The Happening? -- it never should've happened

I should've known better than to go back in, but my daughter had mentioned that she wanted to see The Happening the latest from M. Night Shyamalan recently released on video. Something in the trailer intrigued her, I don't remember what, and she actually wanted to see it in the theater. I at least had some sense as visions of overpriced popcorn and soda to put the kabash on that, but when it hit Redbox for a buck, I figured what the heck.

Here's how the Shymalan evolution has gone in my household. Sixth Sense -- Good, Unbreakable -- Good, my favorite from M. Night. Signs -- okay, bordering good. The Village-- okay, but a little dumb.

There was definitely a sign of decline. I skipped Lady in the Water, and I wished I would have skipped The Happening. It was one of the cheesiest movies I have ever seen-- and not in a good way. Really, The Happening never should have happened.

The premise of the movie is that there is something in the air that is causing people to commit suicide. It is initially thought to be a terrorist attack, but that is quickly ruled out. People are urged to seek solace and safety in small towns. But these are not safe either. As the groups get smaller and smaller the focus is one a high school science teacher and his wife who are travelling with their friend's eight year old daughter.

The only real "human" issue the movie seems to cover is that there might be some domestic issues with this couple, but there isn't anything intense that lets you really get to know these people. Character development is zilch, which means it barely even matters that people die. You don't get a feeling that whatever is "happening" could plausably happen in real life, so there isn't that tension either.

I won't spoil the ending or reveal what finally seems to be determined as the cause of the suicides, or how the movie was eventually resolved. It all boiled down to mass fugitivism, and in the end nothing much really ever happened.