The Happening

M. Night Shyamalan, creator of such classics as “The Sixth Sense” and “Signs,” has finally achieved a landmark in his filmmaking career; every great director must have a massive blockbuster flop. In Shyamalan’s case, it is “The Happening.”

Starring Mark Wahlberg, Zooey Deschanel, and John Leguizamo, “The Happening” begins with people spouting random nonsense and then committing suicide without any visible reason why. Everyone is fleeing, hoping to survive the mysterious attack. Along the way, they slowly figure out what is causing the bizarre behavior.

If you’re already shaking your head, then the acting will most certainly drive you insane. The gibberish mumbled by the victims serves more as a joke than an eerie forewarning, including lines such as “I can see the calculus” and “My firearm is my friend! It will not leave my side!”

Wahlberg and Leguizamo give decent performances, but Deschanel is simply atrocious and ruins any dialogue with her costars. Her movements and facial expressions are awkward, and her delivery makes you wonder if she forgot how to act like a normal person. Her dead eyes, unmoving face, and monotonous voice make her seem more like she’s working in a library than fleeing for her life. The only truly believable performance comes from Ashlyn Sanchez, a girl who has minimal dialogue but has mastered screaming, running, and looking cute and vulnerable.

This movie was a disappointment, and it only serves to leave a bitter taste in my mouth when I think about how horrible it was and the money I stupidly spent on the ticket. If you wish to continue to respect Shyamalan and his work, skip “The Happening” and hope for better things in the future.