The Happening - Mark Wahlberg, Zooey Deschanel,John Leguizamo (July 26, 2008)
I have a problem with this movie. The beginning was a humdinger...so disturbing that I doubted I could sit through the movie, but somewhere along the way, it went away. Basically the story is that people have been disappearing or dying in mysterious ways along the upper east coast of the United States. (My query...how come they never talked about Canada? It's very very unlikely that the Maritimes of Canada would be unaffected. Guess the border really works.) A young science teacher and his wife flee from the problem, as they deal with a marriage that is failing and have to take care of the child of their friend.
The basic idea behind this film is intriguing, but the execution leaves much to be desired. "The Happening" is never fully explained, although there are some theories tested. The movie works, but just barely,and the "happy" endings feel tacked on and not really earned by the characters.
I can't in good conscience recommend this film unless you are a completist or a fan of Mark Wahlberg. It's not really an enjoyable time at the movies, and it isn't a well enough made film to forgive it's faults. Video rental only!
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