Rating of
2.5/4
It's Shyamalans's Happening and it Freaks Me Out
Chris Kavan - wrote on 06/19/08
Those going here to see high tension and drama that hearken back to the good old days of Sixth Sense and Unbreakable will be sadly disappointed. Those who want to watch a B-grade sci-fi flick (never mind the director) may be in for a decent, though nothing exceptional, experience.
Pretty much the best part of the film is over within the first five or so minutes. Just like other horror films of this ilk (see: Dawn of the Dead, 28 days later, etc.) watching the effects of a society's breakdown ( or in this case, city) without any clear meaning is usually more exciting than finding out what caused it.
The characters are pretty boring, spouting at times incredibly lame dialogue - but it works in the confines of the whole throwback to the B-movie days. Still, if this had been made in the 60s or 70s instead of today, I think MSTK3000 would have ripped it apart. After the fun opening, the movie becomes a nightmare road trip, then hiking trip and ultimately is a failed attempt at environmentalism.
The scientific talk does nothing to improve the film - whether it comes from expert science teacher Mark Wahlberg or the few talking heads shown on TV. I'm also incredibly disappointed they managed to take the fun, talented Zooey Deschanel and turn her into some kind of emotionless supporting character. Even when the waterworks flow, I never felt anything.
Still, I can see where this was going, and where it could have gone. For a B-grade flick it's not that bad, but most B-grade flicks aren't really that good either.
