A Chilling Horror Tale with A Thrilling Plot

Rating: 8/10 (8 August 1999)

In an industry awash with cheesy horror flicks and unthrilling thrillers, few dare attempt combining the two genres, and even fewer succeed. But The Sixth Sense daresand succeeds. The film never succumbs to the pitfalls of either genre; at no point does the dialogue prove dense or the acting plastic. Written and directed by M. Night Shyamalan (Wide Awake), The Sixth Sense is both bone-chillingly frightening and touching and maintains composure throughout.
Bruce Willis plays Malcolm Crane, a confident child psychologist who has recently received a reward for his dedication to the field. On the evening he and his wife (played by Olivia Williams, Rushmore) are celebrating the honor, a former patient (played by a well-disguised Donnie Wahlberg) of Crowe's breaks into his home. After an emotional, catatonic outburst in which he condemns Crowe for being unable to heal his emotional pain, the patient pulls a gun. Crowe is shot. Without further explanation, the film moves forward to "The Next Fall" (as a subtitle reads). Quickly, we realize that Crowe has changed. Distraught over the failure to help his former patient, Crowe is eager to take on a young boy named Cole Sear, (played by Haley Joel Osment) who exhibits similar symptoms, in hopes of reclaiming faith in his abilities. Although Cole initially feels that Crowe is incapable of providing a solution, he eventually accepts the doctor's open hand. As their relationship grows, Cole, who is rejected by his classmates and is even called a freak by his own teacher, gradually feels comfortable enough to reveal his secret: he sees dead people, everywhere and all the time. Although Willis refutes the idea of otherworldly communication, he is determined to aid the boy.
Crowe's study progresses, and we see just how capable Willis is of performing serious roles. He adeptly portrays a man torn between his urgency to repair the failures of his past and the need to restore his crumbling marriage (caused by the very dedication to his work for which he was rewarded), all with an odd, melancholic irk that fits the character completely. The real star of the feature; however, is Haley Joel Osment, whose precocious acting is honest, centered, and convincing-qualities rarely seen or expecting from children his age. Osment truly convinced me that he was a child tortured by the ghastly apparitions of the dead and by his vicious, cold-hearted peers who issue constant torment. Looking back on the film, I'm honestly not sure what would be worse-seeing the dead or being completely shunned by the living. Nonetheless, Osment's skill is evinced in every petrified facial expression, in every cringe of anguish, and in every eye that wells with tear. I'm anxious to see what the future holds for this bright star.
The analogy between the struggles of Crowe (torn between his work and his personal life) and Cole (tormented by both the living and the dead) constructs the framework that supports their relationship, and is the crux of the film's story (which becomes clearer near the film's end). Shymalan juggles both central characters along with the impressive supporting cast, and he maintains firm control of every one, even though the story falters slightly at times.
But let us not forget the other strength of this film: it is creepy, and it will make you jump from the securityof your seat. Although the gore feels excessive for a PG-13 rating and often seems present only to act as a crutch for the film's snail-like pace, it is quite effective at coercing the hair from one's neck and the warmth from one's skin.
The Sixth Sense succeeds in frightening its audience. But, more importantly, the film achieves the lofty goal of presenting a solid, thrilling story about the struggles between life and death, overshadowed by a strong message of compassion and acceptance.
If you seek a scare with a good story to support it, The Sixth Sense will provide, and the ending will truly blindside you (it's quite a surprise, and it doesn't leave any plot holes that allow arguments along the lines of "that could have never happened if"). And if you're anything like me, this film will haunt you for days, creeping its way back into your mind like a slow tide on a darkened beach.