Nine years ago, when M. Night Shyamalan 's "The Sixth Sense” blew minds and created a new template for intelligent thrillers, the "Shyamalan twist” became shorthand for a shocker in the late third act — the plot shift that sent viewers home to scratch and soak their heads.

The writer-director's latest film, "The Happening,” is missing the twist along with most of the wit, suspense and style expected from a Sh...