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5.4 out of 10

Mixed or average reviews- based on 484 Ratings

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  1. IsaacC
    Jan 3, 2010
    10
    Finally Score = Planet 1, Humans 0, I see Genius where humans took a back seat and you can tell by these ignorant reviews how lost we really are and sensitive to the possibility of nature being sensitive and defensive too. Truly a masterpiece and respects to all participants in down playing humans and upscaling the breathing breeze.
    • 1 of 2 users said yes
  2. Jul 7, 2011
    5
    While this movie doe s pose an idea that could have been made into something interesting, M. Night Shyamalan fails to tell us a compelling story with characters that don t make you want to slit your wrists every time they open their mouth, or do anything. Mark Wahlbergs acting is horrible, the little girl acting was better. The suicide scenes become distasteful. The character actions are unbelievable to the circumstances. M. Night Shyamalans earlier work was good, this is not. Pass. Expand
  3. KarthikP
    Jun 8, 2008
    8
    A ferociously entertaining thriller with sympathetic characters, stunning set pieces and pulsating excitement. As viscerally compelling as smash-mouth filmmaking gets. It is brutal and almost exhaustingly terrifying, as any respectable zombie movie should be. It is also bracingly smart, both in its ideas and in its techniques.
    • 0 of 1 users said yes
  4. JimO
    Jun 11, 2008
    3
    bad cast, story feels long and drawn out for a 90minute film. The Happening is just another flop from M Night.
    • 0 of 0 users said yes
  5. EvanO.
    Jun 12, 2008
    0
    M. Night Shymalan's best movie since the Sixth Sense. Visually horrifying and psychologically thrilling. Will leave you thinking for a while afterwards.
    • 0 of 0 users said yes
  6. AaronA.
    Jun 13, 2008
    2
    Poor acting, poor writing, poor production overall.
    • 0 of 0 users said yes
  7. CR
    Jun 13, 2008
    7
    A decent B grade movie which stays true to its genre.If you go with low expectations you will be entertained.
    • 0 of 1 users said yes
  8. Benjamin
    Jun 13, 2008
    8
    Verry comparable to "lady in the water" No... I actually Loved that movie... his charcters are fresh to me... so much more real then reality.... but most people want the same old, same old.
    • 0 of 1 users said yes
  9. TylerG.
    Jun 13, 2008
    6
    This movie is OK at best. It's decently fun to watch but most of the performances are just so down right terrible its hard to believe the amount of hype and marketing behind such a let down. M. Night better make a good film and make it fast.
    • 0 of 1 users said yes
  10. MarkF
    Jun 13, 2008
    2
    This is the absolute WORST movie I have seen in the last 10 years, and that includes all of M. Night Shayamalan's previous features. Terrible story, terrible acting but great concept. I only wish he did not try to be a one-man-band. This poor excuse for a feature film needed a re-write of the script and a better director. I am no longer a fan.
    • 0 of 0 users said yes
  11. AlexY.
    Jun 13, 2008
    1
    Possibly one of the worst films I've ever seen. Some advice if your considering paying money to see it... don't.
    • 0 of 0 users said yes
  12. RandyS.
    Jun 13, 2008
    1
    Absolute pathetic attempt to respect green theorist. I want my money+ back.
    • 0 of 0 users said yes
  13. CharlesG
    Jun 13, 2008
    1
    I'm officially through with Shyamalan. I liked Sixth Sense, Signs, and even Unbreakable. But after The Village, Lady in the Water, and now The Happening, Shyamalan has used up the reputation he earned from his good movies. The Happening suffered from terrible dialogue and an idiotic plot. The dialogue made Wahlberg and Leguizamo's characters seem like simpletons.[****SPOILER***] I felt sorry for Wahlberg for having such aweful lines. His performance came across as weak - but this was due to the weakness of the character he played and the silliness of the big villain of the movie - neurotoxin-producing trees! So everyone in the movie is running away from trees that make them kill themselves. Toward the end of the movie, you are more afraid of a cranky old woman who lets Wahlberg and company stay at her house than the killer trees. Forget the trees, just sitting through this movie will make people want to kill themselves. Expand
    • 0 of 0 users said yes
  14. ATree
    Jun 13, 2008
    3
    If M. Night Shyamalan had any residual star power remaining from The Sixth Sense and Signs after a series of flops, whatever was left has been depleted by The Happening. I thought perhaps Mr. Shyamalan was a good filmmaker with a few bad movies, now I realize that he is a bad filmmaker with a few good movies. It’s time for him to direct somebody else’s work. The premise was farfetched, which would have been ok if only it had been believable in the slightest. I just couldn’t make the huge leaps of faith required. Filling your movie with shoddy science doesn’t help either. The explanation for The Happening is not only unbelievable, but laughable as well. The dialogue was terrible and made for hard deliveries by the characters. Stay far away from this one; less you like to be disappointed. Expand
    • 0 of 0 users said yes
  15. JamesE
    Jun 13, 2008
    1
    The Happening makes The Village look like Citizen Kane. There is no 'twist,' just an idiotic premise. From the moment that hot dogs are mentioned, I wanted to jump up off a skyscraper. Don't waste your time or money! Why is this guy allowed to make movies still? After Signs, I tuned out, and I think I go to them now for a so-bad-it's-good MS3TK mockery experience :)
    • 0 of 0 users said yes
  16. RyanP.
    Jun 13, 2008
    1
    Haha. What is wrong with M. Night Shyamalan? I guess you could say this is the funniest movie of the year for all the wrong reasons!
    • 0 of 0 users said yes
  17. JoshO.
    Jun 13, 2008
    6
    Why did i have such a high expectation from this film? Mr. Shamalan made a movie which was supposed to be a thriller and turned it into a windy day of suicides. No special effects, no memorable lines, just a failed attempt at Mr. Shamalan's chance of redemption. Save your money for Wall-E people.
    • 0 of 0 users said yes
  18. EricL.
    Jun 13, 2008
    2
    I loved the Sixth Sense and Signs, enjoyed The Lady in the Water. This movie should have been called "Waiting for Something to Happen" cause this movie is so dull!
    • 0 of 0 users said yes
  19. BrianA
    Jun 13, 2008
    2
    Really bad movie. Let's see here, what's horrible in this film? Dialog, acting, story, plot, direction. Check all of those. The only thing good about this movie is that it's so terrible, you can laugh at it like a comedy. Not recommended at all.
    • 0 of 0 users said yes
  20. RyanC.
    Jun 13, 2008
    10
    Much better than the bad ratings. Subtle, good message, and not a moment of dull.
    • 0 of 1 users said yes
  21. JenniferR
    Jun 13, 2008
    8
    it wasn't horrible, and how the film was made was pretty. I did like it though. I think a good movie means that you don't think about how long it has been while your watching it, and i didn't think that at all.
    • 0 of 0 users said yes
  22. AlejandroH.
    Jun 13, 2008
    7
    Apart from the noticeable terrible dialogue, 'The Happening' is somewhat disappointing. 40 minutes of goosebumps and suspense followed by almost an hour of boredom. And the surprise ending is that there is no surprise ending.
    • 0 of 1 users said yes
  23. MichaelP.
    Jun 13, 2008
    6
    Not a great movie by any means, but it certainly doesn't deserve the trashing it's taken from critics. The first half hour is good creepy fun even if the last hour doesn't measure up.
    • 0 of 1 users said yes
  24. StanA.
    Jun 13, 2008
    10
    I know some of the critics didn't like it, but I thought it was excellent. To each his own.
    • 0 of 1 users said yes
  25. HeidihidzW.
    Jun 13, 2008
    2
    Absolute worst film i have watched. Acting awful and no horor it was a comedy. the cinema was in stitches laughing do not recommend anyone wasting there money!
    • 0 of 0 users said yes
  26. PhilD.
    Jun 13, 2008
    0
    I don't know if it was a dark comedy or they were trying to make a real horror movie... but it was a real horror movie that it was make in the first place and people paid to see it...
    • 0 of 0 users said yes
  27. BrandonK.
    Jun 13, 2008
    1
    The most disappointing movie ever. The only plot twist is that some members of the audience may kill themselves like the characters in the movie...only they're doing it because they wasted their money, not because the plants made them.
    • 0 of 0 users said yes
  28. T.Jones
    Jun 13, 2008
    1
    This movie is going to give me nightmares for weeks dreaming about what I could have spent my money on instead. Warning Spoiler: If I had been told that the protagonists would be primarily running from the breeze for fear of death by plant farts I would have never believed it.
    • 0 of 0 users said yes
  29. PeteS.
    Jun 13, 2008
    0
    This was the worst movie I've ever seen. Based on the trailers I thought I might be genuinely scared. The pulse never raced and I actually chuckled a few times. The emotion I felt most during the movie must've been boredom. This movie was awful!
    • 0 of 0 users said yes
  30. JamesS.
    Jun 14, 2008
    9
    I saw this movie before reading the reviews and liked it, but so far I have liked all of M. Nights movies. if you liked lady in the water you'll like the happening, movie critics just like writing negative movie reviews, just read some of the reviews on transformers, and you'll see what I mean.
    • 0 of 0 users said yes
  31. RicoR.
    Jun 14, 2008
    1
    He is a pathetic human being who (now) lacks talent and should be sued and placed in jail for defrauding hard working viewers of their $10.00. He is truly a pathetic human being and a bad person for duping us out of our money with this banal movie about nothing. I have no respect for him as a human being and won't ever mention his name or support his work again. I hope he goes bankrupt and his poor storytelling ends forever! Expand
    • 0 of 0 users said yes
  32. [Anonymous]
    Jun 14, 2008
    5
    If you're going to see an M. Night Shyamalan movie, you're going to be disappointed. This isn't a good movie at all really. What it is is a cheesy horror flick with a budget. The music and cinematography is great, but the mood is sort of ruined as a whole. If you go into this movie, expecting to crack jokes and laugh, then you'll have a slightly better time. I honestly think if the focus was more on the story, and less on the shock, it could've been better. This is coming from a long time fan, I enjoyed all of Shyamalan's previous works, including Lady in the Water, but The Happening was legitimately bad. I won't hold this against him, though; even the best film makers have made a bad decision, and I still regard him as one of the best film makers of our time. He should just stay away from B-horror movies in the future. Expand
    • 0 of 0 users said yes
  33. ChadS.
    Jun 14, 2008
    3
    Say what you will about "The Village" and "The Lady in the Water", the former- an allegory about the scare tactics of Homeland Security, and the latter- a contemporary fairy tale set in the city, as being dippy, pedantic, and somewhat sanctimonious; neither film, however, could be accused of being uninspired. The filmmaker took chances. Critics and audiences alike, ridiculed him for it. Now comes "The Happening", a film so shockingly formulaic, one is tempted to call this melding of "Attack of the Killer Tomatoes" and the Sparks' song "Don't Turn Your Back on Mother Earth"(made popular by Depeche Mode), a piece of confrontational art. For the first time, the filmmaker acknowledges, in a very cynical fashion, that the American moviegoing public have reduced attention spans with a preference for spectacle over narrative. The filmmaker purposely made a dumb movie because he thinks that movie audiences were too ignorant to get his last two pictures. That's why the dialogue is worse than perfunctory, it's practically post-literate. "The Happening" plays like an episode of "The Twilight Zone" directed by Ed Wood. Mark Wahlberg is off his game. Zooey Deschanel is off her game. There's very little indication that either actor received much instruction from their director. Wahlberg, in particular, is terrible; his character, sort of imbecilic. Elliot doesn't want to be alone, but being with Alma(Deschanel) means risking exposure to the aerial spores(or whatever), therefore killing her. A child is with them. Maybe the filmmaker is going for the child-killing trifecta. Expand
    • 0 of 0 users said yes
  34. SteveF.
    Jun 14, 2008
    9
    I really liked this movie. It might not have the wam bam of a twist that Sixth sense had but I really enjoyed the characters and the overall acting and story. I know that most critics are saying bad stuff about it but I just don't listen to people and have always judged movies after I have viewed them
    • 0 of 0 users said yes
  35. Charles
    Jun 14, 2008
    1
    I'm actually angry that I contributed to this weekend's box office gross for this film.
    • 0 of 0 users said yes
  36. vidman
    Jun 14, 2008
    8
    The movie is thrilling and thought provoking, but it builds up to nothing but speculation.
    • 0 of 0 users said yes
  37. Blackpanther
    Jun 14, 2008
    0
    This movie sucks. Do not go see this movie you will be bored to death. This is one of the worst movies ever made. Do not go see this movie!
    • 0 of 0 users said yes
  38. NickT.
    Jun 14, 2008
    1
    By far, one of the worst movies I have ever seen. The acting was horrible and the plot was never fully developed! I would honestly recommend that people not waste their money to go see it.
    • 0 of 0 users said yes
  39. CharlesB
    Jun 14, 2008
    3
    Very funny movie, I had a great time and laughed almost throughout the whole movie, if this was a comedy I would've given it a 7 or 8.
    • 0 of 0 users said yes
  40. Pete
    Jun 14, 2008
    8
    The acting wasn't the greatest, but the premise is terrifying. I saw it last night, and I am still a little unsettled not only by what I saw, but the possible implications of it.
    • 0 of 0 users said yes
  41. LeeS.
    Jun 14, 2008
    1
    One of the worse movies I've ever had to sit through. Pure garbage! How this got green lit is the mystery here.
    • 0 of 0 users said yes
  42. KevinR.
    Jun 14, 2008
    1
    One of those movies that ham-fistedly projects all it's plot points. The minute you see Marky Mark put on that mood ring, you know it's going to figure in the story. Unfortunately, there's not much of a story here, and the multitudinous shots of bushes and trees blowing in the breeze do nothing but emphasize how hard M. Night is trying to make something out of nothing. All in all this movie suffers the worst possible fate that can befall a suspense movie...we start to laugh at moments that are supposed to be scary because they are carried off in such an obvious and amateurish way. Expand
    • 0 of 0 users said yes
  43. Megan
    Jun 14, 2008
    9
    I really enjoyed it. I thought it was a far departure from The Village, Signs and the Lady in the Water. No film will ever be as scary as Sixth Sense, but I must admit it really made me jump out of my seat a few times. It was a great scary movie.
    • 0 of 0 users said yes
  44. DemetriusM.
    Jun 14, 2008
    4
    Corny script, poor acting by Wahlberg and Deschanel really proves that this movie is a contender for Golden Raspberry awards. Wahlberg performance never convinced me that this movie dealing with mystery event. The mystery is well written, will give movie-goers goosebumps but when they reminded of Wahlberg and Deschanel performance, all mystery climax will slip away, much like the storyline.
    • 0 of 0 users said yes
  45. ColbyS
    Jun 14, 2008
    7
    Oh, come on, critics. I consider myself pretty tasteful when it comes to movies, and this was definitely not the clunker it was cracked up to be. On par with Signs or The Sixth Sense? No. But I think what happened here is the equivalent of what happens in so many elementary schools worldwide: picking on an easy target simply because of the ease of the target. In this case, the target is Shyamalan, who has made a few bombs the past couple of years. Not high art, but it scared me a few times and left me entertained. Solid. Expand
    • 0 of 0 users said yes
  46. KimB.
    Jun 14, 2008
    0
    Horrible, horrible, horrible. I'm assuming boom mikes are now members of The Screen Actors Guild, or at least they should be with so many appearances in this disaster!
    • 0 of 0 users said yes
  47. FranklinD.
    Jun 14, 2008
    0
    M. Night Shyamalan should stop making movies. This movie is laughable at best. His next movie should be a documentary of the people who want their money back from the Village, Lady in the water, and this shameless excuse for a movie.
    • 0 of 0 users said yes
  48. SteveC.
    Jun 14, 2008
    3
    Wow, what a disappointment. Night has been blinded by the light with this one. On top of the corniness, bad screenplay, and lack of a real plot, the whole idea that started with such promise turned to plain and vanilla. Why give away the movie in the first thirty minutes and then never allow the audience to believe anything else. I think after this disaster, he is really going to have to gain my trust back with his next movie or he will be just another could-of-been director. Expand
    • 0 of 0 users said yes
  49. TedN.
    Jun 14, 2008
    4
    The idea was kind of cool. And when people started dying in interesting ways, that was interesting but then the movie just sucks.
    • 0 of 0 users said yes
  50. Elgin
    Jun 14, 2008
    7
    The only thing not great in this film is the use of dialogue. The basic story, scenarios, camera-work, etc. are wonderfully subtle-- I only wish the dialogue were the same, but it sometimes hammers home the point of the film too early or too much. I wish Shyamalan would get someone to just touch up his dialogue a bit and his films would be 9's and 10's all the time.
    • 0 of 0 users said yes
  51. EbenM.
    Jun 14, 2008
    7
    I found The Happening to be much better than most of the reviews led me to believe. Solid performances from a good cast. Shyamalan creates a sense of dread from the very beginning that effectively builds through the first half of the film. Creepy scenes of death are punctuated by humorous touches throughout. An enjoyable homage to end-of-the-world B movies. Exactly what Shyamalan set out to make!
    • 0 of 0 users said yes
  52. NateO.
    Jun 14, 2008
    1
    a good idea turns to another shyamalan disappointment. i don't see why he had to kill the movie with its pithy dialouge or the sad excuse you call acting. You could've americanized this 1950 sci-fi idea, not sh*t on it.
    • 0 of 0 users said yes
  53. SimonM.
    Jun 14, 2008
    0
    The only thing I'll give this film is that it isn't as bad as Lady in the Water >:P Over all it was just boring.
    • 0 of 0 users said yes
  54. MajorH.
    Jun 14, 2008
    8
    Decent enough B Movie flick. I enjoyed it despite some stilted performances. Definitely had a few scares and tense moments, and surprisingly, some genuinely (and intentionally) funny moments as well. Give it a chance, you won't be disappointed.
    • 0 of 0 users said yes
  55. TommyBM
    Jun 14, 2008
    9
    It is good!!, original, only if you want to see a different style of make movies.
    • 0 of 0 users said yes
  56. KennethC.
    Jun 14, 2008
    5
    I went into this movie expecting alot and maybe that's why I was disappointed. If I didn't know who the director was maybe I would have enjoyed it, but I doubt it. Wahlberg's performance was on par with Justin Timberlake's performance in Black Snake Moan. I hope that isn't taken as a compliment.
    • 0 of 0 users said yes
  57. JacobS.
    Jun 14, 2008
    10
    Please don't listen to critics. They're criticizing this movie because Shyamalan is behind it. Even if you didn't like The Village or Lady in the Water...you will seriously LOVE this movie! The dialogue was incredible; the acting was top-notch, and the shock affect was just...mesmerizing! I haven't been that on-edge since The Shining.
    • 0 of 0 users said yes
  58. IzzyN.
    Jun 15, 2008
    1
    Greatly disappointed in the manner of how a seemingly talented M. Night turned an entertainment film into a scare mongering, fear driven story about how WE AS PEOPLE are ruining the earth. If you see this movie, and fail to grasp this inherent concept behind the plot, it is either because M. Night presented it in a backhanded fearful manner meant to scare you OR you just fall right into the group of people who believe exactly what is preached to you by the "all-knowing" environmentalists that think they have the right to give you guilt trips and, in the process, control your life. The message in the plot - and the plot in general, for that matter - was poorly executed. But maybe it was done like that on purpose - because you are so immensely inundated with horrific images and growing fear that the main characters' lives are coming to an end. Yet amid all of these dramatizations (many of which are very "corny") is a definitive message about why these people are dying. On the surface, it appears that they are dying because "nature is unpredictable" and it will do the craziest things - INCLUDING to KILL human beings. Don't fall for this mediocre conclusion. REALIZE that this movie was just made by another HOLLYWOOD LIBERAL looking to influence your emotions and fears. M. Night crafted NATURE to kill all of these people because it is as if nature was getting back at them for all the evil things he believes we are doing to the planet. [If you are just another kooky lib watching this movie, loving it and completely agreeing with it, then I pity your lack of judgment to discern when you are being scammed. Just continue thinking that your stance is never wrong.] The film is injected with LIBERAL talking points, some of which only last for a second - but when compiled together, a very naive and unknowing person will continue to take the talking points in as truths, and just walk away thinking only that they wasted $10 of their money and close to 2 hours of their life. People - Educate yourselves about the ways in which this GLOBAL WARMING scare is just meant to scare you, make you feel guilty and then tell you how to live your life --- AND THIS IS ALL FROM [AN APPARENTLY DWINDLING] HOLLYWOOD FILM DIRECTOR THAT'S ABUSING THEIR ARTISTIC RESOURCES TO MAKE YOU DEPRESSED AND SCARED. Movies have continued and will continue to go down the drain - AND THIS MOVIE IS AN EXAMPLE OF WHY. We as people are not destroying the earth in the way it is implied. And for M. Night to equate a terrorism threat with the global warming scam, is pathetic (even from an artistic stance, it lacks any and all sense of creativity or entertainment that people seek when paying to see a movie). Do NOT pay to see this movie. Don't even pay to rent it when it comes out. And if by some lapse of rational judgment you decide to see it, do not be confused or scared - realize the movie for what it is. Move on with your life, Be happy & NEVER change anything about your life just because failing directors and environmentalists like this one tell you to. Expand
    • 0 of 0 users said yes
  59. ErickM.
    Jun 15, 2008
    3
    BOO!!!!! This movie had great potential but didn't deliver on many fronts. The writing, acting, and story were all terrible. I really wanted to like this movie but left very disappointed....there were even boos from the audience at the end. What happened M. Night?
    • 0 of 0 users said yes
  60. NicholasB.
    Jun 15, 2008
    2
    The happening? What actually happens? Not much. Marc Wahlberg is truly appalling- much like his cop role in Boogie Nights. This 90 minutes seemed along, long time.
    • 0 of 0 users said yes
  61. SteveS.
    Jun 15, 2008
    2
    This gets a 2 out of 10. If nothing else because the first ten min are well acted, even if they are just extras and they do a better job than the stars of the film. After that it doesn't even go down hill. It's just already there.
    • 0 of 0 users said yes
  62. BMiller
    Jun 15, 2008
    2
    There was once a time that "Directed by M Night Shyamalan" got me excited. Not now. Love him or hate him, he had a unique style and some impressive success early on. Namely: ‘The Sixth Sense’ (remarkable); ‘Unbreakable’ (clever); ‘Signs’ (brilliant); ‘The Village’ (interesting); ‘Lady in the Water’ (“what the ____”); ‘The Happening’ (“Give me my money back!”). Yes I forgave him for ‘Lady in the Water’ (no one is perfect) but ‘The Happening’ is unforgivable. It is so bad it insults his fans and might be his last movie for a long time. He has lost my respect and I suspect many other former fans. Expand
    • 0 of 0 users said yes
  63. ZackW.
    Jun 15, 2008
    2
    This was an terrible film. Not only was the entire audience laughing for half of the "horror" film, but it was booed at the ending. This was a late attempt for the writer/director to jump on the environmental bandwagon. This film was horrible. It left me with a feeling of.... hmm.... oh yeah, I want my money back!
    • 0 of 0 users said yes
  64. BobR.
    Jun 15, 2008
    8
    Way better than the critics are leading us to believe.
    • 0 of 0 users said yes
  65. DanW.
    Jun 15, 2008
    1
    Terrible acting, laughable dialogue, and an awful storyline - there is nothing scary, thought-provoking, or even the slightest bit interesting about this movie. Did I mention that the acting is terrible?
    • 0 of 0 users said yes
  66. SamF.
    Jun 15, 2008
    7
    Call me crazy but I saw this movie and found it interesting. The scary part of the movie is the idea of nature itself fighting against us. But the movie fails on a few levels because it leaves you with too many questions and too many holes in the plot. Running from wind is just too out there.
    • 0 of 0 users said yes
  67. FredS.
    Jun 16, 2008
    4
    Started out good, but went to crap and stayed crappy for the rest of the movie.
    • 0 of 0 users said yes
  68. JohnP.
    Jun 16, 2008
    10
    Superb movie. Well crafted. Introspective. Well worth a night at the movies.
    • 0 of 0 users said yes
  69. MatthewH.
    Jun 16, 2008
    0
    The worst movie I've ever seen in the theater. Terrible acting. Atrocious writing. Horrible plot. The only funny thing about the movie was one of the character's lazy eye...seriously. The foreshadowing was so obvious. I felt like M. Night and a class of kindergartenerds not only formed the plot between snack and nap time, but also wrote the script.
    • 0 of 0 users said yes
  70. OsittoA
    Jun 16, 2008
    10
    A unique style to make movies, good suspense, only for those who want think, it is not for kick or scream, good acting of Walhberg, the nearest to Hitchcock, this and Signs.
    • 0 of 0 users said yes
  71. Dr.Ghettoblaster
    Jun 16, 2008
    7
    The only thing wrong with this movie is the ending or closure. There is no resolution, twist, or even semi-explanation. I thought the entire movie itself was very well done and extremely suspenseful, but the ending (or lack thereof) was a real disappointment.
    • 0 of 0 users said yes
  72. AD.
    Jun 16, 2008
    4
    Impractical with bad acting!
    • 0 of 0 users said yes
  73. BenH.
    Jun 16, 2008
    1
    No redeeming value at all. I would've given this movie a zero but it starts "happening" in what looks like France so that bumped it to a one. This movie made me want to burn an entire forest down. In fact, "The Crappening," would be a better title.
    • 0 of 0 users said yes
  74. NigelN.
    Jun 16, 2008
    2
    M Night Shaymalan needs to go back to basics. His name has been sullied in Hollywood with a series of egotistical moves. This has made audiences and critics alike scrutinize his movies even more. A much better effort than Lady in the Water but the main problem with this movie - WHO CARES?
    • 0 of 0 users said yes
  75. RaveeshS.
    Jun 16, 2008
    10
    Amazing Movie with some stunning Moments.
    • 0 of 0 users said yes
  76. DaveP.
    Jun 16, 2008
    0
    I never take the time to rate movies bbut this one is an exception. Without a doubt this is the worst movie I have ever seen in a theatre, and possibly the worst movie I have ever seen in my life. And yes, I saw Gigli, I saw Battlefield earth and several other awful pices of filmaking and this trumps them all. Worst plot of any movie I have ever seen. I was laughing the entire movie it was so bad. The acting was also just terrible. I don't know how Mark Walhber accepted to be in this. M. Night Shamalany (or howveer you spell his name) should never be aloud to make a movie again in his entire life. I feel cheated just for wasting two hours and $10 or my life. Excuse me while I go throw up. Expand
    • 0 of 0 users said yes
  77. RyanN
    Jun 16, 2008
    5
    Lasting psychological effect - I think that's the only realm of consistency for MNS's films. Drove home thinking people were gonna hit me. Saw people at the coffee shop standing still and got pretty creeped out. Dialogue is dry and generally poor, but that's par for the course. The film seems a little to moralistic to end without a hope/purpose/lesson. But shit, it was pretty creepy. Expand
    • 0 of 0 users said yes
  78. Yadiss
    Jun 16, 2008
    10
    I can understand one thing, for many people what they is afraid of, or dont understand is considered as fool as insane !, just remember "Birds" is a classic, but it doesn't have a story with head nor feet. what really happened with the birds?, why they killed people?, is nature rebelion, you kill our natural world but they want to survive...maybe killing us.
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  79. JohnL
    Jun 16, 2008
    0
    There can not be any other explanation for Raveesh S.'s comment besides he works for the studio that produced this. Worst movie I have ever seen in theatres.
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  80. LarryH
    Jun 16, 2008
    1
    I'm a HUGE fan of M. Night. I loved Signs, The Village and Unbreakable. I even thought critics were too harsh about The Lady In The Water, which I thought was a beautiful adult fairy tail. But The Happening is just plain terrible. There is no suspense, horrible plot, horrible script and the acting was sub-par. Don't waste your money on seeing this summer bummer.
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  81. TottoJHB
    Jun 16, 2008
    10
    I Knew it will have a sequel, thats why the ending is not satisfactory, but I like it, Night for me is a genius, and is not true the actings are bad !, c'mon is fantasy, a storytale, but we never know the tragedies that will happend, like 9/11. sorry for mention it.
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  82. JustinH.
    Jun 16, 2008
    1
    Bad acting, bad script, bad plot, bad movie.
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  83. HollyV.
    Jun 16, 2008
    9
    Loved it. Nice counter-balance of gruesome and restraint... with shades of everything from Fahrenheit 451 to the Day the Earth Stood Still.
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  84. AlexisP
    Jun 16, 2008
    2
    poor movie with a poor story, when you had saw the trailer no need to go watch this (bad movie) the trailer is good, so if you dont want to get disapointed keep it to the trailers
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  85. CalyM.
    Jun 16, 2008
    10
    It is not the best movie of Night S., is not the worse either, for me is good, I could understand everything, but who knows what is our destiny?, you can see that the meltdown of poles is a reality, the oceans goes up and up, I want to resist to believe that this is happening. For me the movie talks about the green effect, is a warning, and I wanna thank Shyamalan for remember to all people around the world for taking care our planet, we dont have another. Expand
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  86. Kyle
    Jun 16, 2008
    5
    The problem with this movie is simple: it's a self-aware B-movie being sold as a feature to an audience who is expecting one. B-movies are, by their very nature, cheesy. The acting has always been bad, the gore rather amusing, and the story fairly predictable. Everything in this movie points to B-movie status. If you go in expecting a ridiculous movie, you'll probably have a good time laughing at it. If you expect a big-budget feature, you'll have a horrible time. If you want to critique it, hold it up against other B-movies. I give it a 5 for the effort and the laughs. Expand
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  87. AlekM.
    Jun 17, 2008
    7
    Shyamalan certainly deserves quite a bit of strife for his last effort, "Lady in the Water" but with this one I think that critics have gone a little overboard. No, this is not the Sixth Sense, or Unbreakable. You will not be shocked and awed by a tantalizing plot twist. What you will enjoy, however, is a solid drama with a strong message. Despite what you've heard, the acting is quite good. Acting does not need constant buoyancy and flair to be effective, it requires solid development and connection to the viewers; in that regard this could be Wahlberg's finest performance to date. The cinematography is par for the course for Shyamalan, you will not experience seizure inducing cut rates, rather you will be able to enjoy the acting done by the cast. The dialogue is... lacking and the plot could have been better, and the whole thing could have been less cheesy, but really, it was a solid effort. Not deep enough, but not too light that it leaves you pining for more. Enjoy it for what it is, instead of bashing it for what Shyamalan HAS done for his audiences in the past. Expand
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  88. EddieB.
    Jun 17, 2008
    2
    Nature breaks wind in The Happening, the latest stinker from M. Night Shylamayan. Hey, I'm rooting for the guy, I really am, but it's tough when I have to sit through 90 minutes of laughably bad dialogue and acting, an unconvincing plot, and boring characters. As in his last two films, M. Night finds an interesting idea that ultimately fails to deliver on its promise--sort of like writing a 10-page term paper only to realize halfway through that your thesis statement is weak. Note to Mr. S.: Bustling leaves, open windows, and swaying trees can be scary with the right film ingredients ... or an audience of allergy-sufferers. Expand
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  89. MatthewT.
    Jun 17, 2008
    0
    Garbage. Hot garbage.
    • 0 of 0 users said yes
  90. AndreT.
    Jun 17, 2008
    5
    Not as bad as the critics might tell. The movie has some suspence in it, the starting idea is pretty good, but by the end it gets somewhat confused. The acting in this movie doesn't sell the film at all. Is it the comedians or how they were directed ? For once, I think Mr. Shalayman missed on the actor directing. The story is average and how it's filmed is more then decent. I think it's time for Shalayman to direct a movie that was writen by someone else...it would help him on how he writes his own stories. Expand
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  91. MC
    Jun 17, 2008
    9
    Great movie.Some people just dont get it
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  92. KellyH.
    Jun 17, 2008
    10
    Obviously.. people keep expecting the sixth sense. get over it. this movie was great.
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  93. GloriaG.
    Jun 17, 2008
    10
    Fortunately I was to see it, I like it a lot, I didn't heard some "empty" reviews or critics, they are not gods to know what is right, I rather my own opinion and I enjoy it.
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  94. joec.
    Jun 17, 2008
    3
    M. Night Shyamalan has to just come up with ideas and had the script and directing off to someone, go on as a sub-co-writer/directer or whatever. im sorry to say, but i hate that good ideas like this are making great actors look like fools
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  95. ChrisR
    Jun 17, 2008
    0
    M. Night's next movie will be a tribute to how consistently disappointing his movies are. Starring Nicholas Cage, the entirety of the film will be of him standing outside the theater, ticket in hand, ominous expression on his face. "Should I see this?" At the last ten minutes, he decides to go in, and the movie ends with him waking up, crying at night many years later, wondering "why oh why, did I go in?" Expand
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  96. JessyB.
    Jun 17, 2008
    10
    In my case, What I saw at the end of the movie, well and heard, were all the audience clapping !, and happy to see another authentic movie of Night S. I founded it amazing.
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  97. SammyP.
    Jun 17, 2008
    3
    Don't go waste your money on this movie. In fact don't go waste your money on renting the DVD either. It's that bad.
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  98. TylerD.
    Jun 17, 2008
    0
    The worst movie I've ever seen. The only scary thing is how unintentionally funny this movie is. The most disturbing part is in half the scenes you can see the mic dropping down into the top half of the screen. *ITS A $60MILLION DOLLAR MOVIE HOW CAN YOU ALLOW THAT.* There is nothing redeeming, Horrible acting, writing, directing, just everything is a disaster. I feel dumber for having seen it. I would rather castrate myself than see this again. Expand
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  99. HitchCockian
    Jun 17, 2008
    10
    You know what?, it's much better than Lady in the water and fool comments like our friend Ben H. did are telling us that theyre weak, I woudn't burn a wood, I will have more care about all forests, open your mind friend so u will see more than a joke in this good film. well done M.N.S.
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  100. KentonS.
    Jun 17, 2008
    2
    That's right, I gave this movie a 2. Why might you ask? Because there were only two things I liked about it; the incredibly awesome gore, and the hilarious cheesy lines that came out of Wahlberg's mouth. I was pretty much horribly disappointed with everything else. I mean, the concept would be kind of cool I guess, if it was followed through with a wicked twist. Without spoiling, let's just say that M. Night did not deliver his usual set of tricks. Unlike the masterpiece that was "The Sixth Sense", "The Happening" was falling into the stupor where "Mars Attacks" and "Eight Legged Freaks" were left to die... Regardless of who has written/directed this film, don't waste your money and see it. Expand
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Metascore

Generally unfavorable - based on 38 Critics

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 3 out of 38
  2. Negative: 18 out of 38
  1. The movie seems more like a '50s science fiction film of extreme paranoia or an episode of "The Twilight Zone" that even at a swiftly paced 90 minutes feels padded.
  2. Reviewed by: Justin Chang
    50
    In short, this is a Shyamalan movie minus the bravado, the swagger; there are no audacious attempts to pull out the rug from under the audience, no ham-fisted lessons about the importance of religious belief or the power of storytelling.
  3. Reviewed by: Robert Wilonsky
    50
    What a bunch of nonsense--effective nonsense, chilling nonsense, occasionally wrenching nonsense, but nonsense nonetheless.