The Sixth Sense

The Sixth Sense is one of those films that everyone seems to know the twist to, but fewer people have actually seen it. It was a shame then that I went into this film knowing exactly what was going to happen at the end. There is no doubt that this spoiled it somewhat for me, but nonetheless, I was able to take the perspective of someone who didn’t know the twist and appreciate that this film is incredible. I’m going to do my utmost not to reveal any crucial plot details during this review, but some may slip out, and I’m sorry if they do.

It tells of the child psychologist Malcolm Crowe who is talking to a child who has psychological issues. Strange things seem to be happening to this child and at one point he maintains that he can ‘see dead people’. These dead people don’t know they’re dead and haunt him. Malcolm helps him to get rid of these ‘ghosts’ by listening to what they want. However, Malcolm has personal issues of his own, and his marriage appears to be falling apart, because his wife hasn't spoken to him for the entirety of the film. Throughout the film we see Malcolm solve Cole’s ghost problems and then confront the issue of his marriage. It is here that the audience is slapped in the face with a twist that is absolutely stunning. If I didn't already know the ending then it would have been one of the best ‘Oh my God’ moments I’d ever seen.

Bruce Willis stars as the child psychologist Malcolm Crowe, and for once in his acting career he seems fairly anonymous. I mean, there didn't seem to be any instances of particularly incredible acting in the film. I think he’s good in the role that he plays, but there’s nothing about the role that Bruce Willis makes memorable. The only memorable thing about Bruce Willis’ character and acting is the ending. This might be a source of criticism, but I disagree. I don’t think that an actor can be unbelievable in every film, much in the same way that a sportsman can’t have an incredible game week in week out. I mean Robert de Niro in Little Fockers is testament to that. While Bruce Willis is fairly replaceable in The Sixth Sense, I quite like the job that he does with the character.

The show is undoubtedly stolen by Haley Joel Osmet. In much the same way that Linda Blair is memorable in The Exorcist, Osmet’s performance in The Sixth Sense will stick with me for a while. The character of Cole is slightly sinister, very creepy and very emotional throughout the film. It is quite hard to play an introverted loner as an adult, and so for a child to do this is very impressive. In addition to conveying the fear that Cole shows he exudes an air of the sinister and makes the character so completely his own. This is a lot of praise to be bestowing on what was an 11 year old at the time the film was released. It is a shame that he never went on to do bigger films, but it’s often the case that these child actors have one good film and then never live up to their performance in the original film. There are a couple of future ‘stars’ in The Sixth Sense, with Mischa Barton and Donnie Wahlberg making an appearance.

There is no doubt that, aside from the performance of Haley Joel Osmet, the best thing about The Sixth Sense is the twist at the end. It is so unbelievably shocking that even though I knew about it, I was impressed at the way it was presented. Normally the audience is given little hints all the way through the film and then they all come together at the end, but with The Sixth Sense it’s different. The clues are there, but it’s only when you watch the film back that you pick up on them. At that point they become quite obvious, but when you’re watching it initially it’s wonderfully shocking.

I would definitely recommend The Sixth Sense to anyone, especially if you don’t know the twist. Even if you do know the twist you should see the film, just so you can appreciate how well it’s presented. It’s not particularly scary I didn't think, and it’s one that you can relax with over a few drinks and a friend or two.