THE SIXTH SENSE
A film review by Steve Rhodes
Copyright 1999 Steve Rhodes
RATING (0 TO ****): *** 1/2
Back in the 1930s, the Academy gave out small Oscars for the best
juvenile performance of the year. (This was before the word juvenile
became a pejorative.) It is a shame that this practice has fallen by
the wayside, since young Haley Joel Osment (the little boy from BOGUS)
would win this year's award hands down for his incredible work as the
star of THE SIXTH SENSE.
Bruce Willis, who costars with Osment, delivers one of the strongest
performances of his career and still manages to be upstaged by the
talented youngster. "The most amazing child actor I've ever seen" is
how Willis refers to Osment in the film's press notes. "I rank this kid
up there with the best adult actors I've worked with over the years."
After seeing the child's brilliant work in this remarkable film,
Willis's observations are easy to agree with.
THE SIXTH SENSE, written and directed with subtly and grace by M. Night
Shyamalan, doesn't fit neatly into any genre, no matter what the
trailers might lead you to believe. Perhaps the best way to define it
is to say what it isn't. It's not a horror movie, although there are
some frightening images. The script is too interior and intellectual to
be considered a traditional thriller, but you will find yourself on the
edge of your seat. The movie isn't a comedy even though there are
plenty of appreciated opportunities for laughter to break the film's
intensity. Finally, it isn't a romance, but love is a major theme.
So what is it? Any category you put it in would be needlessly limiting
and inappropriate. Suffice it to say that it's a film that will
surprise and mesmerize you. It's the sort of film that's liable to
elicit a "wow" at the conclusion.
This review will give only the briefest of outline to the story, less
than the trailers provide, so that there is no fear of revealing any of
the fascinating details of the plot.
Award winning child psychologist Dr. Malcolm Crowe (Willis) goes to help
8-year-old Cole Sear (Osment). A frightened loner, who's called a freak
at school, Cole has a secret that he will not reveal to anyone. "You're
nice, but you can't help me," Cole tells Malcolm. This is a boy so
troubled that he steals religious figurines from church in order to
increase the size of the altar in the hidden place in his bedroom.
In his tenderest performance ever, Willis shows his empathy for the
boy's troubles. Malcolm had a bad incident with a previous patient, and
he views Cole as his chance, perhaps his last chance, to make amends.
The guilt-ridden Malcolm is also having trouble in his marriage. His
wife, Anna (Olivia Williams from RUSHMORE), doesn't understand him
anymore, and they both suffer from depression.
One day, the very serious boy decides to reveal his secret to the
doctor, something he hasn't been willing to do with his mother. "I see
dead people," he claims. "They don't know they're dead. They only see
what they want to see." But is there any truth in this?
Tak Fujimoto's dark, intense cinematography reflects the somber tone of
the two protagonists' troubles. The complex and rewarding script blends
in a strong life-affirming aspect to the melancholy story. The touching
film moves with great delicacy as it reveals its truths. The cinematic
equivalent of a page-turner, the movie keeps your eyes glued to the
screen. The writer respects the intelligence of the audience, saving
the answers to many of the key questions that the story poses for as
long as possible.
As the ending credits roll, you'll be busy discussing the film with
everyone around you. One subject of the conversation will undoubtedly
be that you want to see it again. It's that good and that intriguing.
THE SIXTH SENSE runs 1:54. It is rated PG-13 for intense thematic
material and violent images and would be fine for teenagers. An R
rating might have been more appropriate.
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Have I seen this movie: Yes
And What Did I Think: The Sixth Sense is a very creepy movie that will give you chills, and make you wonder if its dead people doing it. This movie takes a little while to get started, but is great once it does. Bruce Willis gives an excellent perfomance here, but I think Haley Joel Osment, who plays the young boy Cole in the film, does an even better job. His now famous line of "I see dead people" was very creepy. The poor kid is terrorized, as any other person would be after seeing some of the images that he sees. Later he learns to cope with it, and helps some of them, but you wonder how this kid will turn out when he grows up. From how good this movie is doing..... hmmm... sequel? I especially liked the scenes with the little girl that recently died, and the videotape she gives him to give to her father. However, the real shocker is at the end of the movie where one of the most unique plot twists is revealed. I won't give the ending away, but I was rather shocked and surprised. Try not to hear the ending of the movie, because it will spoil it. So it was a very good movie, but it was a bit slow at times. Also, they should have showed more images of the kid interacting with dead people, it would have made the film even better. It's not up there with some of the classic chillers like Silence of the Lambs, but its close and it definately is worth seeing. I've heard Oscar buzz with this film, so who knows what might happen come award time.
I give The Sixth Sense 4 out of 5 stars.
Review written August 23, 1999
