Thoroughly remarkable filmmaking!

Rating: 10/10 (2 August 1999)

Caught The Sixth Sense at a sneak preview. I'd only had the trailer to go on to know what to expect, and besides thinking that trailer suffers from the give-too-much-away-itis' that most trailers seem to suffer from these days, I had little clue what to expect. I'd never seen any of M. Night Shyamalan's work, never saw Toni Collette in anything and only had Rushmore to go on in knowing Olivia Williams, so I can tell you I was pleasantly surprised by what I saw tonight. Shyamalan has written a corker of a script, stylish and lean, and his direction is truly remarkable. The pacing may make some impatient gonzos squirm (as it did with the moron behind me who kept muttering back to the screen), but this is no cheap-scare-a-minute wild-cutting frightfest. Instead, we get a moody, creepy and suspenseful masterwork, with a gripping story and great, great performances from the whole cast. Toni Collette and Olivia Williams are excellent, but it is Willis and Haley Joel Osment (Forrest Gump Jr.) that are the backbone of this film, and their work is incredible. Will you be frightened? Yes. Are there scary moments? Yes. Are there any gross-out ghoulies jumping out at you or outrageous FX to make you realize that this is the scary part and I'm supposed to scream now?' Most definitely not. What you do get is a convincing and unnerving film that crawls under your skin and waits for the right moment to grab you. Shyamalan is a talent to watch out for, and Willis continues to amaze me with his keen eye for odd projects that turn out to be fantastic movies. Can't wait to see it again. One bit of advice: Go in cold. Don't read reviews, don't talk to friends. Trust me on this, you'll thank me later.