The Daily Stream: The Happening Is A Goofy B-Movie, But Its Core Message Is More Poignant Than Ever
(Welcome to The Daily Stream, an ongoing series in which the /Film team shares what they've been watching, why it's worth checking out, and where you can stream it.)
The Movie: "The Happening"
Where You Can Watch It: Hulu
The Pitch: When you think of divisive filmmakers, M. Night Shyamalan might come to mind. Sure, many of his movies have been critically and commercially successful, but the mid-career lull he experienced in the late 2000s and early 2010s ("The Last Airbender," "After Earth," etc.) cast a negative light on his reputation for a while. Thankfully, he's back in the good graces of Hollywood, and just recently unleashed "Knock at the Cabin" into theaters.
However, it's time that we turn back the clock to 2008. Many might attribute this period as being the turning point of Shyamalan's career due to a little movie called "The Happening." This sci-fi horror flick certainly had an intriguing premise: the world has suddenly become plagued with seemingly-random mass suicides, and survivors are tasked with navigating their new and highly unpredictable world. That was, until the movie was actually released, and was met with major criticisms for its unusual tone. Was it supposed to be as funny as it ended up being?
The answer to that question may never be truly known, as Shyamalan has given conflicting answers over the years. However, what we do know is that regardless, "The Happening" is an extremely fun, but nevertheless distressing fable on facing the incomprehensible.
Why it's essential viewing
M. Night Shyamalan's theatrical output, which has consisted of twisty thrillers with big imaginations, would not have been possible without "The Happening." While that might sound absurd on its own, it's important to understand that the film was the biggest he had ever done up to that point. The stakes introduced in "The Happening" were unlike anything Shyamalan had attempted before. While "Signs" may have had the prospect of our world being invaded by aliens, the events of "The Happening" involved the entire human population being wiped out on their own accord. Something that terrifying has to have something equally as terrifying cause it, and what is scarier than something you can't see, feel, or hear?
Whether or not you believe that it succeeds in doing so, "The Happening" is built on the inherent fear of the unknown. Humans are hard-wired to find comfort in the familiar, or at least, what they're able to tangibly prove. The past few years are proof of this, as we have tried and failed to curb pandemics and catastrophes without fully knowing what it is we're dealing with. It doesn't make sense for thousands of people to decide they want to commit suicide, but for the majority of the film, the answer as to why they're doing just that remains a mystery. To realize that it was something as simple as plant evolution being the culprit makes it that much more devastating.
Can you separate message from delivery?
"The Happening" is ultimately a movie about ordinary people trying to comprehend the incomprehensible and trying to not only survive, but live past it as well. This point just gets overshadowed by the admittedly bizarre acting and dialogue decisions. As previously mentioned, the jury is still out on whether the film was meant to be satirical or not. That's pretty evident from the film's tonal disconnect — one would think that people navigating a life-altering event such as this wouldn't say "cheese and crackers" as a way to convey shock and terror.
That said, the strange directorial decisions of Shyamalan combined with its message about taking advantage of the Earth can't really be separated from each other. There is no way to watch "The Happening" without being struck by Mark Wahlberg's perplexed demeanor or the redundancy of the background actors' dialogue. You can't even make the proposal that the characters are acting in a way that makes sense for their situation, as there are some truly baffling decisions being made that make them feel so disconnected from reality.
However, this tonal conflict is arguably what makes the film so memorable in the first place. The reason why "The Happening" remains one of Shyamalan's most infamous movies is that it deals with such a serious issue with camp and unbelievability. The poignancy of its central message is often overlooked by retrospective viewers more drawn to the film's campiness. While this certainly isn't an issue, we do hope that people start having more appreciation for its themes of dealing with the impossible and incomprehensible, because it is arguably more relevant than ever before.