After seeing the misguided Village and the atrocious Lady in the Water, I was ready to write-off M. Night Shyamalan as a once talented director who lost his touch. So when I had the chance to see The Happening, I braced for another disappointment. The movie started and the opening sequence showed promise, almost washing away any negative judgments I preconceived. I was hooked and wanted to know what was happening with The Happening. Then all that intrigue fell apart, like a week-old cookie: Mark Walburg showed up as a high school science teacher. Yes, Marky Mark as a high school teacher, nothing stranger can be imagined, even from M. Night Shyamalan.

The Happening is an apocalyptic movie about masses of people committing suicide. What exactly is motivating people to kill themselves is the major dramatic question. Mark Walburg and Zooey Deschanel play a yuppie couple in New York hit with this suicide plague and must venture to Pennsylvania. Shyamalan, again, shows how much of a craftsman he is. Suspense is built literally out of nothing. The wind blows up against the tree and fear strikes.

Because of the dark nature of the film, Shyamalan uses humor to dilute some of the tense moments. This is a wise decision but executed in an unwise fashion. Instead of the jokes being offbeat, most of them are awkward. Also, where Shyamalan once displayed a great ability to cast well, here, he doesn’t do so. Mark Wahlberg is not a high school science teacher. I’ll have an easier time accepting Mike Meyers as Jack the Ripper. Zooey Daschanel is a good choice, but her acting talents are hardly used. Of course, Daschanel’s dashing blue eyes give an added allure to any film.

Although the technical aspects to Shyamalan are still intact, The Happening is another example of him losing his ability to create good content. If you are a long time Shyamalan viewer and are expecting a twist ending—SPOILER—you’re not going to get one in this movie. Instead, you will be treated to a preacher sermon that will make environmentalists cheer.