Overall, it was great!

Rating: Null/10 (16 February 2000)

When I first learned what the film "The Sixth Sense" was about, I did not want to see it. I thought it was a horror film, and horror is not my cup of tea. However, when I began reading reviews about it, I began to reconsider and finally got the courage to see it. It was a good thing I did, for "The Sixth Sense" is really a fine film.
Since everyone by now knows about the film, I will not go into much detail about the plot. Bruce Willis plays Dr. Malcolm Crowe, a child psychologist who was a great success -- with all but one former patient who later accused him of having failed the patient. The former patient then shoots Crowe and kills himself. The sense of failure devastates Crowe and strains his marriage. So, Crowe decides to help Cole Sear, played by Haley Joel Osment, a boy who reminds him of the former patient. But Crowe gets more than he bargained for. Abnormal sychology is little help in this matter, and eventually Crowe must abandon his preconceptions in order to help Cole -- and eventually himself.
The film is great. True, it may seem slow to some, but it's simply taking its time to create the proper atmosphere.
The actors are what make the film great. Olivia Williams, as Crowe's wife, does a fine job with what she has. Toni Collette also does a fine job as Cole's mother, who truly loves her son but does not know what's wrong with him. Her love is why Cole can't confide in her until the end. Since I never saw the "Die Hard" films, I don't have any preconceptions of Willis as an actor, so I thought he was just fine as Crowe. His performance was understated, and by the end of the film, you see why it was that way. And it was a pleasant surprise to see Shakespearean actor Greg Wood as the father of the poisoned girl. (I'm a Shakespeare nut.)
But the best performance has to come from Haley Joel Osment as Cole. He was terrific! That was probably the main reason why the movie was as unnerving and as great as it was. He really made me feel Cole's terror whenever the ghosts appeared. He stole the show, and indeed it was best he stole the show, as the movie would've suffered without his acting ability. I hope he wins the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor, as I believe he truly deserves it.
One final note: the ending is really great! It explains a lot that might have been confusing to some.
So, I suggest you see "The Sixth Sense", even if you have to rent it on video or buy a DVD to do so. It is really a great film, as its six Oscar nominations indicate.