Was M. Night Shyamalan attempting to make a SERIOUS movie with THE HAPPENING...?

[CapnHook]

Posted: 5/24/10 at 9:38pm

...or was the movie he was making INTENTIONALLY laughable? Was he making fun of the genre? If so, brilliant! If not...I am VERY worried....

[CATSNYrevival]

Posted: 5/24/10 at 10:03pm

I liked it. I thought Betty Buckley was awesome. It was just Mark Wahlberg who made some odd choices. Starting with the voice. What was with the voice?

[wonderwaiter]

Posted: 5/24/10 at 10:23pm

Why're you eyein' my lemon drink?

[uncageg]

Posted: 5/24/10 at 10:24pm

I have been meaning to rent this and just put it in my queue. I have not heard great things about it but I want to see it. I was kind of done with him after "The Villiage". I enjoyed it but I came out thinking his next films aren't going to be that great so I probably won't see them. But this one had me curious.

[rosscoe(au)]

Posted: 5/24/10 at 10:44pm

Quick run from the wind!!

[Mildred Plotka]

Posted: 5/24/10 at 10:56pm

I liked The Village. Hated it until the end and then the whole thing paid of for me and had to go back and watch it again.

This has been on my list to see for a while. Maybe I'll bump it on Netflix. I forgot Buckley was in it.

[spiderdj82]

Posted: 5/24/10 at 10:58pm

I liked The Village too.

[FindingNamo]

Posted: 5/24/10 at 10:59pm

The common problem with everything Mark Wahlberg is in is Mark Wahlberg is in it.

[CapnHook]

Posted: 5/24/10 at 10:59pm

After that "lemon drink" line I BUSTED out laughing!

I found the writing and Mark Wahlberg's delivery the most laughable. Those two factors led me to believe that this film was not meant to be taken seriously.

I would label this film a suspenseful comedy.

[Biff AKA Levi]

Posted: 5/24/10 at 11:11pm

I'm a huge Zoe fan!

Its number 400 something on my Netflix que. I'll watch it sometime next year, probably.

[CATSNYrevival]

Posted: 5/24/10 at 11:21pm

Zoe was great. I hated her in Tin Man, but I've pretty much liked her in everything since. Her performance in The Happening was a nice contrast to Mark's since she was able to talk to the kids, and everybody really, without sounding condescending.

[uncageg]

Posted: 5/24/10 at 11:40pm

I have "ink" on the way so I will see "The Happening" this weekend as I put is at #2.

[silversurfer2]

Posted: 5/25/10 at 8:12am

This was just plain awful. I must admit the plot was fairly interesting,and could have been a highly suspenseful Sci-Fi film if executed better, and the opening scenes were well done, but then it fell apart. Starting with the script, the acting...I could go on. Wahlberg was totally miscast. And I love how they were turning around and looking back when they were running, excuse me, it's the wind! What the hell are you looking at?

[Mister Matt]

Posted: 5/25/10 at 10:32am

I was enjoying the first half of the film, but by the end, Shymalan lost me with what appeared to be a complete loss of imagination. Buckley's head-butt had me howling with laughter. I'd still rank it above Unbreakable, which bored me to tears. I actually liked The Village, implausible as it was, but one of his most maligned films, The Lady in the Water, is one of my favorites. I found it rather charming and I've enjoyed watching it several times.

[WindyCityActor]

Posted: 5/25/10 at 10:38am

and Victoria Clark (The Light in the Piazza)...as Nursery Owner's Wife?!?

[JohnBoy2]

Posted: 5/25/10 at 10:46am

I saw it when it was in theaters, and loved it. I have no issue with Wahlberg, in anything. Betty Lynn was excellent in her role.

[Roscoe]

Posted: 5/25/10 at 10:47am

My only issue with Wahlberg is when he tries to act.

[Borstalboy]

Posted: 5/25/10 at 10:48am

LOVED The Buckley in this movie...and that's about it.

Shyamalan, like George Lucas, seems to have retreated into a world so far from people he doesn't know how to write them anymore. Maybe he'll get a co-screenwriter to punch things up for his next effort because it's not like his movies have bad ideas, just bad writing.

[SonofRobbieJ]

Posted: 5/25/10 at 11:04am

When someone says they 'loved' Betty Buckley in this film...or that she's 'fantastic', I tend to agree.

But only because her performance was so mind-blowingly absurd as the reduce me to a giggly little girl with butterfly barrettes in her hair. As was the entire movie.

I love it like I love MOMMIE DEAREST.

[Borstalboy]

Posted: 5/25/10 at 11:14am

Hey, she was the only actor in this thing who looked like they were having any fun.

[SonofRobbieJ]

Posted: 5/25/10 at 11:17am

Oh, I don't know. I think Leguizamo had a palpable sense of joy when he got to (SPOILER) slit his wrists.

[EVIE]

Posted: 5/25/10 at 11:53am

I really liked Zoe in this!

[SonofRobbieJ]

Posted: 5/25/10 at 11:55am

Liked as in 'I like Zooey as a person and, hence, support everything she does'? Or liked as in 'She's giving a great performance!'?

Cause if it's the latter, grrrrrrl, we need to TALK!

[EVIE]

Posted: 5/25/10 at 12:01pm

^^^ "liked her" in the "oh she's so cute and sweet and awkward with the big googly eyes" kinda way! LOL LOL

[SonofRobbieJ]

Posted: 5/25/10 at 12:04pm

The committee accepts that answer and grants you a reprieve.

I mean...any film that has Mark Wahlberg as a SCIENCE TEACHER??? CO.MED.Y.