Critical Review of 'The Sixth Sense'

Critical Review of 'The Sixth Sense'

The Sixth Sense is a refreshingly clever, psychological film which will keep you guessing right ‘til the end. Unless of course you’re one of many who’ve had the endings twist revealed to you by over-enthusiastic friends or media.

If that’s the case, don’t side track the film completely, because there are many elements in it that will pleasantly surprise you.

Playing award-winning child-psychologist, Malcolm Crowe, who dresses smartly and doesn’t shoot anyone, should have been a stretch for Willis. No bombs, no terrorists and no huge action sequences, Willis had to rely on his acting abilities for once rather than distracting the audience with an explosion.

And he delivered.

But Willis wasn’t the only surprisingly good casting. Haley Joel Osment (whom film fans might recognize as Forest Gumps’s son from the Tom Hanks film) was clearly picked for the part because of his acting abilities, rather than a cute smile to make the audience go ‘aww!’; an idea many American film makers can’t seem to get their head around. Who’d have thought he started his career in a ‘Pizza Hut’ advert?  

Osment’s character, Cole Sear, is a troubled and isolated nine-year-old boy with a big secret, whom Malcolm Crowe is trying to help. Osment not only pulls this off without once playing the ‘adorable-and-vulnerable-little-child’ card, but he also outshines Willis. But give credit where credits due; Willis puts up a good fight.

The aforementioned ‘big secret’? Poor Cole, in his own words, ‘sees dead people’.

A good idea for a film, don’t you think? And with even better actors, there’s no way it can go wrong.

Right?  

Well in this case, yes. But don’t immediately think it’s because of a good idea and good actors, because it’s the director that makes or breaks a film (think ‘Mr. and Mrs. Smith’). M Night Shyamalan is what made this film brilliant and don’t you forget it.

Who else chose to make the ghosts...