Well Written, Well Acted... So Why Was It Bad?

Rating: 5/10 (25 November 2000)

Picture a movie that has good acting, and believable dialogue. Sounds like quite a good movie. But just because it was written well, doesn't mean it was a good movie. I saw this film, and from the beginning noticed that the cinematographer was trying a little too hard with some scenes to give a view of "Look at the talents I have."
I can understand that, but it was much more subtle and well-done in The Sixth Sense. Also, the movie tends to drag out, like a large novel. My personal interest only peaked during the last quarter of the movie, and sharply dropped in the last 30 seconds before the credits rolled. (If you see it, I think you'll understand why these 30 seconds should have just been cut out, and left the story hanging)
The plot is complex, so complex in fact, that it takes 3/4 of the movie to establish just what is going on, without it sounding cheesy.
I was looking forward to this movie mainly because the trailer was excellently mysterious, and because M. Night Shyamalan had established a quick but strong reputation with his Oscar-Nominated predecessor, but in the end, gave it a 5.