Sixth Sense, The (1999)

reviewed by
Christian Pyle


The Sixth Sense (1999)
a review by Christian Pyle

The Sixth Sense Written and Directed by M. Night Shyamalan Starring Bruce Willis, Haley Joel Osment, Toni Collette, Olivia Williams Official Site: http://movies.go.com/sixthsense/index.html Grade: A-

When I saw the trailer for "The Sixth Sense," I didn't expect much from it. My snap judgment was that it was a watered-down version of "The Shining" or possibly a late-entry in the glut of angel-related movies/TV shows of a couple years ago. But all the buzz motivated me to give it a shot. It turned out to be one of the most satisfying movie experiences of the year.

Bruce Willis plays child psychologist Malcolm Crowe. At the beginning of the movie, he is admiring an award the city has given him for his work, but he is soon confronted by Vincent, a patient Malcolm failed years earlier (Donnie Wahlberg-former New Kid-in an impressive cameo). A year passes, and Malcolm is treating another child with the same symptoms Vincent displayed. Cole Sear (Haley Joel Osment) is a withdrawn kid who is called "Freak" by the other boys in the neighborhood. Weird things seem to happen around Cole-his mother (Olivia Williams) leaves the kitchen for a moment and returns to find every cabinet and drawer open even though Cole hasn't moved-and Cole seems to know things that a kid his age shouldn't-for example, that there was once a gallows in his school. He steals religious icons from churches to build a chapel in a pup tent in his bedroom.

The trailer gave away the movie's first major plot twist. If it hadn't, the first hour of the movie would be more engrossing because we wouldn't know what's wrong with Cole. If you're lucky enough to have not seen the trailer, stop reading this review right now and go see "The Sixth Sense."

Anyway, since the trailer gave it away, I figure it's fair game to discuss here. Once Malcolm gains Cole's trust, Cole reveals his secret: he sees ghosts everywhere. Dead people wander around not knowing that they're dead, invisible to everyone except Cole. Malcolm gradually begins to realize that Cole is telling the truth.

The box office success of "The Sixth Sense" has generated a lot of press about how horror movies rule the box office this year and lots of theories about why that's so. I hate to burst anybody's bubble, but "The Sixth Sense" isn't really a horror film. At its core, "The Sixth Sense" is a touching story of how a troubled kid and an emotionally-scarred adult help each other to move past their problems. Some scenes with the ghosts are wonderfully creepy, though. One that really got to me: the ghost of a boy says to Cole, "I'll show you where my dad keeps his gun"; when the ghost turns, we see the bullet wound in the back of his head.

Osment gives the best performance I've ever seen from a child actor. It's hard enough to find a grown-up in Hollywood who can give a subtle, realistic portrayal! Although Willis gets top billing, Cole is really the protagonist of the story, and Osment truly brings the complex kid to life. If only Willis' work were as impressive. Accustomed to delivering catchphrases rather than dialogue, Willis is stiff and awkward as Malcolm, his most challenging role to date. (This is a bad omen for his next movie, "The Story of Us," which chronicles the ups and downs of a marriage).

Writer/Director M. Night Shyamalan has a light, poetic touch that goes to the heart of the viewer without seeming sappy or trite. He's also a skillful storyteller, as the movie's ending demonstrates. Only when the final secret is revealed do you realize that Shyamalan has been hinting at it throughout the movie. Look for a cameo by the director as a doctor who treats Cole.

Bottom line: Osment should get an Oscar nomination, and you should go see this movie.

© 1999 Christian L. Pyle

Read my reviews and others at the Mad Review: http://www.madreview.com/main.html


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