Excellent

Rating: 9/10 (29 May 2002)

M. Night Shyamalan's rapid-fire follow up to 'The Sixth Sense' is, for my money, the better film. With his wonderfully original and perfectly structured screenplay, this young master once again has us entirely in his thrall. But it's the beautifully understated performances from Willis, Wright and Jackson which really make this work. With the wrong actors, or the wrong direction, this unusual story with its 'family values' subtext could easily have descended into absurdity or melodrama, but the tone of chilling plausibility is maintained till the end. Slick production design, thoughtful camera work and editing, and a surprisingly effective score from James Newtown Howard, add the final touches to what is a very, very impressive piece of work.