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IMDbPro

The Happening

  • 20082008
  • RR
  • 1h 31m
IMDb RATING
5.0/10
209K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
1,522
386
Mark Wahlberg, Zooey Deschanel, and Ashlyn Sanchez in The Happening (2008)
This is the second theatrical trailer for M. Night Shyamalan's The Happening.
Play trailer2:30
9 Videos
55 Photos
AdventureDramaSci-Fi
A science teacher, his wife, and a young girl struggle to survive a plague that causes those infected to commit suicide.A science teacher, his wife, and a young girl struggle to survive a plague that causes those infected to commit suicide.A science teacher, his wife, and a young girl struggle to survive a plague that causes those infected to commit suicide.
IMDb RATING
5.0/10
209K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
1,522
386
    • M. Night Shyamalan
    • M. Night Shyamalan
  • Stars
    • Mark Wahlberg
    • Zooey Deschanel
    • John Leguizamo
    • M. Night Shyamalan
    • M. Night Shyamalan
  • Stars
    • Mark Wahlberg
    • Zooey Deschanel
    • John Leguizamo
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 1.5KUser reviews
    • 356Critic reviews
    • 34Metascore
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Awards

    Videos9

    The Happening: Theatrical Trailer #2
    Trailer 2:30
    Watch The Happening: Theatrical Trailer #2
    Cowboys! Detectives! Giant Bugs! B-Movie History!
    Clip 5:23
    Watch Cowboys! Detectives! Giant Bugs! B-Movie History!
    The Happening
    Clip 1:00
    Watch The Happening
    The Happening
    Clip 0:42
    Watch The Happening
    The Happening
    Clip 0:33
    Watch The Happening
    The Happening
    Clip 1:02
    Watch The Happening
    The Happening
    Interview 0:47
    Watch The Happening
    The Happening
    Interview 0:41
    Watch The Happening
    The Happening
    Interview 0:51
    Watch The Happening

    Photos55

    Zooey Deschanel and Ashlyn Sanchez in The Happening (2008)
    Mark Wahlberg in The Happening (2008)
    Zooey Deschanel in The Happening (2008)
    Mark Wahlberg, Betty Buckley, Zooey Deschanel, and Ashlyn Sanchez in The Happening (2008)
    Mark Wahlberg, John Leguizamo, and Ashlyn Sanchez in The Happening (2008)
    On the run in 'The Happening'
    Mark Wahlberg in The Happening (2008)
    Mark Wahlberg, John Leguizamo, Zooey Deschanel, and Ashlyn Sanchez in The Happening (2008)
    Mark Wahlberg, Zooey Deschanel, and Ashlyn Sanchez in The Happening (2008)
    Mark Wahlberg, Zooey Deschanel, and Ashlyn Sanchez in The Happening (2008)
    Mark Wahlberg, Zooey Deschanel, and Ashlyn Sanchez in The Happening (2008)
    Mark Wahlberg, Zooey Deschanel, and Ashlyn Sanchez in The Happening (2008)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Mark Wahlberg
    Mark Wahlberg
    • Elliot Moore
    Zooey Deschanel
    Zooey Deschanel
    • Alma Moore
    John Leguizamo
    John Leguizamo
    • Julian
    Ashlyn Sanchez
    Ashlyn Sanchez
    • Jess
    Betty Buckley
    Betty Buckley
    • Mrs. Jones
    Spencer Breslin
    Spencer Breslin
    • Josh
    Robert Bailey Jr.
    Robert Bailey Jr.
    • Jared
    Frank Collison
    Frank Collison
    • Nursery Owner
    Jeremy Strong
    Jeremy Strong
    • Private Auster
    Alan Ruck
    Alan Ruck
    • Principal
    Victoria Clark
    Victoria Clark
    • Nursery Owner's Wife
    M. Night Shyamalan
    M. Night Shyamalan
    • Joey
    • (voice)
    Alison Folland
    Alison Folland
    • Woman Reading on Bench with Hair Pin
    Kristen Connolly
    Kristen Connolly
    • Woman Reading on Bench
    Cornell Womack
    Cornell Womack
    • Construction Foreman
    Curtis McClarin
    • Construction Crew Member
    Robert Lenzi
    Robert Lenzi
    • Jake
    Derege Harding
    • Train Conductor
      • M. Night Shyamalan
      • M. Night Shyamalan
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Mark Wahlberg admitted that he regrets working on this movie, but said, "You can't blame me for wanting to try to play a science teacher. At least I wasn't playing a cop or a crook."
    • Goofs
      (at around 58 mins) A man refuses to let Elliot and his companions into his house because he does not want to let the "poison gas" inside. However, all the house's windows are open.
    • Quotes

      Mrs. Jones: Planning on stealing something?

      Elliot Moore: No, ma'am, we're not.

      Mrs. Jones: Plan on murdering me in my sleep?

      Elliot Moore: What? No!

    • Crazy credits
      Moving clouds form the backdrop for the opening and closing credits. On the end credits, they've become stormclouds with lightning. On the end credits, M. Night Shyamalan's name vanishes.
    • Alternate versions
      German version was edited prior to submission to the FSK by the director himself to secure a "Not under 16" rating. These cuts included:
      • a needle piercing a throat during a suicide
      • a man's arm being bitten off by lions
      • a man dying under a lawnmower This version was released on DVD in the UK. However, for the German home video release the complete version was submitted. Ironically, this version was rated "Not under 16" as well (making the cut version even more redundant as guidelines for home video are stronger than for theatrical releases).
    • Connections
      Featured in At the Movies: The Incredible Hulk/The Promotion/You Don't Mess with the Zohan/The Happening/Baghead (2008)
    • Soundtracks
      Black Water
      Written by Patrick Simmons

    User reviews1.5K

    Review
    Review
    Featured review
    6/10
    Nature fights back
    After the hype created by Bird Box, it is worth revisiting The Happening which was critically mauled upon its release.

    The reason might be M Night Shyamalan who wrote, produced and directed this film. His success in movies such as The Sixth Sense and Unbreakable meant that critics were just sharpening their knives and waited for him to fail.

    It starts off shockingly as people kill themselves in New York, such as throwing themselves off a building. The mass suicides soon spreads and the authorities initially think it is some kind of a biological terrorist attack.

    Elliot Moore (Mark Wahlberg) is a science teacher at high school in Philadelphia. When the school hears about happening in New York, it causes a mass panic.

    Elliot, his wife Alma (Zooey Deschanel) fellow teacher Julian (John Leguizamo) and his young daughter Jess try to escape Philadelphia on the train. The train comes to a halt and they are stranded in the countryside.

    Julian goes back to look for his wife who could not make it on the train. Elliot tries to figure out what is causing this phenomenon as they witness more disturbing suicides. He thinks there is something in nature, especially the countryside that is causing the happening.

    Shyamalan was let down by Mark Wahlberg, the most unconvincing high school science teacher. Zooey Deschanel was not much better. I know she is supposed to have marriage problems but there was no chemistry here between the actors. Leguizamo would had been better as the lead.

    The film itself is much better than its reputation deserves. There is an environmental subtext to it. It is eerie, disturbing and mysterious. I can understand what Shyamalan tried to do and he largely succeeded with a psychological apocalyptic horror. It would had been better with stronger actors.
    helpful•44
    14
    • Prismark10
    • Jan 7, 2019

    FAQ14

    • Is "The Happening" based on a book?
    • What is the Happening?
    • What is causing the Happening?

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • June 13, 2008 (United States)
      • India
      • United States
      • Official site
      • English
      • French
    • Also known as
    • Filming locations
      • G-Lodge Diner - 1371 Valley Forge Road, Phoenixville, Pennsylvania, USA
    • Production companies
      • Twentieth Century Fox
      • UTV Motion Pictures
      • Spyglass Entertainment
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

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    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • 1 hour 31 minutes
      • Color
      • SDDS
      • Dolby Digital
      • DTS

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