For me, the last great horror film of the 20th century

Rating: 10/10 (10 August 2001)

Just for my money, the 1999 thriller THE SIXTH SENSE was the last really great horror movie of the 20th century--forget even the much-debated BLAIR WITCH PROJECT.
What makes THE SIXTH SENSE so good is writer/director M. Night Shayamalan's decision to take this story in a manner which is totally the antithesis of today's horror films--i.e., no extraneous blood and guts or nudity--and build a spooky atmosphere. The connection between the psychologist (Bruce Willis) and the young boy (Haley Joel Osment) who sees visions of dead people is one of the more honest adult-to-child connections I've ever seen outside of a Steven Spielberg film. And no matter what anyone else says, the first time I saw this film, I did not see the twist ending coming, nor did a lot of other people either their first time around. That coda is perhaps the best sting-in-the-tail ending since the original PLANET OF THE APES; and somehow, I have the feeling that Rod Serling, no slouch with sting-in-the-tail endings he (see "The Twilight Zone" and APES), would have been proud of Shayamalan for it.
Elements of CARRIE, THE SHINING, and POLTERGEIST, three great horror films all, are present in THE SIXTH SENSE--and yet, this doesn't feel too terribly derivative. I'd put this movie very close to the aforementioned three movies in the horror film pantheon because of its deeply penetrating story and its psychological scares, which were all honestly earned. In summary, THE SIXTH SENSE is a winner.