Story: M. Night Shyamalan
Cast: Bruce Willis, Haley Joel Osment, Toni Collette
Music: James Newton Howard
Time: 107 minutes
Bottom-line: If you are patient enough for the twist ending, you
will like it
Arguably
M. Night Shyamalan’s magnum opus, and one of the most celebrated supernatural
films of all time, The Sixth Sense
stars Bruce Willis and Haley Joel Osment in the lead roles, with Toni Collette
and Olivia Williams in the supporting roles. Known for its twist ending and
acting, the film’s pace is an issue, but by the end, it is one hell of an
experience. The film was nominated for six Academy Awards, but won none.
I see dead people.
Philadelphia:
Doctor Malcolm Crowe (Willis) is a child psychologist who has just been
honoured by the Mayor for his work. As he spends the night at home with his
wife, Anna (Williams), they find a man in their bathroom, who accuses Crowe of
failing him. The man, Vincent, shoots Crowe before committing suicide. The timeline
shifts several months ahead, when Crowe is on his next case: a 9-year-old named
Cole Sear (Osment), very similar to Vincent. Determined to make up for his
failure with Vincent, Crowe devotes all his time to the boy, even putting his
family second. Cole’s mother, Lynn (Collette) is also worried about her son,
especially after seeing signs of physical abuse. As Crowe and Cole spend more
time together, Cole finally reveals his secret that he can see ghosts. As Crowe
urges Cole to communicate with the ghosts and find out their purpose, it slowly
starts to reflect on his own life and troubles as well.
Though
the story is most famous for its twist ending, Shyamalan wanted to make it more
than just a horror tale. Infused with the main story are elements of sentiment,
especially involving the relationship between Cole and his mother, and between
Crowe and his wife. These seemed to throw the plot off-course, but by the end
you realise that it is this sentiment that gives meaning to the incidents you
see. There are a lot of hints to guess the twist, but all of them ingeniously
hidden.
The Sixth Sense
is often categorised as a horror film, but it’s not. It involves supernatural
elements, yes, but apart from a handful of gory imagery involving lynched
bodies and bloodied “corpses” – and one particular scene where Cole encounters
the ghost of a young girl – there isn’t much horror. Shyamalan creates that
jolt in the viewer because of clever camerawork – and background score – such
that you don’t expect the person to suddenly appear – a recurring technique in
his films.
Haley
Joel Osment’s acting is something you should look out for. Eleven years old
when the film was made, the child actor shows incredible maturity and talent in
portraying the troubled boy. Toni Collette’s performance – although
overshadowed by that of Osment – is equally brilliant. Her character is quite
complex: she is in a position to defend her son’s supernatural abilities though
she doesn’t believe them herself. She always puts her son first, in contrast to
Crowe, who progressively gives lesser and lesser time to his wife. I also liked
Collette’s role as a mother in Little Miss Sunshine.
So,
The Sixth Sense is widely regarded as
a supernatural classic, known for its acting and climax. The story gets slow at
times, but there’s always a surprise around every corner. It’s well worth a
watch.
My Rating: 3.5/5
Rotten Tomatoes rating:
85%
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