The Happening
At Quality 16 and Showcase
Rating: 3 out 5 stars
20th Century Fox

"It appears that there is an event happening." This line is repeated throughout "The Happening," without any explanation of what is actually going on. But it's something bad. Something very bad.

The movie opens in Central Park, where pedestrians start acting very strangely - walking backwards, talking funny and eventually killing themselves in brutal fashion.

We're introduced to Elliot Moore (Mark Wahlberg, "The Departed"), a high school science teacher who has been having some marital difficulties with his wife Alma (Zooey Deschanel, "Elf"). Elliot and Alma try to flee the 'event' by rail, when the train inexplicably stops, stranding them in the middle of Pennsylvania. From there, they join a small band of survivors and try to outrun the unseen menace.

Several characters toss out theories on what's causing the insanity: Some say terrorists, some say the government, but the theory the movie wants us to accept is that the Earth has finally had enough of us and is having its vegetation kill us all. The movie wants to make you wonder, "What if our planet suddenly decides to turn on us, punishing us for the centuries of abuse?"

Without any true "gotcha!" moments to speak of throughout this entire film, M. Night Shyamalan has learned how to use dread to his advantage, leading the audience to constantly expect terror even when there might not be any. He's also learned how to kick up the creep factor. It's here in droves; there's something truly unsettling about watching someone calmly slit his wrists with a shard of glass.

The film is far from perfect, and there are several moments that should be dead serious but instead incite a giggle from the audience. Others may be frustrated with the film's total lack of explanations given, but that's the point. These are real people who are utterly confused about what's going on and there's no wise old professor or psychic woman to explain this phenomenon, although there is a botanist on the news who explains that this might just be the beginning, a prelude to something far more catastrophic.

Overall "The Happening" is pretty effective, and though the character development needs work, this film will still freak you out.

Because Shyamalan directs it, there will be many out there who expect a twist ending. Well, don't - there isn't one. What there is is a message every environmentalist will cheer for: It's not nice to fool with Mother Nature.