movie was good, mostly because it was semi-original. but i think this guy is waaaaaaaay out of tricks.

    spoiler alert!

    mark wallhberg is jesus coming back and he's killing all us sinners for not being good persons.
  • XdarXideX
    Film and acting lookings ok to me. You can't watch that clip and expect to be drawn in simply because we have no idea what has happened before it. It's taken completely out of context.. of course the acting seems off.

    I'll still watch it. I enjoyed Signs and the atmosphere of The Village.
  • Jerry to the Biggy Butler
    Still looks good. Seems like the characters are basically cardboard cut-outs there to carry the suspense, which M Night himself pretty much just admitted will be the real star of this movie. He wanted haunting imagery, not dialogue.

    Count me in!
  • MovieFreak
    The acting is very very bad. I haven't seen Wahlberg act this bad EVER. Too bad Zoey and Mark are in this movie, they both deserve way better.
  • Adrian
    Dunno, the trailers look fine to me, and interesting enough that I will definitely be watching it. Shyalaman has always entertained me, even if it wasn't a blockbuster.
  • I am actually not a fan of the guy. I think he's gimmicky and not very talented. I was dreading this movie and will be glad when it tanks. Maybe then people will realize that he wasn't that good a director to begin with. Return to form, please. His movies have always been bad.
  • MusicCityKid
    I've been on the Night train for a long time. I wasn't a huge fan of Lady in the Water but I don't think it was really catering to the same audience as all of his rest, and I think people forget that. Signs is one of my favorites. The story has NOTHING to do with aliens and everything to do with losing and regaining faith which I found really cool especially since the same incident that caused the father to lose his faith also caused him to regain it. I thought that was great storytelling. Sixth Sense and Unbreakable speak for themselves. Anyway, on to this movie. Marky Mark has never, in my personal opinion, well, stopped being Marky Mark (feel it, feel it, c'mon, c'mon). I like him in supporting roles (sometimes) but as a lead, he just doesn't do it for me. It's like he's made of plastic when he delivers his lines. I'll still see this movie but Wahlberg is, well, whatever, I'll still see it.
  • Jojo
    I think the prooblem is this film is not the story but the performances. They are very very wooden and bad.

    Usually performances are solid in shyamalan's films but here not at all.
  • Andrew
    Basically, the United States is under attack by a giant McGuffin.
  • Webb
    marky mark was stellar in boogie nights.
  • its happing
    i would love to watch this movie

    who ever reviewed the movie has no good taste for the movie.



    tell that person to find another job.
  • Jonas
    Reviews are utter and complete crap. Why bother to go and see films at all if you're going to base your opinions on what someone else says?
  • Andrew
    Shyamalan's movies suck for the most part. This is the pattern: the movie is made to look really good and something new. Then it's hyped up. Then when you go to watch the movie, you keep waiting for something exciting to happen. Then the end comes and it's a big disappointment. It never "happens." It either doesn't quite end, or it turns out something really stupid (like cliche looking aliens). If you disagree with this, you're most likely one of those people that say: "Oh but he's original." "At least he's not making a sequel." "He's a unique director and his vision is fresh."
    Yea yea yea. IT's not really original anymore since he keeps doing the same thing.
  • AT
    I was never excited about this simply because M Night's last set of movies have been horrible. Sixth Sense was terrific, I even liked Unbreakable. But since then, utter crap.

    And this had SO much promise! I say scrap it, give the script to an actual good director and see if they can make something good out of it! The acting sounds bad, the music sounds bad. I'm just afraid that the only thing that gives this movie life is the series of dead bodies in the street!
  • Manny
    i agree i can't believe shymalan is still riding his "sixth sense" train. he should start breaking out of his mold and make different kinds of movies and see if he really is a real director and not an alien dressed in a wolf costume trying to make a living on earth.
  • brian
    wooo this looks really bad but not unexpected from this director - the main thing i remember about him is how pissed off he was a few years ago because someone couldn't spell his name correctly
  • This looks like Ed Wood's final movie. What's up with the weird stilted porno acting and the suspenseless editing?
  • zooooey deschanel
    Zooey Deschanel might have delivered the most emotionless line in the history of cinema.
  • ifthenwhy
    Is it even mathematically possible to make a film worse than his last one?

    The guy is defying the Physics of Suck fer pete's sake!

    Impressive.
  • OAKside
    Just from an earlier trailer, it fairly obvious Wahlberg was not right for the role. I think Shyamalan self-destructed (scrambled brains!) sometime after the success of Sixth Sense and it is impossible for him to make another fine film.
  • estrus
    Shyamalan vs Boll
  • Melian
    I think it looks creepy!

    Since a lot of people didn't like "The Village" and that film is one of my all-time favorites (in my opinion his BEST film) I will probably stand out from the crowd again and like this one as well.
  • Quenfis
    Invasion of the talent snatchers. That was life draining to watch Zooey (my secret crush) acting like a robot. I could expect it from Marky Mark and Chi Chi Rodriguez. But, Signs was garbage and The Village was a waste. Not to mention, M. Night is obviously full of himself.

    Note to M. Night: You are not Steven Spielberg. You did a crappy Indiana Jones rip off when you were 12 years old...good for you. You wrote one good movie, which you worked on for years and years before getting a green light. So of course it did well. Stop making crappy movies in search of being Spielberg. You suck! Go get a beer with Uwe Boll.
  • orange cinema
    i completely disagree with most here. there wasn't anything wrong - to me - with those performances. IF there is a bit of 'B' here, it's intentional. parts reminded me of hitchcock, even the twilight zone which someone has already mentioned.

    i can't decide if MNight is really circling the drain, or if he's just an easy target. i think the avatar movie will be a good break for him, to not have to worry about an original script. maybe after he does that for awhile he'll be back to form.

    even if he did set an unmatchable bar for himself, with that initial grand slam, there should be no reason he can't still make an amazing film, right?
  • Put me in the "what's wrong with that?" camp. I don't see wooden - I see a fairly accurate portrayal of a normal reaction to confusion.

    Then again - I liked Signs.
  • pasta
    i'm looking forward to this movie. i like all his stuff, so sue me.
  • Webb
    "I say scrap it, give the script to an actual good director and see if they can make something good out of it! "


    hahahaha yes throw away a completed multi million dollar movie.
  • Greyson
    I know a lot of Shama-lama-ding-dong haters out there and here's how it usually goes:

    Sixth Sense: People really enjoyed it. I personally can't watch it more than twice.

    Unbreakable: If people saw it, they thought," alright, but no fight scene at the end." I loved it & think it's his best film.

    Signs: Good flick. The real big complaint is the whole aliens invade a planet made up of 70% water when water hurts them. Huh?

    The Village: His most hated film. So many people shite on this movie on a constant basis. I personally loved it, thought of it as a long drawn out Twilight Zone episode, and catch new things (good and bad) everytime I watch it.

    Lady In The Water: If you saw it, it was okay. Nothing special. I feel the same. My least favorite Shammy film.

    This movie looks so good that I told myself if this turns out to be horribly bad, even by my standards, I might have to give this guy up when I don't want to. If this movie really does end on a fade to black or a cut before any real issue is resolved or we don't find out what "happened" or why it went down than I'll feel very cheated.

    But did somebody say clichè looking aliens for Signs? They were actually more creative than most I've seen. They didn't have an oval head or huge bug eyes or even a bigger brain. They had a chemical powder project from their hands, interesting no?

    Anyway, The Happening might just refer to Nights' career; It's big, built up, and you think it's going to be great, and you somewhat expect some fascinating originality, but it will end the way it began. Abruptly.
  • Pill
    I read the script about a year ago and thought it was a joke. I couldn't believe they actually went ahead with production on it...

    At the very end the characters are saved, quite literally, by the power of LOVE.
  • 790
    It all started going bad after Unbreakable.
  • fanboy d
    the pacing issues will be fixed before it hits theatres, whatever your axe to grind, shyamalan's never had an issue with pacing, you have to admit that much. as far as the ending goes, the guy that wrote that review would probably have the same thing to say about the birds were he and the internet around for its original release
  • hoffin
    the clip is very unfinished, i feel it will look and sound a great deal better in the final cut. you can just tell it doesn't have the film touch yet. the acting is iffy at this point but really thats how film looks until the final mix comes through. i still have hopes for this film i can just say they are no longer high hopes. i am surprised fox would release this clip thinking it will have a positive impact on the film. but we will see on the 13th
  • Zach Pruckowski the 2nd
    Unbreakable was by far his best film, and is honestly one of my favorite films in the superhero category. And very close to my top ten of all time. I remember hating it when I first saw it, because I went in thinking it would be something different. A few years later, I watched it again, and I loved it. Again, one of my favorite films. I wish he would go back to those characters.
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