The Happening theories (spoiler alert)
 

I am very interested in hearing reactions to the film. I just got back from the theatre and I have mixed feelings towards it.

Beware, there will be spoilers in this post. DON'T READ IF YOU HAVEN'T SEEN THE MOVIE.


So, my two theories: considering the original project name for this was 'The Green Effect,' it's possible Shyamalan meant for the film to have a blunt environmental point. If this is the case, I'm severely disappointed in his storytelling abilities.

But, here's my theory. At the beginning of the film, a boy in the classroom has his own theory about what happened to the bees. He says something to the effect that maybe it was an act of nature that can't be explained by science. I think perhaps Shyamalan was making a point with his filmmaking and storytelling, that the point is being in the story, in the moment, and not knowing the 'why' of everything. Surely my girlfriend, two friends, and I all had intense discussions about what the movie was about, but we always came up with more questions than answers.

Is it possible his point was to make us ASK QUESTIONS but not necessarily have answers, thus proving the effectiveness of deliberate storytelling?

What do you guys think?

Re: The Happening theories (spoiler alert)
 

I am so distracted about how bad the movie was its hard to even have fun about thinking about what caused the issue in the movie.

So my theory at this point is that he was trying to mimic some 50's black and white type of movie to be entertaining and the movie was more for fun like scary movie then serious.

If I would have known that going in I might have enjoyed it more verses trying to figure out "whats happening" with M Night Shyamalan's gifts as a writer, actor, producer.


I'm very sad :(

me

Re: The Happening theories (spoiler alert)
 

They explained it..or in a simple way, the cause was from the plants. What a corny idea. He should have just left it as a mystery but given some signs to look for, something in the wind and having to do with trees and plants then leave it at that. But the whole thing about all the plants talking with each other and going after people was like I said, corny. He should've had it end after a rainstorm as if washing it away, something like that.

Re: The Happening theories (spoiler alert)
 

Actually, the movie NEVER says for sure it's the plants. That is just inferred, but it's never for certain.

Re: The Happening theories (spoiler alert)
 

This is my theory. As you might know, Shyamalan likes to use colors as a reference. Like in sixth sense and he used the color red a lot (watch the special features). I think his message has to do with the color yellow. The important scene is when Mark tells the little girl that when the ring turns yellow, it means your about to laugh. This really caught my attention. From that point on, I saw many yellow elements. The yellow elements were the things keeping them from getting infected. The main girl (i'm bad with character names) has a yellow bag. In the meadow where they stopped and the wind was blowing, the grass was yellow. The old lady's house had yellow wall paper and cabinets.

There were also a lot of little things. There were daisies in the meadow. When the showed these two women with gas masks, they had yellow candies on the table between them. The old lady at the house told Mark that she was drinking LEMON juice (it would have seemed random if you didn't thing yellow was the theme). Bees are yellow. I could be totally wrong about all of this.

Yellow means you're about to laugh and yellow keeps them from dying. I think Shyamalan is trying to say laughter keeps us alive. Which is why there are some goofy scenes in this movie. Its the laughter that keeps them alive.
Maybe its even about giving off good vibrations. THIS IS JUST A THEORY.

What do you think?

Re: The Happening theories (spoiler alert)
 

I think it's clearly the plants. The original script, as some have pointed out, was titled "The Green Effect" (and I believe an even earlier draft was titled "Green Planet"). The film goes out of its way to focus on the plants, and show a specific cause-and-effect relating to the plant theories. It shows us multiple experts within the film talking about it with certainty, too.

Not only that, but the film goes out of its way to show us a nuclear power plant behind the house of the couple that owns the plant garden. Someone mentions that there are lots of nuclear power plants in the Northeast, which is where the event is confined to, as well.

To cap it all off, the ending takes place in France, which is known for procuring most of its national energy from nuclear power.

So, the film may stop short of stating things outright, largely because Night doesn't like to do that sort of thing...but it's pretty clear that it's a) coming from the plants and b) spurred by the existence of nuclear power.

Re: The Happening theories (spoiler alert)
 

Here are some tips that might guide you:

Nature/Plants = GOD

Who are humankind really fighting? Terrorists, governments?

Or maybe ourselves. Are we winning? Well, are we living our lives as we were supposed to? Are we good Christians.

The religious reference in The Happening, is the same as we saw in Signs.

In the happening, the message is that we should live happiliy in harmony with ourselves and our environment; get married, take care of each other, laugh, have babies.

Do not be mislead to think that we have any other enemies than ourselves. If nature punishes you, it was mankind who threw the first punch.

The proof of this underlying plot of Christian belief:

Do you remember when the attack in the film started....?

Well, it was 8:32.

Do you remember when it ended?

It was 9:27.

Google "8:32" or "9:27" and your top hit is a reference from the bible. A message from GOD. Delivered from the profet M. Night Shyamalan.

Re: The Happening theories (spoiler alert)
 

Chanman, good theory. Considering his love of color symbolism in his films, I will watch The Happening again and pay attention to the yellow.

Yoda said: Yoda, you contradict yourself. You point out all these things that make it completely obvious, beyond a reasonable doubt, that it has to be the plants that caused the incident, yet you say M. Night doesn't like to be blunt in his symbolism.

If it really IS the plants, M. Night has lost all his subtle storytelling skills, because it's alluded to again and again and again in the movie that this is an environmental disaster and people are the problem.

So you can't have it either way. Either M. Night is subtle and there's something under the surface here, or he has bludgeoned us over the head with his political message. Either/or.

Re: The Happening theories (spoiler alert)
 

I don't think I've contradicted myself at all, because I didn't say that M. Night was subtle (your word). I said he doesn't like to say things outright, which is true. So in The Happening, he mentions a few theories, but doesn't technically designate one as correct. However, only one of them holds together upon closer examination.

I also didn't say it was "obvious beyond a reasonable doubt" (again, your words). And I then cited a number of reasons as to why I thought this was the case.

I'll gladly hear any counterpoints on these, by the way, but I don't think it's too debatable. The original script title, the fact that the characters base their decisions on the plant theory and we see things play out as if it were true, the decision to paint nuclear power plants into the background, the mention of nuclear power plants in the Northeast, followed by questions as to why the Northeast was the only area hit...all of these things make the explanation pretty obvious.

Re: The Happening theories (spoiler alert)
 

i think it is obviouse that its the plants and mnight does this on purpose. however, i think since he changed the title to the happening, it directs us to the possibility that although in this instance its the plants, the happening could be anything cataclysmic that forces us to question society, life, ourselves, etc.

the mis en scene (aka bad acting, one dimensional characters, weird dialog) is in a 1950s horror movie style. back then these movies symbolized the threat of nuclear war with the ultimate threat; Russia. In the happening, the ultimate threat is ourselves. thats why the disease causes humans to "kill themselves"

i think the strange relationship between the main charactors is also in reference to the attitudes of women and marriage in the 1950's. people then were ignorant to the power of women and often society tried to keep them in their place. i think this is symbolic of how we treat mother nature, ignoring her true power and using technology to subdue her.

pretty out there i know. its just my thoughts. i loved this film and wanted to discuss it with some other shyamalan fans. thanks for reading my rant.

The Real Dark Meaning of this Movie no one wants to talk about
 

This Movie is unlike all M NIght's Past Films, Night does not tell you the catch or the truth, You have to figure this one out.... WHY? well what if it was because for him to come out and say it would be "conspiracy" and would probably get him arrested, Look DEEP people, its NOT THE PLANTS, it was the "WIND" what is wind? energy, moving energy of the earth whatever, a force, but it was CONTROLLED, it hit a specific area for a duration of controlled time, ok now I might lose people but FACE IT, beginning Marky Mark scene, dude says, People need to WAKE UP to the fact we dont know jack about the forces that are all around us. Ending scene, Media show, the guy just does not buy the plant theory and says, ITS BECAUSE OF LOCATION. You mean NEW YORK< PENNSYLVANIA> DC? seems like the same area of another incedent, one we were all told was an act of Terrorist, but maybe it wasn't...Lose ANYONE, M. Night is warning us, not of plants getting revenge, but of a government plan to depopulate the world, this movie was a movie of our government testing there new weapon, the IRONY of the people Killing themselves, is a jab at all the brainwashed people of this world, who when faced with the reality that soceity in America has become completely FACIST, and that there whole lives and all there money and dreams were built on LIES, alot of people probably want to kill themselves, but instead, REFUSE TO ACCEPT THE TRUTH, M, Night's point in this movie is, If you dont accept it, you will die, and He hints at government cause of the Happening, and even has a scene were the Government and CIA REFUSE TO COMMENT ON ACCUSATIONS THEY WERE THE CAUSE< WHY DONT YOU ALL LOOK UP WHAT OUR GOVERNMENTS REACTION TO PEOPLE WHO WANT TO INVESTIGATE 911 and SEE HOW THEY REFUSE TO COMMENT, why did this movie get trashed by the media? Just like The Golden Compass did? Movies that educate and hope to awake truth in the people are very disliked by our FACIST MEDIA RULERS< who and please look this up and do research, are all apart of the same group of World Billionares and Trillionars who align themselves in power positions above world government by owning huge corpations with more power and influence, these people seek DEPOPULIZATION, and A ONE WORLD ORDER, this movies warns us to wake up to what you believe and what your told to believe, and M Night makes sure all those SHeep and Cattle out there wouldnt even see "it" and would think the movies about killer plants, and those who know the truth would feel his message, right on M Night , RIGHT ON!!!

Re: The Happening theories (spoiler alert)
 

Um, the shots of the wind were explained thoroughly: the wind carries the neurotoxin. This was all spelled out pretty clearly. How you've somehow managed to block out all the blatant implications and latch onto non-sequiturs is beyond me.

Sorry, but it's painfully obvious that you're projecting your own kooky worldview onto this movie.

Re: The Happening theories (spoiler alert)
 

I think there is a mathematical affect as well. Julian was a math teacher, and there were several math references, including the girl on the phone repeating "calculus" over & over, before she died.

Re: The Real Dark Meaning of this Movie no one wants to talk about
 

Wow! that is totally intresting. i'm gonna have to think on this one.

Re: The Happening theories (spoiler alert)
 

i agree, and why does the film focus on a math and science teacher? i'm thinking about how the greeks used to use math in corrolation with astronomy and philosophy. i'm not that book smart to remember anything but i'm sure theres a connection there.

Re: The Happening theories (spoiler alert)
 

So...I have a theory that sort of extrapolates on the plant theory. I do think that the plants are what is releasing the toxins (or whatever) because it starts in parks, etc (and now because of his original title as well). I didn't really debate this part of it...what I focussed on was the trigger: Why did some people get affected at certain times and why didn't others? I think it has to do with mood/emotion. I think that the plants have had enough of us peeps destorying the planet so they decided to kick some ass of their own. The trigger? Negative emotion. If someone starts eminating negative feelings (which theoretically plants respond to), these spores or toxins or whatever get set off as a defence. In other words, mother nature being proactive in nipping a potentially dangerous person in the butt.

1. One of the two girls hears a scream in the park (while the other one reads a book about a killer). Violent crime being committed?

2. The introduction of the mood ring Whalberg carries with him.

3. Mark Whalberg's character is so passive aggressive. The underacting gets this across really nicely and if you take it as that then its actually a pretty sweet performance. He never loses his temper...always monotone. = safe

4. His wife talks about never showing her feelings. She shares this personality trait with the little girl. She goes so far as to say to the little girl "you're just like me, I keep my feelings on the inside as well". = both safe

5. The old lady in the house is unaffected until she freaks out on Whalberg and gets all bent out of shape. = head smashy smashy.

6. When the group is walking through the field with the army dude. Two of the guys at the front of the line start to get in an argument...2 seconds later..."my firearm is my friend."

7. In France, another scream sets off that park's plants.

So, when all is said and done, I think Mr. Shamalan is taking a page from Peter Pan: Think happy thoughts :) (or at least stay the hell away from negative people if ticked off plants are in the vicinity) ;)

Re: The Happening theories (spoiler alert)
 

The mood ring is a serious symbol, Marky Mark is able to avoid the death toxins affect at least once in the film, But like I said before, look at the work of M Night, and how this movie doesnt pull the whole movie together at the end for all people to say "I GET IT", why? You cant just say he did this for no reason, I have to assume his message to be so radical, it had to be kept secret, so what is the secret last scene that ties the movie together? The TV show of course!, and It pretty much smashed the so-called experts opinion on "the happening"...( as I watch TV, especially news or information programming right now in this country of the US, I see lies and lies and no one pointing out the lies, basically my TV has become facist propoganda, it got America to agree to Iraq and other Middle Eastern Wars, and was used to scare us into wanting the Patriot Act, which simply gives the president dictator like powers in certain areas he didnt have power in before. Americans think the news they read or watch is non biased, its completely the veiws of RICH RICH RICH international conglomorate powers far greater in power than most countries.) So this TV expert in "the Happening", is just trying to convince the people "its the Plants", because plants are like "terrorist" you can really defeat them. Its an enemy that a secret enemy could use as the facade to commit mass murder, Research Depopulization people its not a new issue, the US government used sterilization in the 1920 in its own society. China arrests families for having 2 children, ITs been an issue for a long time, and our world population of 6 billion is believed by some to be out of control, who believes that, well it just happens to be the RICH RICH RICH international conglomorate powers far greater in power than most countries. (BildenBurg Group). So I gotta say M. Night is warning those of us who are smart enough to be worth warning, But to finish what I started at the very top, If this was a top secret government weapon, did it have the ability to save people deemed worthy? What about the multple scenes where some americans refuse to help others with rides seemingly leaving them to die, and even the scene where they Kill those children bc they dont want to get affected? Could our government soon try to turn us all against ourselves, so we "kill ourselves" and do all the dirty work for them? Anyone who thinks this movie is about Killer Plants and going green, thats all part of the facade of the film as this cheesy B movie, there are layers of metaphor and truth, I mean, alot of people really believe the first man on this earth was named Adam and he lost a rib and Eve came into existance and later at an Apple(Check out the Mac Logo) from an evil snake and caused us all to be evil by nature and need control. But alot of other people think thats a story with a message far more important that the literal facts. Those of you who don't like my ideas? Check yourself, are you scared of them being true?, if they were true would you even want to know or have it proved to you?, and why would you not want to know if it was true? Whats more important, Comfort, or Freedom?

Re: The Happening theories (spoiler alert)
 

Wow, did you even watch the ending? How on earth did it "smash" the experts opinion? The only thing that happened was that the TV show host (who, though fictional, would work for the "RICH RICH RICH corporations" you're so transfixed by) asked the expert why the effects were confined to the Northeast. If you'd paid attention earlier in the film, you'd have noticed that someone mentioned that the Northeast has far more nuclear power plants than the rest of the country. Nuclear power plants were also specifically (and blatantly) visible in the background of the plant nursery they visit.

Not only that, but the film ends with the same thing happening in France, which gets the overwhelming majority of its energy from nuclear power. THAT'S what's being tied together. None of your paranoid ranting about fascism and corporations has any bearing in the film. Re-read your posts...90% of them is rant, unrelated to the film and not based in anything it says. I've read your post twice, and can't find any mention of any evidence in the actual film to support your convoluted conclusions.

Not only that, but even your basic logic is at fault. You say that the movie doesn't pull everything together at the end and make its cause obvious, and you take this alone as proof that it must be hiding a more sinister message. That's what's known as a "non-sequitur." Nothing in the first premise implies the second. Night has a history of stopping short of definitive explanations in his films, most notably in Signs, which presents many theories as to what the Aliens wanted, but no actual answers. I suppose that's actually a subversive commentary on American foreign policy, too, right?

Sorry, but either start citing some actual evidence within the film or spare us your craziness.

Re: The Happening theories (spoiler alert)
 

totally! and someone else pointed out to me the use of the color yellow in the film.

Re: The Happening theories (spoiler alert)
 

i watched a show yesterday on sir Isac Newton and how he spent his life using math to disect the greek myths into alchemy recipes. he also used math to try and disapprove the christian idea of the trinity. so i think there is a connection between math, science, nature, and the bible in the film.

I Guess its easy to ignore it.
 

Yes the movie from a literal view is about nuclaer plants caused plants to do this event in the northeast, but I promise you M Night was trying to warn/prepare us for depopulization. Signs wasnt even about ALIENS, it was about intuition and how time doesnt exist, and how all those signs were pointing to saving them in that moment, it completely had a closed ending, far far unlike "The Happening" which doesnt tell you how the Happening really occured doesnt tell you why or how just that it is, and ends. We are scared of Aliens but almost can be assured of there existance in the universe and that life could easily be billions of years more advanced that ours, Have you seen History Channel or National Geo channel lately, seems like other people besides me, who you call crazy, seem to be saying some pretty interesting things. Ill ask you not to take out your insecurities on me, I am but a messanger, I am just informing, if you dont wish to believe me thats fine, but the fact you insult me is a direct reflection of your fear to even think about what i talk about, especially to even pretend it could be reality, and when someone is too fearful to have an open mind and fairly challange ideas, you have to then come to the conclusion that your thoughts and ideas may not be your own, maybe your whole world was given or told to you by authority, maybe you are a slave, Im just saying to think about it, dont gotta believe it, now if it were true, it would almost make someone suicidal, so when I watch this movie,I wonder why these plants aren't just making people drop dead, they are making people KILL THEMSELVES AS FAST AS POSSIBLE REGARDLESS OF PAIN, now i dont need people to explain this to me, the movie said the plants were affecting a special part of the brain, I understand the technical reason people did this according to the movie, I am thinking outside the box, why did M Night write it as so? Thats finding the meaning of the movie, your meaning of the movie is about the Global Environment? M Night wants people to realize how much plants probably hate us? Or that nuclaer plants may cause problems we dont forsee, OR, and IM SORRY IM SO RIGHT ON THIS< maybe what Marky Mark said in the classroom is the whole point, WE DONT KNOW JACK ABOUT NATURE< AKA OUR UNIVERSE as a society the majority of humans think there eyes ears nose and mouth and brain can sense everything, see anything that exists, no one knows crap about quantum physics parallel dimensions of energies on a differerent spectrum that our bodies and thoughts yet working inside our space to create everything at the same time. How am I not talkin about this forums topic of what this movies was about, Yes you are all talking about the literal meaning of the question but I am trying to talk about the message M Night is trying to deliver to his audience. The Media man at the end was questioning the timing of the event as to how plants would stop across a vast area instantly, and notes the exact area of the location is why he cant believe it, he is not referencing the Nuclear Plants in the area, IT IS A DIRECT SHOT AT 911 the entire story of what happened on september 11th, and that is the same area of the country, thats why he didnt believe the plant theory, did you know 4000 architects and engineers are formally submitting there indepedantly funded research and conclusions on Sept 11, where they will call for a complete reinvestigation of everything because the 911 Commision Report was complete non scientific and frankly was insulting. You can all go on believing and secretly worshipping money and the RICH RICH RICH people, you wanna pretend are not going to kill you. some media faces are in the know, but most just read and speak clearly that which appears on the teleprompter, and they don't ask questoins.

Re: The Happening theories (spoiler alert)
 

Newton's theory were the best we had to explain life at the time, but recently Newtons theories have all been proven to be false, using string theory and other quantum physics discoveries, M Night uses this movie to convey a message, I see this Yoda guy insulting me but not really saying anything except i dont know what im talking about, and insulting my ideas, I think the TV show at the end is the key, Yoda I guess thinks this movie is about killer plants, making us commit suicide, like a nature version of the film "Pulse" a scary movie, But M Night has a message, The TV show has a guest who is like this Yoda guy, believes the happening can all be explained with these nuclear sites causing the plants to change, and suggests that is what the Interviewer on the TV program is commenting on when he says "But why that Part of the country" idea, but this is the curveball in the movie, when he says he cannot believe the guests theory, based on location and timing, September 11 is a huge historical event that takes place in this same area, terrorists are a theme, the movie hints at the event, M Night is referring to the idea that many americans do believe, 911 was not what the commision report claims, 4000 archetects and engineers have already done an independant study of the events and have proven we were lied to, they cannot tell us what really happened just that what we were told wasnt true, Like Bush's ex press secretary claims, we truely were lied to about the Iraq war on purpose, it was a contrived event. The report is about to be submitted to capitol hill very soon and will demand the investigation be reopened, you are all about to have to make a choice, are you Americans aka United States citizens, or supports of a new International Government , if you wanna act like im crazy, thats your right, but I dare you to do the research and challange your ideas of whats really happening in this world, let me remind you, the US/UN troops have killed over 1 million people in this middle eastern conflict since 9/11, and until we all come together to stop these evil men ruling our country, we are going to be next, M Night is trying to send us a message that something is about to happen, he cant tell you what im saying in the movie, bc just like our media today this is speech that is censored , he had to hide it.

Re: I Guess its easy to ignore it.
 

i think your theory makes sense. the reason mnight says he wanted this to be like a 1950's b horror movie is probably because those movies were also a warning about the real enemy, our government. and alians were realy the threat of other governments, esp. russia and communism. and if the its nuclear plants causing the folliage to act this way, well who created the nuclear plants, the government and scientists. i even thought about invasion of the body snatchers and how that has a very dark undertone of government conspiracy agains society, turning them into mindless sheep and those who don't fallow the status quoe are killed. i think mnigh himself compared the happening to invasion of the body snatchers directly in one of his interviews.

Re: The Happening theories (spoiler alert)
 

All I gotta say is if you want to know more there is alot of really good info online, you just have to seek it

Re: The Happening theories (spoiler alert)
 

i was actually looking up info on joy division today because i'm about to watch the documentary controll when i came across this web site. its someones opinion about how in 1930 hitler used the word terrorism as a form of histeria in order to get people to join his army. an army that idealy wanted to purify the world with his new order by killing of unpure humans. i thought this was a good example of what you are talking about in the happening.

Re: The Happening theories (spoiler alert)
 

i have to post 10 times before i can leave a link

Re: The Happening theories (spoiler alert)
 

so heres the link
http://www.wizardsofaz.com/WacoTrage...tlerstyle.html

Re: The Happening theories (spoiler alert)
 

I just watched the movie here in Singapore. I think most everyone is wrong here. But maybe some truth to the color yellow? It's so easy for people to blame the US gov't for anything, which is totally wrong. The US gov't may be keeping secrets about alien technology, but that's probably all.

I think the real cause is NOT the plants (directly), but the OLD LADY directing the plants specifically in her garden to spread the chemical trigger. Remember the bees incident? She probably caused that to happen (by a fluke discovery) talking to her plants, then tried it on humans. Remember she had that whole garden of flowers and plants. Bees need flowers and pollen, and flowers/plants need bees to populate. Just like humans need plants for oxygen, and plants need people for carbon dioxide. What made me realize this, is when Mark Wahlberg discovered they were in the dead center of where this was happening.

But why did the plants turn on her and kill the old lady? I'm not sure, but I think it was because the plants realized she had no love for others, like Mark Wahlberg, the little girl, and his wife - and how they all 3 needed each other. This old lady hated the world and the people in it. She was extremely self-centered to the extreme opposite of what the chemical does to people.

So the religious aspect is clear to me. Even though she had pictures of Jesus in her room, and professed to be Christian, that's not enough?? Just guessing here...because Jesus taught others to love one another, regardless of anything or their beliefs. This old lady, totally HATED everyone in the world, and these 3 people. I guess the plants in her garden picked up on that, and decided to kill her instead and stop the killing. Crazy people like Bin Laden think that killing innocent people is good, and he thinks he is doing it for God. Sounds similar...

For the ending...maybe this old lady had a sister or something in France, and sent her these special plants, and now her sister is starting it all over again there????

Oh ya, and whenever these plants started killing people, it always happened on a regular schedule early in the morning. Perhaps the same time this old lady woke up in the morning and started talking to her plants and watering them to start killing???

Re: The Happening theories (spoiler alert)
 

Nothing has, nor ever will be, censored in the USA. Free speech and press is a US constitutional right. What newspaper, TV, radio, book, etc. has ever been censored by the US gov't? Never actually. Where is your proof? Only in countries like Iran and Cuba can you find a gov't that actively censures and shuts down permanently free speech & media outlets. If what you say is true, Michael Moore's films would be outlawed. :rolleyes:

Re: The Happening theories (spoiler alert)
 

I think it's just a message to everyone:

Mass suicide = we're killing ourselves with what we're doing to the planet, we are killing ourselves by destroying (slowly) the one thing we need on this earth to survive - NATURE.

If we keep on polluting the earth and destroying plants and trees etc..... we are going to die.

I think this film is just an exaggerated way of showing us what we're doing to ourselves and how we put the blame on other things ie. terrorism.

The news reader couldnt accept that plants/nature could have such a big affect on mankind when told about the plant theory, so is quick to blame terrorism.

It just shows in these posts that people think it's about 9/11 and so on, so quick to blame anything else but ourselves.

MNS told us to think outside the box. i've just looked at this film as a message.


Just my personal opinion

and the maths question depends on the month of the year (just thought i'd add that)

Re: I Guess its easy to ignore it.
 

You "promise" me? Is that supposed to be a substitute for, you know, evidence? And how can you promise me that you know what the man was thinking? You've had lots of chances to explain all this, and all you've done is pontificate. If you had a point that ties to the actual movie, you'd have made it by now. I don't think you can promise anything, other than that you want it to be true.
Could this statement possibly be any vaguer? Yes, you are saying crazy things, though I have no doubt that you can find a handful of others saying similarly crazy things. I'm not sure what you think that proves, though I'd point out that there's a pretty massive contradiction when you babble on about how unreliable the media is, and then hazily mention a couple of cable channels (without sources or explanation) that apparently have at one point broadcast someone saying something crazy.
I have thought about it, and I don't believe it. And sorry, you're not a messenger, because it's YOUR OWN MESSAGE. You're making this up. You don't have a smoking gun, you don't have proof. You're speculating. That makes you the message creator, not the messenger. And the message, when you look at it, doesn't withstand the slightest bit of scrutiny.

If you want to talk about what's "telling," how about the fact that you seem physically incapable of confronting the issue head-on and actually providing the evidence I keep asking you for. Everytime you're asked, you make vague references to something unrelated, and then shift gears and go right back into your giant run-on sentence rants.
This is nonsense. Look at what you're actually saying at its core: because one of the characters said we don't really know anything about our Universe, therefore you can say absolutely anything about what the movie "really" means outside of what actually happens in it, and somehow it's all on-topic? Please. Lots of movies have ambiguities in them; it isn't an invitation to talk about everything under the sun and pretend it has to do with the film.
See, this is exactly what I'm talking about. You talk about the movie for a bit, and then you suddenly leap off in a completely unrelated direction, and then try to pretend the movie led you to it. How is the scene at the end a "direct shot at 911"? Just because it happened in the Northeast? Is your entire theory predicated on that?
Actually, it's 490 architects and engineers. Did you know that Popular Mechanics has directly addressed the most common conspiractorial questions surrounding the event with specific scientific research, and received nothing in the way of a meaningful counterpoint? Probably not, because most conspiracy theorists stop doing research when they find something to support whatever it is they want to believe.
I've worked in radio and TV off and on since I was 13 years old, and this isn't true. Most of the people I've seen on air pay a lot of attention to what they're saying, and most don't use teleprompters at all. Most of them aren't anywhere near rich, either. The idea that everyone in the media is wealthy is a huge misconception.

Look, it's simple: either talk about the movie and provide evidence for what you're saying, or stop trying to pollute people's minds with your inanity.

Re: I Guess its easy to ignore it.
 

This forum is for discussion about M. Night Shyamalan and his films. If you want to swap links about conspiracies, keep it to the PM system or contact each other some other way.

Re: The Happening theories (spoiler alert)
 

J0nathanDC,
Please, for the love of all that is holy, put as much effort into your writing as you do into your argument. This rambling mess gives me a headache. Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa.:sick:

Re: I Guess its easy to ignore it.
 

Sorry. I just thought that the link showed what JOnathanDC was talking about and how that related to his theory about the film. the idea that the government uses the threat of terrorism to cover up the fact it is the government themselves that are causing human destruction and genocide. not that i totally agree with him but i thought he brought up and intresting argument.

here is some theories i had about the film.

One of the themes of the film is human emotion. There have been many theories and philosophies about the population explosion and how people in heavily populated areas seem to have more aggression. Also there are more mental illnesses occurring like bi polar depression, and adhd. Also a rise in crime, road rage, and random acts of violence. I think the film explores the fact that the plants are picking up on the energy humans in overpopulated areas are giving off. That is why the disease happens in heavily planted areas within heavily populated cities, ex, large parks. There is also the symbolism of the mood ring, the color yellow, and the mental problem of not being able to show emotions shared by the wife and the young girl.

I noticed the sign in front of the fake plastic house that said "you deserve this" this symbolized to me the fact that humans are killing themselves by their fake behavior, and the manufacturing of fake products (plastics, food, plants, etc). the happening, were doing it to ourselves because we deserve it.

Is the film a disrespectful mocking of global warming? Maybe the film is portraying how humans have been treating the issues of environment, global warming, pollution, and other things that may ultimately cause the extinction of man on earth. Pointing out the fact that humans don't take the threat seriously.

For example, there is the old woman who refuses to hear anything about the outside world. She seems to symbolize those who turn a blind eye to the worlds problems. The mock house showing that we continue to manufacture fake goods like plastics, food, etc. Then theres the hot dog eating couple who talk to plants. They do their part for vegetation, but continue to excessively eat something that is so over processed (fake) that its more or less bad for us. The wife and girl have no emotions, like some people have no emotions when it comes to environmental issues.

Or perhaps the film is mocking the fact some people exaggerate a threat that may not exist. For example, when scientist can't explain something they theorize that maybe some things in nature can't be explained. The toxin is explained as a natural selection process that has caused the plants to attack humans in order to insure survival of the fittest, aka the plants. Thus, scientifically the happening is a natural process, like the dinosaur’s extinction and ultimate extinction of other human like species and animals. We can't explain it because its nature doing what its going to do no matter what humans do. The news says its terrorists, then the plants, but they’re not sure. The old "expert" in the last TV spot acts crazy and thus discredits himself. its as if his portrayal is a mocking of scientific and enviromental theory. He also represents those who try to analyze a divine situation that might not be explainable and that the demise of humankind is going to happen because it is destined to.

Re: The Happening theories (spoiler alert)
 

hey niner, i found a connection between math, science, and religeon which are all themes of the film. Pythagoreanism.

Re: The Happening theories (spoiler alert)
 

Let us say that one or more of these conspiracy theories are correct: the movie still sux balls, just saying.

Re: The Happening theories (spoiler alert)
 

[quote=Chanman;440507]
Yellow means you're about to laugh and yellow keeps them from dying. I think Shyamalan is trying to say laughter keeps us alive. Which is why there are some goofy scenes in this movie. Its the laughter that keeps them alive.
Maybe its even about giving off good vibrations.
[quote]

Chanman, I think you are on the right track. I think that there were several themes in this movie. The obvious one being that of the necesity to take better care of the environment, because initially we are the reason and cause of our own death through our mistreatment of our natural resources. One of the more subtle themes that I believe Shyamalan was representing is that of our need to care for one another more fully and take responsibility for the human race. The reason I believe that this was one of the themes is because of his violent and persistant portrayal of suicide as the form of death. In his other films, Shyamalan has used adversaries as the killers. In this film the self is the adversary, and as the movie explains it is due to the 'survival' mechanism being disrupted by the toxin released by the plants. Supposedly, the 'self-destruct' in our brains is triggered. In those who struggle with mental illness caused by a combination of social issues and cultural factors, the 'survival' mechanism is often dulled and thoughts of suicide can be triggered.

My friend and I went to see this together and we both interpreted this theme seperately so I felt that maybe my thoughts were confirmed to a certain degree in that :)

We also discussed the old woman who had cut all ties with the outside world. At first we questioned why she was also affected by the toxin when she was supposedly 'outside' the normal chaos of society. We came to the conclusion that the old woman represents the idea that we cannot ignore and shut out the world and its problems because we are in fact a part of everything in existance, even though we attempt to seperate ourselves from our surroundings and other people.

I personally thought the movie was beautiful, but I think that everything Shyamalan does is great. He sticks in a lot of subtle social themes, making them obvious enough that one does not have to be overly-annalytical to spot them.

Re: The Happening theories (spoiler alert)
 

First time here and I would like to post my comments about the movie 'before' I read anyone else's responses.
I have an intuitive interest in M Night's work. He taps into things on a deep level. the movie "the happening" I find with great interest the articles he chooses to have in the scenes. Butterflies etc...and the number posted on the bus '2012'. I feel he knows something 'intuitively' himself and tries to relay this to the public without alarming them. The ones that get it will get it and the ones that don't can leave it behind. I also loved the movie "lady in the water". I knew this meant something as well. I feel it was about the 'changes' upon us and the welcoming of Obama as the leader spoken about that would be a great orator. I look forward to what he reveals next.

Re: The Happening theories (spoiler alert)
 

What keeps us alive is LOVE and compassion. Any other emotions are destructive and harmful to oneself and/or others, according to Buddhist traditions. People need to get rid of "three poisons". One of them is ignorance. Trying to free yourself from dogma and conditioned thinking is the path towards the TRUTH.

Also, here is some interesting information about 'yellow' color:
"Yellow shines with optimism, enlightenment, and happiness. Shades of golden yellow carry the promise of a positive future. Yellow will advance from surrounding colors and instill optimism and energy as well as spark creative thoughts.
How the color yellow effects us mentally and physically
* Mentally stimulating
* Stimulates the nervous system
* Activates memory
* Encourages communication

Re: The Happening theories (spoiler alert)
 

I believe that I may have found a new string to throw into the thread. I noticed alot of blues and yellows in the movie. I know no one has brought up the color blue much but hear me out. What two colors make the color green? Yellow and Blue. What color was also used a lot other than yellow. Blue. If you didnt notice, there was blue trimming all in Mrs. Jones House. Everyone who survived for a substantial period of time, the three main characters and the two boys running with them, both wore the color blue. The wife's eyes were a very almost unreal blue color. The mood ring for most of the movie was...you got it Blue. Now when it wasn't it was yellow. They also said that the color blue on the mood ring meant peace, so I think that the color blue was a sort of protection, it brought them peace. Then the color yellow meant you were going to laugh, bringing happiness. When they combine, they become the color green, the color of the plants, bring peace and happiness which is what the plants wanted.

Re: The Happening theories (spoiler alert)
 

i think its very possible that your all correct ive known from the movies i have seen made by m.night that he seems to always have multiple messages and indications so none of you are wrong but none of you are completely right but yeah i got multiple messages out of that movie, the key is paying attention to every detail even ones that dont seem to matter, like how the two boys were shot, or the crazy old lady, or the fact that while he hints at it being the plants he also hints at it being the gov, or triggered by nuclear power, or like one of you said he did show that the wind brought on the death or could have been all of these or none or a couple of them, why not could the gov have caused the plants to excrete the toxins, and if it was the gov why attack that other country? and why wait 3 months later, just an interesting idea, dont be so quick to discredit other peoples theorys i mean its m.night why not have more than one message more than one cause?

Re: The Happening theories (spoiler alert)
 

I have a problem with the plant theories also. Has anyone wondered why it has to be overcast or cloudy when people start dying? They show a storm blowing into Paris just before the event starts to happen there. I noticed that it was overcast most of the time, and during times where the sun peaks through, there are still plenty of clouds and no true blue skies.

The fact that large groups of people attract the death is contradicted when they all seem to meet at the intersection in the middle of nowhere. Why wouldn't they have been attacked while all being massed together? They don't start being attacked until they've split up again.

Why wouldn't the plants start killing you when you are walking, running, or driving over them? I don't know about you, but I wouldn't want people trampling over me. lol

In the cities, it never shows everyone committing suicide. It also didn't seem to affect everyone. Yet, everyone kills themselves eventually? Or, are there survivors in the cities affected? That is never really explained. I'm guessing their were because the cities are populated again in the end.

My first thoughts as to what was happening, and why it was in the parks, was alien in nature. The gusts of swirling wind looked like some propulsion system. The clouds would roll in (War of the Worlds anyone?) to mask the ships. Mind control is certainly plausable in an advanced race of beings. I'd have to look at that opening scene where they show an upward view of the people jumping off the building. They almost look propelled to me at the time. Could have been bad computer graphics. I don't remember seeing a blue sky, and yet the sun was shining.

The plants and bees theories are too obvious to be the correct ones. If this were a real life murder scene, the obvious is the truth, but this is a movie. It was too obvious with all of the plant talk.

I would guess that the events were either caused by government experiments or alien in nature.

Re: The Happening theories (spoiler alert)
 

Someone towards the top said that there was color reference with the yellow. I believe that Shyamalan used even greater of a color reference. There are three theories:

1. Blue- if you wath the movie, every single person in the movie is wearing blue. Mark wears blue all throughout the film. Jess wears a blue shirt throughout the whole movie, and alma wears a blue dress throughout the film. even the two boys that they travel with are wearing blue. one is wearing a blue and white jersey and the other is wearing a light blue collared shirt. Every single person wears blue. I noticed it when they were all in a group listening to the woman talk to her daughter on the phone. Every single person in the crowd was wearing blue somewhere on themselves.

2. Yellow- like the person said previously, yellow is also a really big color reference. Yellow may be the color used to represent that they would be saved. Alma carries a yellow bag, and at the end before mark ventures out of the ladies house, his mood ring turns yellow.
This also could be metephor for a change in his personality. If you watch the extras on the dvd, shyamalan cut out a scene of a fight between mark and alma, she says that he acts like a child. This change in the color of his mood ring from blue to yellow may mean that he has changed from a child to a man.

3. RED!!!- red was the biggest color reference that i saw in the film. When a death was going to occur, there was red somewhere in the scene. In the opening shot the little dog has a red ball in his mouth, at the construction site the guy has a red decale on his helmet, when the people die at the second park, when the police man shoots himself, the little whit edig has a red collar, when jess's dad leaves he gets into a red jeep and that same red jeep is affected and then they crash themselfs into a tree. When the military sargent kills himself in the field, a woman is carrying a red suitcase, when the two boys get shot at the house, there is red on the swing jess was on, and when the old lady dies there is red flowers in the garden. Finally in the closing scene, there is a red balloon in the background and there are red umbrellas and a lady in a red shirt in the background. Red i feel was his most prodominent and significant color reference. It took me two times of watching it to realize it


now i dont know if it is true, this is just my opinion but it seemed pretty obvious to me idk. think what you will. :)

Re: The Happening theories (spoiler alert)
 

the theme of the movie is very existentialist in nature. like on the first part, people just jump on tall buildings without apparent reasons and people just killed themselves without any cause. well, existence is like that, there is neither reason nor science that can fully understand on why are we here in this world. the self-killings of the people is just a symbol that life has no meaning
and suicide is only an option. but existentialist though suicide for them is an option, considered it as one of the option how to survive in this meaningless world. the other solution is to continue living despite of life's meaninglessness. to find the answer through science or technology is just a waste of time. that is why the end of the movie each viewers remained perplexed on what was it all about. for me IT IS EXISTENTIALISM that m. night shyamalan wants to portray...