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The Happening
2008 90 min United States of America, India R 18+
★4.8
Thriller, Science Fiction
Director: M. Night Shyamalan
Trailers
Description
When a deadly airborne virus threatens to wipe out the northeastern United States, teacher Elliot Moore and his wife Alma flee from contaminated cities into the countryside in a fight to discover the truth. Is it terrorism, the accidental release of some toxic military bio weapon -- or something even more sinister?
Budget:
$60M
US Gross:
$64.51M
Worldwide:
$163.4M
Starring
Mark Wahlberg
Actor
Zooey Deschanel
Actor
John Leguizamo
Actor
Awards
Razzie Awards 2009
— Worst Actor
Razzie Awards 2009
— Worst Director
Razzie Awards 2009
— Worst Screenplay
Razzie Awards 2009
— Worst Picture
Key opinion
The Happening is a highly polarizing film that balances a chilling, existential premise about nature’s retaliation with uneven execution. While some viewers find its atmosphere uniquely unsettling and thought-provoking, others criticize its script and the questionable performances of its leads.
| Emotion | The film effectively builds a sense of pervasive, existential dread through its portrayal of a silent and unstoppable natural threat. | |
| Theme | The premise of nature reclaiming its dominance over humanity serves as a compelling and terrifying ecological cautionary tale. | |
| Acting | Critics and audiences are sharply divided over the performances, with some viewing the acting as stiff or disengaged and others interpreting it as a stylistic, intentional choice. | |
| Screenplay | Opinions on the screenplay are split: supporters appreciate the bold, unpredictable narrative, while detractors label the dialogue and plot developments as absurd or lacking coherence. |