Infamous M. Night Shyamalan Movie Is Fading Into Obscurity
If you’re an avid watcher of classic “so-bad-they’re-good” movies, you’re aware of the 2008 film The Happening, which was written and directed by M. Night Shyamalan. The film, which has brought joy to audiences everywhere with its clunky script, goofy performances, and absurd plot twists, is currently not available to watch on any streaming service. This is a true shame, as The Happening has become a cult classic since it was first released to widespread negative reviews and needs to be preserved for bad movie enjoyers of the future.
Marked A Turn In Shyamalan’s Career
As previously mentioned, The Happening was helmed by controversial filmmaker M. Night Shyamalan, whose back catalog contains such critically acclaimed works as The Sixth Sense, Unbreakable, and Signs. Shyamalan has also released some major duds, including Lady In The Water, After Earth, and, of course, the complete and utter abomination that is 2010’s The Last Airbender. The Happening served as a turning point in the filmmaker’s career, as audiences flocked to the cinema to catch it based on the success of Shyamalan’s earlier work, only to be disappointed at the bizarre experience.
Mark Wahlberg, Science Teacher
Mark Wahlberg stars in The Happening as a high school science teacher named Elliot Moore, providing one of his most unhinged performances ever to hit the big screen. Despite M. Night Shyamalan having penned the role specifically for the former Funky Bunch frontman, Wahlberg is completely out of place in the movie, resulting in some baffling dialogue delivery that will leave you and your friends in stitches.
The cast is rounded out with a number of talented, if underutilized, performers, including Zooey Deschanel, John Leguizamo, Ashlyn Sanchez, Spencer Breslin, Frank Collison, and even Succession alumnus Jeremy Strong and Alan Ruck.
An Unexplained Disaster
The narrative of The Happening opens as a terrifying phenomenon kicks off in New York City, causing a number of people to randomly commit ritualistic suicide. As horrified citizens bear witness to the strange behavior of their friends and loved ones, panic begins to spread across the entire Northeast United States, with some assuming the event is the result of a bio-terrorist attack. M. Night Shyamalan’s script truly kicks into gear with the introduction of Elliot Moore, as he gathers his wife and his mathematician colleague to skip town before the outbreak gets completely out of control.
The Script Goes Right Off The Rails
As the gang board a train to depart the Northeast, they learn of the various cities impacted by the mysterious happening while society begins to break down around them. Viral videos of gore and viscera begin to spread through the local news as vehicles fly off nearby roads and accordion themselves into stationary objects. As much as I’d love to dive into the bonkers third act of the M. Night Shyamalan masterpiece, it’s really best if you go in blind and check it out for yourself.
Not Available On Streaming
REVIEW SCORE
Checking out The Happening may prove to be quite difficult, however, as the film is currently not available to stream on any of the major services. The M. Night Shyamalan film was financed and distributed by 20th Century Fox, so I’m really not sure why it wouldn’t be streaming on a Hulu or Disney+ library. Still, if you manage to get your hands on a DVD copy of this off-the-walls film, do yourself a favor and invite a few friends over for a watch party.
