The USC film kids were brutal to “The Happening” during the on-campus free screening last night. Ironically, no alumni guests from the production turned out. I think that it was the only film in the alumni screening series that didn’t feature an alumni Q&A. Starting about 10 minutes in, the acting and dialogue become so bizarrely over-the-top that there were often loud chuckles. I haven’t laughed so hard during a movie in quite some time.
The closest comparison that I can think of is how either “Showgirls” or “Starship Troopers” play – both Paul Verhoeven films. ‘The Happening’ was of course from M. Night Shyamalan, but like those two films, this will become a new modern classic in strangely comedic filmmaking. I could not tell you if he was intentionally trying to make an over-the-top faux b-style movie. Unfortunately for M. Night’s career, I suspect that it wasn’t intentional.
D. S. Christensen has been an author and reviewer across various forms of media since he was a teenager. In his professional life, he has focused on blending creativity and technology.He has written numerous books, both fiction and non-fiction, on a wide variety of topics.
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