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The Sixth Sense 1999 |
Review by Jonathan Cornwell |
Directed by M. Night Shyamalan
PG-13, 105 min. (intense thematic material, violent images) |
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Starring: Bruce Willis, Haley Joel Osment, Toni Collette, Olivia Williams, Donnie Wahlberg
Producers: Kathleen Kennedy, Frank Marshall, Barry Mendel
Screenplay: M. Night Shyamalan
Cinematography: Tak Fujimoto
Distributor: Hollywood Pictures
Released: 8.06.99 (Wide) |
Rating:
  (out of ) |
Maybe no other movie in 1999 was as talked about as The Sixth Sense. The shocking ending moved the
movie from the good to excellent category for most people who saw it. There has been criticism from
some corners that the movie itself is not that good, and that the ending is the only thing that makes
it memorable. Well, obviously I disagree. At the heart of this movie are the performances of Haley
Joel Osment, Bruce Willis, and Toni Collette. The stunning debut of Haley Joel Osment as the child
who sees dead people and carries their messages, Bruce Willis as the child psychologist, and Toni Collette
as Cole's mother turns an ordinary story into a near masterpiece of suspense.
The ending is so good, it's almost a shame that the story wasn't developed more skillfully so this movie
would be considered one of the all-time greats. But it's good enough, along with the acting, to make
it one of the best movies of the year. Director M. Night Shyamalan keeps the movie dark and enclosed
around the world of Cole (Osment). We see the movie through his eyes, although it starts with Malcolm
(Willis). In fact, the movie is so well crafted that almost no one could foresee the truth about
Malcolm until they, as Malcolm did, are left wheeling in disbelief.
Willis gives a powerfully quiet performance as Malcolm, a disillusioned psychologist that feels like
a failure because of a past case gone wrong. This is not the Willis we are used to, but it is a welcome
change for the action-oriented star. He perfectly contrasts Cole, who is scared of the dark and has a
dark secret to go along with that fear. The chemistry between the two is the strength of the picture.
It would be difficult to not notice Collette as the strong, yet fragile mother who cares for Cole's
anxiety attacks. As a disbelieving mother at first, then changed to a believing mother at the end, she
convincingly shows she has complete control over her character. In fact, all three performances
deserved Oscar nominations, although Willis did not receive one. And there is no doubt that Osment
deserved the Oscar win instead of Michael Caine, who's work in The Cider House Rules was good but not
great.
I remember sitting in the theater when the movie ended and noticing that no one was heading toward the
exits. The shock that was still fresh in our minds made us sit there and digest everything that
now suddenly made sense throughout the movie. You try and remember parts of the movie where there may
be inconsistency, but you realize it can all be explained. And that's what makes this movie so memorable,
it makes you think and it challenges you to prove it wrong.
© 2000 Jonathan Cornwell
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 |
 | Masterpiece - Film perfection |
| Excellent - A Must See |
| Good - Highly Recommended |
| Fair - Worth seeing |
| Average - Viewable, but not recommended |
| Below average - View at own risk |
| Poor - Avoid at all costs |
| Very poor - An embarassment to the film industry |
| Zero | Awful - One of the worst films ever made |
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