Review of "The Happening" DVD version

Review of

The Happening DVD version

Five out of five stars

 This apocalyptic tale holds your attention and is based on an extreme extrapolation of what happens in nature. As people that follow medicine are well aware, most of the drugs, both good and bad, have their natural origin in plants. Specifically psychoactive drugs such as marijuana, cocaine and opium. It is also known that plants produce and release a variety of chemicals in response to environmental dangers.

 The premise of this movie is that the plants in the United States are being subjected to a stressful environment due to human actions, so they respond by releasing a psychoactive chemical. When humans encounter the chemical, they experience an overwhelming compulsion to immediately kill themselves. Some of the suicides are horrific in nature, such as allowing themselves to be eaten by zoo lions.

 The “attack” takes place in the New England states of the United States and the movie follows the adventures of Elliot Moore, his wife and the daughter of one of Elliot’s friends as they flee the terror that is stalking them. Moore is a high school science teacher and he quickly learns that the attacks are triggered be specific circumstances.

 The movie is at times very gross and explicit as people find very gory ways to kill themselves. There are moments that tensed me up and I am generally immune to screen fear. Human nature being what it is, you see the best and worst of what humans will do when in the grip of fear. There is also denial and the inevitable claim of government malfeasance before the movie ends on a pessimistic note.