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Movies / On DVD / The Happening
The Happening

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The Happening (2008)

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Reviews Counted:169

Fresh:31

Rotten:138

Average Rating:4.1/10

Consensus: The Happening begins with promise, but unfortunately descends into an incoherent and unconvincing trifle.

Rated: 15

Runtime: 1 hr 31 mins

Genre: Action/Adventure

Theatrical Release:13-06-2008

Synopsis: M. Night Shyamalan directs this thriller about a science teacher (Mark Wahlberg) who tries to escape with his wife and friend's daughter after an apocalyptic event. THE HAPPENING costars Zooey... M. Night Shyamalan directs this thriller about a science teacher (Mark Wahlberg) who tries to escape with his wife and friend's daughter after an apocalyptic event. THE HAPPENING costars Zooey Deschanel and John Leguizamo. [More]

Starring: Mark Wahlberg, Zooey Deschanel, John Leguizamo, Betty Buckley

Starring: Mark Wahlberg, Zooey Deschanel, John Leguizamo, Betty Buckley

Director: M. Night Shyamalan

Director: M. Night Shyamalan
Screenwriter: M. Night Shyamalan
Producer: M. Night Shyamalan, Sam Mercer, Barry Mendel
Composer: James Newton Howard
Studio: 20th Century Fox

[See More Credits]

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Reviews for The Happening

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161 - 169 (sorted by date; UK critics are listed first)
Text View | |< << 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
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Writer-director M. Night Shyamalan's eco-thriller starts with a clever premise and degenerates into spooky atmospherics, portentous pacing and stiff dialogue.

Full Review Source: Big Picture Big Sound | comment Comment
06/12/08
Joe Lozito
Joe Lozito
Big Picture Big Sound

mia ap' tis pio akompses, proheires kai hontrokommenes doyleies poy mporeis na petyheis se aithoysa

Full Review Source: Movies for the Masses | comment 7 Comments
06/12/08
Joseph Proimakis
Joseph Proimakis
Movies for the Masses

It's a shame that the movie is such a tonal failure, because it does many other things right.

Full Review Source: Las Vegas Weekly | comment 2 Comments
06/12/08
Josh Bell
Josh Bell
Las Vegas Weekly

The movie demonstrates a smart movie geek's obsession with the rhythms and gory details of horror storytelling, undermined by a pompous insistence on spiritual lessons of the tritest kind.

Full Review Source: Entertainment Weekly | comment 17 Comments
06/11/08
Lisa Schwarzbaum
Lisa Schwarzbaum
Entertainment Weekly

One-hit-wonder M. Night Shyamalan further galvanizes the nickname given him by his detractors ("Shyamalama-ding-dong") with yet another pretentious movie.

Full Review Source: ColeSmithey.com | comment 17 Comments
06/11/08
Cole Smithey
Cole Smithey
ColeSmithey.com

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.

Full Review Source: Hollywood Reporter | comment 15 Comments
06/11/08
Kirk Honeycutt
Kirk Honeycutt
Hollywood Reporter
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

Effective nonsense, chilling nonsense, occasionally wrenching nonsense.

Full Review Source: Village Voice | comment 9 Comments
06/11/08
Robert Wilonsky
Robert Wilonsky
Village Voice

Shhht. Don't say it out loud, but we actually kinda liked M. Night Shyamalan's latest movie . . .

Full Review Source: Sci-Fi Movie Page | comment 15 Comments
06/11/08
James O'Ehley
James O'Ehley
Sci-Fi Movie Page

Sadly for Mr. Shyamalan, the ideas that have been coming to him since his brilliant first hit The Sixth Sense are progressively worthy of less merit and more deserving of ridicule.

Full Review Source: Urban Cinefile | comment 31 Comments
06/10/08
Urban Cinefile Critics
Urban Cinefile Critics
Urban Cinefile
 
 
161 - 169 (sorted by date; UK critics are listed first)
Text View | |< << 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
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Latest News for The Happening

January 21, 2009: Razzies Name 2008's Worst Movie Nominees
No awards season would be complete without the Golden Raspberry Awards (AKA The Razzies), awarded each year to the very worst movies to hit Hollywood. This year's winners will... More...

July 06, 2008: Box Office Guru Wrapup: Hancock shows some attitude at the box office
Despite a critical panning, Hancock scores at the Box Office. More...

June 19, 2008: Box Office Guru Preview: Get Smart Spies Top Spot
Two big star-driven studio comedies invade North American multiplexes on Friday giving audiences even more choices during what has been a scorching hot June box office. Steve... More...

June 16, 2008: WNYC RADIO: A numbing polemical morality tale in dreary doomsday thriller clothing, this dull downer for all its mass panic attack high alert mode, may be more effective in unintentionally boring people to death. Opens in new window
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