(Spoilers!!!) Never understood what all the fuss was all about...

Rating: Null/10 (13 August 2003)

I watched this movie on video a couple years back on the recommendation of a sister of mine, who was very excited about it. Towards the end of the movie (again: Spoilers!!!) as the "big twist" finally manifested itself, she looked at me expectantly with the beginning of a smile on her face.

Well, as the summary line of this review makes clear, I had to disappoint her. "That was *it*?!?!?" basically sums up my reaction.

All through the film, what really intrigued me was *why* Bruce's character was going through such rough times. Why was his wife ignoring him so cruelly? What had he done that was so wrong in his treatment of that patient that the guy felt he had to shoot him for it? How had Bruce's character fared after that dreadful shooting? All of those questions were answered very simply by the "startling revelation" that Bruce's character never *had* survived the shooting. Except the crazy guy's reasons. (Guess him being crazy was explanation enough, huh?)
All the stuff about Osmont's character seeing ghosts and the little adventures he and Bruce had with the various apparitions were entertaining, but nothing special in my opinion.
What's even worse, in my opinion, is that the big "surprise" of the movie is not even very original. A major character not realizing they're dead was part of "Ghost" (1990) as well. I remember seeing the idea in a "House of Horrors" comic (I believe it was called) in the early eighties as well.

All in all "The Sixth Sense" strongly reminds me of "Twelve Monkeys" (also with Bruce Willis, also with a number in the title... hmmmm....) - More Spoilers! - a movie that basically revolved around giving the viewer the wrong impression and delighting in making clear that you had been fooled once again!
I see very little of any substance in "The Sixth Sense". The "he's really a ghost!" plot twist has no relevance for Bruce's character at all, while all the little adventures with the other ghosts do not add up to much of any substance either, in my opinion.
The Verdict: 3/10.