Shyamalan’s ‘The Happening’ spare, satisfying

In theaters

THE HAPPENING, written and directed by M. Night Shyamalan, 99 minutes, rated R.

From a provocative, purely scientific viewpoint, it isn’t a new concept to look at Earth as just a cell floating in the body of the universe. On it are its natural inhabitants – trees, foliage, water – all living in relative harmony with fauna, and all of which over time have been invaded by its greatest challenge, the virus that is human life itself.

As with any cell invaded by a pathogen whose actions actively are destroying it (in this case, either via population, carbon emissions, environmental recklessness, or reality television shows such as “The Hills”), there’s the struggle to shake it off and defeat it so the cell itself can survive.

It’s this concept that’s at the core of the new M. Night Shyamalan movie “The Happening,” which might not be a full return to form for the director of “The Sixth Sense,” but which certainly is a vast improvement over the long run of disappointments he’s delivered since: “Unbreakable,” “Signs,” “The Village” and “Lady in the Water.”

From the director’s own script, “The Happening” opens in New York City, where people in Central Park are behaving unusually.

First, confusion takes hold. Second, many stop in their tracks and look as if they’ve just been struck dumb by a brick. Third, and most brutal (this is Shyamalan’s first R-rated film, and he goes for the gore here), many others start taking their own lives in all sorts of creative ways – hair pins to the throat, lawn mowers mulching bodies, bullets to the head, plenty of people leaping off skyscrapers.

What gives? That’s for the movie to answer – no spoilers here. But where the film goes next can be explored.

In Philadelphia is Elliot Moore (Mark Wahlberg), a high school science teacher who is addressing his students about the mysterious death of honey bees when word comes that New York City is being evacuated because of a potential terrorist threat. Has a gas been released into the atmosphere that’s making people take their own lives? In the wake of anthrax and 9-11, anything is possible, so fear blooms far and wide, particularly when the suicides start to ripple across the Northeast and then stretch into Philadelphia.

There, another mass exodus ensues with Elliot and his estranged wife, Alma (Zooey Deschanel), fleeing via train with Elliot’s best friend (John Leguizamo) and his daughter (Ashlyn Sanchez). To say that all doesn’t go well is an understatement, particularly with self-induced death encroaching so rapidly and especially when some members of this group come upon one disturbed lady in the woods (Betty Buckley, beautifully stealing her scenes).

When the weak dialogue isn’t working against the film, “The Happening” is spare, satisfying and suspenseful. Shyamalan moves through the film’s illogical plot points by steeping the production in B-movie nonsense, the lot of which is interlaced with only kernels of scientific truth. He’s having fun here, but he’s skilled enough to not show his hand. Instead, he gives the genre a polish it often doesn’t have.

There also is the sense that he has removed himself from the movie. This isn’t the showy production we’ve come to expect from Shyamalan, nor should anyone be seeking one of his tired twists. Instead, this is a movie made by a talented director known first for creating one great movie, then for the string of flops that followed, and now this – a reason to believe that dismissing him would be a mistake.

Grade: B

On DVD and Blu-ray

FOOL’S GOLD, directed by Andy Tennant, written by Tennant, John Claflin and Daniel Zelman, 112 minutes, rated PG-13.

The best thing that can be said for “Fool’s Gold” is that it lives up to its title. In fact, it surpasses it. This dumb, vapid comedy feels as if it was directed, written and performed by a ship of fools – and, my, how that ship belches when it sinks.

The film stars Matthew McConaughey – buff, golden, ripped beyond reason – who nearly has destroyed his career after a promising early start that included such films as “A Time to Kill,” “Amistad,” “Contact” and “Thirteen Conversations About One Thing.”

Given the current direction his career has taken, it isn’t out of the question to believe that his next project will be a show called “Pimp My Abs.” Apparently, baring his bod is what his career has become about, which will be enough for some, but which nevertheless is unfortunate considering he does have talent.

The same goes for his co-star Kate Hudson, who in eight years has yet to reclaim the promise she showcased as Penny Lane in “Almost Famous.” There’s no question Hudson can act, and there’s also no question that she seriously needs to return to it.

After teaming once before in 2003’s “How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days,” McConaughey and Hudson prove again that they have zero chemistry. This time, they’re Finn and Tess, a married couple who are about to divorce as the film begins.

They still love each other, sure, and their sex life is hotter than crab cakes, but after years of trying to find a hidden treasure off a Bahamian reef, Tess has decided to go to graduate school in Chicago. Since Finn won’t go with her, it’s bye-bye to him, which says it all for the kind of people we’re dealing with here.

But not so fast. Turns out Finn might be on the cusp of finding the sunken, 16th-century Spanish loot they’ve been seeking for so long. Will Tess help him find it? Is that even a question?

Along with her employer, the billionaire Nigel Honeycutt (Donald Sutherland, pitiful), as well as the billionaire’s air-head daughter, Gemma (Alexis Dziena), two token gay men, a boat captain (Ray Winstone) and an irritating dork (Ewen Bremner), Tess joins the fray to take on a gun-toting villain named Bigg Bunny (Kevin Hart) – yes, Bigg Bunny – who wants the treasure for himself.

Does Bigg Bunny haul in the big carats? Do Tess and Finn fall back into each other’s arms? Is it even necessary to go on? I didn’t think so.

Grade: D-

WeekinRewind.com is the site for Bangor Daily News film critic Christopher Smith’s blog, video podcasts, iTunes portal and archive of hundreds of movie reviews. Smith’s reviews appear Mondays, Fridays and weekends in Lifestyle, as well as on bangordailynews.com. He may be reached at Christopher@weekinrewind.com.