"The Sixth Sense" (1999) 3 1/2 stars out of 4. Starring Bruce Willis, Haley Joel Osment and Toni Collette. Written and directed by M. Night Shyamalan.
Some movies require patience and a modicum of faith from the viewer. You can sit for an hour or more asking yourself, "Where is this movie going?" or "When is something going to happen?"
Then the last reel unspools, a light goes off in your head and, like a jigsaw puzzle, everything comes together.
That is how you should approach "The Sixth Sense." This supernatural thriller requires careful attention. If you pick up on the nuances, then you will find this a most satisfying feature. If you're the type that needs to be walloped over the head with a sledgehammer, then I suggest you go see "Deep Blue Sea" or "Brokedown Palace."
"The Sixth Sense" is a chiller for serious moviegoers, those who pay close attention to everything that happens on screen.
Writer-director M. Night Shyamalan, with the aid of cinematographer Tak Fujimoto, creates an aura of uneasiness. The movie has an almost surreal quality to it. You know something is not quite right, but you can't put your finger on what it is until the denouncement.
An eerie score by John Newton Howard helps to heighten the suspense. Actually, "The Sixth Sense" is a movie in which - dramatically - not much really happens, yet paradoxically, events are transpiring constantly.
Bruce Willis plays renowned child psychologist Dr. Malcolm Crowe who comes to the aid of Cole Sear (Haley Joel Osment). The boy harbors a dark secret, he is continually visited by ghosts. Everywhere he looks, he sees them.
At 8, Cole is too frightened and confused by his paranormal gift to understand its meaning.
Cole and Crowe work together to uncover the truth and explain the unexplainable. For Crowe, saving Cole would be redemption because of his guilt for not being able to help an earlier patient.
Shyamalan elicits a complex and tortured performance from young Osment. The young man deserves a supporting actor Oscar nod for his portrayal of a little boy overwhelmed by circumstances he can't even comprehend.
Willis is low-key, speaking in mostly whispers as the anguished Dr. Crowe, who is trying - by helping Cole - to put his life back together.
Toni Collette, who made quite an impression a few years ago in "Muriel's Wedding," is confused and vulnerable as Cole's mother. She tries to be supportive and loving, while being totally mystified by what is troubling her son.
"The Sixth Sense" is like a slow carriage ride around the park. You have the time to take in all the sights, sounds and smells.
It, along with "The Blair Witch Project," emphasize that you don't need bloody special effects to create an atmosphere of horror or terror. As always, the mind is the biggest bogeyman of all.
So, savor "The Sixth Sense," like a fine glass of expensive wine. It is a movie that demands you attention and will earn your respect.
Bob Bloom is the film critic at the Journal and Courier in Lafayette, IN. He can be reached by e-mail at bloom@journal-courier.com or at cbloom@iquest.net
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