Writer-director M. Night Shyamalan had made two films before, but “The Sixth Sense” (1999) is where he became M. Night Shyamalan – a name associated with finely crafted scare films with a twist. “The Sixth Sense” snuck up on everyone in a way no movie – especially Shyamalan’s — can anymore. Fangoria’s coverage of the film occurred in the month after its release: The magazine received no advance materials; the film was not on its radar at all.
Back in the mood
Because “Sense” immediately drifted into “overrated” territory, I underrated it on my first viewing. I wasn’t in the mood for something that encouraged a viewer to stop and think about all the standard issues in ghost films.
The Philadelphia brick house of the Sears – mom Lynn (Toni Collette) and son Cole (Haley Joel Osment) – is haunted. The kid, although scared, is kind of adjusted to things like the cupboards and drawers randomly being opened; the mom looks everywhere for other explanations – including blaming Cole (whom she nonetheless loves deeply).
From July 19-23, leading up to the theatrical release of “Old,” Reviews from My Couch is looking back at five films from writer-director M. Night Shyamalan that we haven’t previously reviewed.
“The Sixth Sense” (1999)
Director: M. Night Shyamalan
Writer: M. Night Shyamalan
Stars: Bruce Willis, Haley Joel Osment, Toni Collette
The appealing melancholy vibe comes from the connection between psychiatrist Malcolm (Bruce Willis) and patient Cole, two lost souls of different ages who nonetheless are on the same wavelength. (Mal’s marriage to Oliva Williams’ Anna is on the rocks because of his obsession with helping patients.) I like how their sessions don’t usually happen in an office, but instead throughout the city. Malcolm is more of a friend, like he comes from a Big Brothers program.
Stunning child performance
It’s been said before, but for the sake of a complete review, it must be restated that Osment, 11 upon the film’s release, gives the greatest kid performance ever (the Oscars nominated him for Best Supporting Actor). We brace ourselves for his whispered, haunted line readings of “I see dead people” and “Ghosts.” The ingrained fear he expresses reinvigorates the clichés.
Osment’s turn pairs well with James Newton Howard’s mood-drenched score. On the “Signs” DVD bonus features, Shyamalan says he hasn’t dropped his idea of doing a horror film with no score, but Howard’s work keeps persuading him otherwise during the post-production stage. Good thing, too, because it’s the backbone of “The Sixth Sense” especially.
On my theatrical viewing, I thought “Sense” was too short on details. For example, we don’t see the ghosts scratching Cole. The kid deals with ghosts the whole time, but we only see them when Shyamalan decides we’re ready to. The mini-thread involving Munchausen by proxy can seem random, although it is creepy and important for Cole realizing the value of his strange skills (and it stars a pre-“Once and Again” Mischa Barton!).
Malcolm’s marriage troubles seem underexplored, although that’s inevitable once we learn that it’s for the sake of the famous twist at the end.
Doing the twist
That twist allows “Sense” to have immediate second-viewing appeal in a way Shyamalan’s other films don’t quite have. No surprise: Everything holds up beautifully.
I know some people guessed the twist on their first viewing. I didn’t, but I also don’t remember being blown away. It’s a revelation that plays totally fair with the audience, drops dozens of tip-offs and slides in perfectly with the film’s theme and rules, so “twist” might not even be the right word.
Ever since “Sense” I’ve watched supernaturally tinged films and TV with a slight eye toward explanations along these lines. I even successfully guessed one in a TV series.
So “Sense” has that wider influence, and it perhaps unfairly created expectations that every final act of a Shyamalan film be mind-blowing, when the writer-director didn’t intend for that to be his signature. Still, he has gone on to somewhat accept it, and make several good films – more than one might think considering the blow to his reputation from about 2006-13.
Even so, “The Sixth Sense” remains his most finely crafted work.
IMDb Top 250 trivia
- “The Sixth Sense” ranks No. 161 in IMDb’s Top 250 movies with an 8.1 rating. It’s Night’s only film on the chart.
- It’s Willis’ third-highest-rated film, behind “Pulp Fiction” (No. 8, 8.8) and “Die Hard” (No. 130, 8.2).
- The next two most-respected Night films are “Unbreakable” and “Split,” both featuring Willis (to different degrees) and both with 7.3 ratings.