One Of The Most Original, Clever & Intelligently Made Horror Flicks Of The Past 20 Years.

Rating: Null/10 (6 October 2015)

Blending the emotional depth of a heartfelt story with the chilling vibes of a modern horror, The Sixth Sense is M Night Shayamalan's breakthrough feature film that's patiently crafted, skilfully narrated & efficiently performed and still remains his finest directional effort to date. Noted for its foreboding atmosphere, brilliant use of visual motifs & that final masterstroke, it's an excellent example of quality storytelling.
Set in Philadelphia, the story of The Sixth Sense follows a child psychologist who is shot by one of his former patients on the day he was honoured for his work. The plot then jumps to next fall where we see him clearly affected by the whole incident as he takes on a new case of a 9-year old boy who's exhibiting signs of the same illness that his ex-patient did. When he commits to helping him, the boy confides his secret to him.
Written & directed by M Night Shayamalan, The Sixth Sense remains the only film that I've seen of his and the patience & maturity with which he has translated this scripted story on the film canvas is no short of amazing. The screenplay makes sure that each character has a well-defined arc, the symbolic & thematic elements are nicely addressed, those twists n turns are cleverly placed and it keeps its secret well-preserved until the final revelation.
Set pieces, shooting locations & overcast weather conditions really help in creating a dark setting, the fluid movements & sustained focus of its camera, in addition to proper lighting & correct colour tones, add more enhancements to its ominous setting, Editing provides a smooth flow to the whole narrative & unfolds it at a steady pace. James Newton Howard's score comprises of tracks that effortlessly integrate into the storyline to further amplify the whole experience.
Coming to the performances, the cast comprises of Bruce Willis, Haley Joel Osmont, Tori Collette & Olivia Williams, with Willis & Osmont impressing the most. Willis is very restraint in his performance here, Osmont wonderfully captures the plight of his character & is able to express it convincingly, the scenes between Willis & Osmont are surprisingly fascinating, Collette does well as the concerned mother and the arc of each one of these characters is fully realised on the screen.
On an overall scale, The Sixth Sense delivers the chills without for once discarding its firm grip on the viewers' senses, maintains a stunning balance between all filmmaking aspects, and continues to be counted amongst the most original, clever & intelligently made horror flicks of the past 20 years. While it'll definitely surprise the newcomers, the only drawback The Sixth Sense has in my opinion is that its effect begins to wear off more n more on each subsequent viewing. Nevertheless, it's a must for every horror fanatic.