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It's going to be impossible to discuss this film without revealing spoilers so if you have to see it and don't want to know important plot points quit reading now and go find something else to do.
Okay, since you're still around lets discuss THE HAPPENING.
I had heard mainly bad things about this film while it was in its theatrical run and never took the time to head out and see it. I'm kind of kicking myself for that decision right now because I watched it last night and I have to say that I completely bought into it and found myself transfixed by the interesting albeit rather silly story line.
In a nutshell and without giving away any more then I have to the film is about a nice sunny day when everything in the world changes. We enter the film in a park with a couple of ladies sitting around small talking when suddenly every one kind of freezes in place and then one of the ladies stabs herself in the neck with a hair beret. Next we are at a construction site where all the workers take a header off the building they are working on and so THE HAPPENING begins.
We meet up with all the principals and are quickly whisked into their world as this day gone mad unfolds and changes all of their lives forever. Panic ensues as the events seem to be spreading from town to town and no one is sure what is going on. Rumors and misinformation are everywhere but one thing that seems certain is that it is the high population areas that appear to be targeted so our little band of friends leave the city for the assumed safety of the countryside. They are on an train which ends up stopping in the middle of no where Pennsylvania and they all head to a local diner where even more panic and misinformation ensue. It is also where they meet up with another couple who are the first to introduce the rather interesting idea of what may be the cause of THE HAPPENING.
The idea that plants and trees can produce toxins to fight off threats the they deem may be harmful to them. Yep, trees and plants.
It is dismissed at first but as other events unfold it soon becomes apparent that this rather silly notion may actually be true. But things is once you buy into it what can really be more scary than that. Freakin trees and plants are everywhere and if they did suddenly release some kind of gas just exactly what the hell would we do about it. Sound about coming out of left field.
All of a sudden though the most terrifying thing is something as simple as the wind blowing. If you can imagine fearing the wind, that would suck.
A lot of press was made about this being M. Night's first R rated feature, which it is but the film is still pretty tame by most horror fans view. There is some rather disturbing imagry in the film, case in point a scene where a bunch of yard workers are found hanging from the trees by their garden hoses. Actually looked pretty damn creepy. All in all though not much blood but there is enough to peek the interest of most gore hounds.
Eventually the film ends up being about taking care of the planet that takes care of us and about how you really can't trust anyone at any time for any reason.
Interesting, creepy, topical and well made THE HAPPENING is very much worth your time. Don't take other so called "horror reviewers" take. Watch it and judge for yourself. A horror film doesn't have to be blood drenched and have a masked madman to be effective. Sometimes its the most mundane of things that you should fear the most.
The disc itself has the usual assortment of special features. Gag reel, making of short, etc. All well produced and not so long as to numb your brain.
All in all a very enjoyable few hours that not only entertains but provokes thought and asks a few important question.
You can do a lot worse then that.
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