The Sixth Sense (1999)

Review by Bret Walker

It's good to see films of this quality erupting from Tinsel Town. The Sixth Sense is an intelligent film with a lot of qualities that make it one of the best films I've seen this year. It has it all: action, drama, plot, characters, heart-pounding suspense, and a twist ending that absolutely leaves the viewer going "What?"

Malcolm Crowe is an extremely successful child psychiatrist who is haunted by the memory of a patient that he failed to help. When he starts seeing another patient who has the same characteristics of the patient he feels he let down, he sets himself to making progress with this boy, no matter what the cost. The boy has a secret and refuses to tell anyone, until the doctor has come into the strictest of confidence. After he shares his secret with the doctor (he sees dead people, duh!), the doctor helps him to overcome his fears and turn his gift into a tool for helping the recently departed who are coming to him.

Several things struck me about this film. First, it was filmed in and around the Philadelphia area, and I got pretty misty-eyed with all the beauty of the scenery. Second, the acting was pretty phenomenal. Bruce Willis never ceases to amaze me with his acting ability, and Haley Joel Osment certainly deserved the Oscar nomination he garnered with his role as the frightened child with a bewildering gift. Third, the story flow and progression absolutely riveted me to my seat. There were several times when I felt my skin crawl and my pulse quicken. Shyamalan certainly has a gift for this type of storytelling.

Lastly, there was the twist at the end. I won't tell you what it was, but if you have seen it, you know what I'm talking about. All I could do was to sit there and say "Oh my GOD! Oh my GOD!" I looked at my wife, who knew the ending and said nothing, God bless her (this despite the fact that her own mother had ruined it for her a couple weeks before, the big weenie!). And all I could say was "Oh my God!"

'Nuff said. The Sixth Sense comes with my full recommendation. If you love suspense, a good film, a good story and terrific acting, go see it and then say "Oh my GOD!" at the end. And then think of me.

Rating:

Trivia:

Toni Collette started her career in her native Australia, most notably in her second film, Muriel's Wedding (1994) as the title character with an affinity for ABBA and Ding-Dongs. After The Sixth Sense, she appeared as the hounded waitress/witness in Shaft (2000).

Donnie Wahlberg started his career as a New Kid on the Block. While his movie career hasn't been as eye-catching as that of his brother Mark, he's still had quite a few good roles, including Cubby Barnes, one of the kidnappers in Ransom (1996).

Links:

The Sixth Sense on Haley Joel Osment's Website

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