The one-hit wonder thuds out another one.

Rating: 3/10 (15 March 2009)

The Sixth Sense was a fine movie, a truly great addition to the horror/supernatural genre that has so few really good movies (at least in proportion to the garbage). This movie is a waste of very expensive celluloid and I was amazed that Ebert cut it so much slack.
1. The underlying message is a simple minded, heavy handed green preachment. I am a person who regards humanity as the metastasized cancer of the biosphere so I am not reacting to that message as some sort of knee-jerk dominionist corporate booster. If only the environment could defend itself so purposefully. In any case it is not a good enough pay-off to justify sitting through 80 minutes or so of contrived "suspense", mediocre, at best, writing, and all the over-acting.
2. The so-called suspense strikes me as so much padding to a thin short story that might merit an appearance in a magazine or anthology. In essence it is a greened-up knock off of du Maurier's "The Birds" with plants instead of birds, padded out with horror sequences reminiscent of one of the bad Stephen King movies (e.g. Maximum Overdrive).
3. I felt sorry for the actors straining to emote out the frail gossamer of this story line. All criticism of the performances should be laid at the door of the director. If any of these actors are favorites of yours, I recommend self-induced amnesia.
4. It is a wonder that anyone interested in either art or commerce still funds this director's so-called projects after Lady in the Water, and more so after this turkey.
5. I am grateful that the offense was not compounded by a heavy dose of quirky "artistic" camera work as well. It is a perfectly good looking movie, what a decent budget and hiring the right people will get you nearly every time.
M. Night Shyamalan remains, in my opinion, a confirmed one-hit wonder. If audiences and his backers are fortunate, he might someday become a two-hit wonder. Time is running out for him to move up to legend from mere cult in danger of becoming camp.