The Sixth Sense (1999)

M. Knight Shyamalan’s brilliant film about a boy who can speak to ghosts, and the psychologist who tries to help him.

Shyamalan is one of the most talked about directors of recent years. His films have fallen into two very different categories: Outstanding Achievements, or Epic Failures. This being said, he has brought a lot of interesting stories to the industry, and even if The Village (2004) was a total disaster, the man did bring us Unbreakable (2000), which, if you haven’t seen it, is a great piece of cinema. Luckily, The Sixth Sense falls into the former of the categories, and is a wonderful made piece of supernatural thriller.

Bruce Willis plays Dr. Malcolm Crowe, a troubled psychologist who, after being shot by a former patient, has focused his life into redeeming himself for the mistakes he made with that patient, and wants to help a child in a similar situation. He happens upon Cole Sear (Haley Joel Osment), who displays many of the same traits that the assassin did, such as anxiety issues, being a loner etc. Malcolm dedicates his life to helping Cole, whilst his relationship with his wife seems to have been in tatters since the shooting, and only gets worse as the Doctor becomes obsessed with helping Cole. Once it is revealed that Cole sees dead people, the film takes on a creepy pace, as everyone struggles with their secrets.

This being the first time I have watched The Sixth Sense it was impossible to not have been influenced by the huge array of pop culture references to the film. I abstained from watching it for as long as I could, simply because I knew the epic twist at the end. However, I must say, even though I knew what was happening all along, this was still an amazing film. Brilliantly shot, genuinely scary in places, Shyamalan has created a enduring film that will stand up as one of the greats. His attention to small details, and a perfectionist approach to standards give this film the high quality which has ensured it is not a great story ruined (see the aforementioned The Village).

Willis is outstanding in this film, absolutely perfect for the role, and great to see him shedding the die-hard stunts for an intimate and challenging piece of script drama. Osment is breathtaking in this film! He is an absolute prodigy. His timing is perfect, his vocal tones deliver the lines like a natural, and he has a beautiful vulnerability that makes him so engaging.

If you haven’t seen this film, and don’t know the ending (where the hell have you been!) then I demand you watch it. If you do know the ending, it is still a magnificent piece of drama, one that is thoroughly entertaining, gripping, and thrilling.