Visually stunning, but hardly a masterpiece

Rating: 7/10 (28 April 2003)

I, like the majority of reviewers of this film, found myself confused and frustrated at the end, but not disappointed. MD is visually stunning and had me in its grasp to the very end - even after the 180º turn in the last third of the film. What makes a masterpiece? Undoubtedly we can say that Schindler's List and Citizen Cane are in that category. But who had to watch them repeatedly to figure out what they meant? I saw Schindler's List twice only because I wanted to experience it again. I've seen Citizen Cane about four times because it's a fantastic work of cinematic art. The majority of reviewers sat through MD more than once because they were so confused by the ending that it became a quest to decipher Lynch's story. Granted, they (and me) enjoyed the film and it was a labor of love to understand. But is that a characteristic of a masterpiece?
The Sixth Sense and MD, though barely in the same category, share IMDb traits. As of April 28, 2003 The Sixth Sense scores an overall rating of 8.2 and is #72 in the top 250. MD scores an 8.0 and is ranked at #139. These are very close scores which means that, in general, they are regarded almost as equals in their viewer approval. However, The Sixth Sense is superior of the two thrillers - both being of the kind that pull a major, unexpected, even confusing plot twist near the end. Shyamalan explains the twist using flashbacks. You come out of the movie shocked and loving that fact that Shyalaman "got ya". Lynch's end is so confusing and the flashbacks only make it more so. This is not just my opinion - read the other reviews. It took me two viewings of MD, hours rummaging through the IMDb message boards and several external websites before I finally found the blue key that unlocked Lynch's vision. Now that I understand his story I really like it but I don't believe that a "masterpiece" should have to be viewed repeatedly and broken down scene by scene to be understood. Still...Rebekah del Rio singing "Llorando" as Betty and Rita break down in tears was a mesmerizing moment in the film. 7 out of 10 stars.