The Happening (2008)

6/10

Started off great...but dwindled.

The Happening captured my attention in the first scene of the film with a fascinating introduction. M. Night Shyamalan kept me glued to the screen with the storyline and I was on edge to see what Shyamalan had in the ending. Sadly, The Happening fell flat...lacking in the surprise ending.

The acting is not great in this movie. Mark Wahlberg is believable but isn't able to deliver a heartfelt performance, same goes with the support. The characters are not captivating and I felt no attachments to them. There are no emotion in their voices when they spoke. Only bonus of the film is that if you look at some of the background actors, you can spot the actor for "Mr.Collins" from Six Sense.

There's slight humor lingering amongst the suspense, which I felt was refreshing. The suspense is present in The Happening, but there is very little fear element. The entire film revolves around the idea of not knowing and not having a place to hide. This unknowing feeling, I felt, is unnerving.

Don't get me wrong, this film is very entertaining and captivating. A great storyline full of mystery and suspense. Only down side is that the film falls flat after the first half and dwindles. Nevertheless, if you enjoyed Six Sense, The Village and/or Devil.....then definitely check this out.

The Village (2004)

7/10

Suspense..check
Mystery...check
scary elements that make you jump...check
Surprise ending...Check!

Fantastic movie that kept my interest from beginning to end...and also kept my nerves on edge.

I should have watched The Village a long time ago, but I am not one for horror so I left it alone. After watching Devil (2010) also by Shyamalan I decided to give The Village a shot.

Devil does not hold a candle to The Village.

Each character in the film is carefully developed to work with the storyline. Bryce Dallas Howard in the lead role is amazing and very believable. The film wouldn't be without her. Adrian Brody gave me goose bumps with oddness of his character.

The score and cinematography in The Village are absolutely top-notch. The entire suspenseful-fearful atmosphere relied on the score and sound effects...and they both delivered. The shots are perfect, never revealing too much and always presenting interesting angles to support the suspenseful mood.

The storyline is fascinating! Hats off to Shyamalan. I will not say much because I don't want to give anything away.

M Night Shyamalan is great with his genre. My favourite would always be Sixth Sense(1999), followed by The Village (2004), then Unbreakable(2000). I have yet to watch Signs (2002) and The Happening(2008)

However, I felt Devil (2010) fell flat...the storyline is not as well knit and lacked in the jaw-dropping surprise ending.

If you love Sixth Sense, then you must check out The Village. Be forewarned, it has its share of jumpy/scary moments!