Polished, efficient, derivative, inert...

Rating: 6/10 (26 March 2006)

Bruce Willis looks appropriately grim throughout thriller about a child psychologist who attempts to help a troubled young boy who claims to see ghosts. Surprisingly popular other-worldly yarn (surprising because the film is so old-fashioned), it goes to sometimes hokey means to get a scare out of the audience, but is nevertheless very well-made and engrossing. Written and directed by M. Night Shyamalan, the picture is low-keyed, somewhat ambitious, but not very delicate, with plot-holes and moments where there seems to be no driving force behind the narrative; for such a deliberately-paced movie, Shyamalan doesn't show much grace, only technical finesse. "The Sixth Sense" is like a good "Night Gallery" episode: occasionally suspenseful, with solid, non-showy performances, but with the general feeling that we've been down this road before. **1/2 from ****