One Viewing Only

Rating: 5/10 (10 June 2001)

Contains Spoiler

The Sixth Sense is a good horror film if viewed only once. Additional viewing's unveil numerous inconsistencies and the blatant manipulations of the director. Really now, are we to believe that the main character, as played by Bruce Willis, is oblivious to the fact that since his traumatic experience of being shot, no living person is aware of his existence? Where does he get the referral for the young boy at the start of the film? Another disembodied dead psychologist I guess. Bruce Willis's character laments that he rarely (actually never) converse's with his wife or anybody else for that matter. We're supposed to believe that for a full year he wanders through life oblivious to the fact that no one acknowledges his presence. Horror films such as Psycho, Rosemary's Baby or The Shining stand up to repeated viewings because the essential story line of these films remains consistent and plausible within the world created by the director. There is a richness of ideas in these films that can be continually unearthed. The Sixth Sense is a one shot wonder, a good one at that, but it does not stand up to subsequent viewing's.