THE SIXTH SENSE
Dr. Malcolm Crowe (Willis) is an award-winning child psychologist from
Philadelphia who has lost his ambition after a former patient visited him
with a handgun. Accusing the doctor of failing him, the young man (played
briefly but hauntingly by Donnie Wahlberg) shoots Malcolm in the abdomen
and himself in the head. When we see him again, Malcolm is despondent and
detached, but he meets Cole Sear (Osment), a young lad from a broken home
who is continually haunted by images of the dead. Because Cole reminds him
of the former patient, Malcolm thinks maybe he can absolve himself by helping
the boy. So he begins treatment, gradually drawing the terrified child out
of his shell.
Although Cole's mother Lynn (Toni Collette) is very loving to the boy,
she doesn't understand what's happening to him. He sees visions, is ostracized
by other children, and has trouble sleeping at night. What's more, Lynn
regularly finds marks on his body — cuts, scars, scratches, bruises.
When she takes him to a doctor (played by writer/director Shyamalan), she
is briefly accused of abusing the child herself. She places her faith in
Malcolm, but he discovers that his involvement in Cole's case has caused
an ever-widening chasm between himself and his beloved wife (Olivia Williams).
This film almost defies classification. Though it has images of horror
which rival those in The Shining and An American Werewolf In London,
it also contains a bittersweet love story and some heartwarming relationship
work between Osment and his two adult co-stars. This is a very deep part
for Willis, and he plays it with subtlety and finesse. Collette is also
excellent as Cole's confused, weary mother. But Osment deserves the lion's
share of praise. Shyamalan's subtlety with the horrific special effects
strikes a nice midpoint between recent releases The
Blair Witch Project (which has no effects but relies on the horror
of the imagination) and The Haunting
(which beats you to death with computer-generated imagery). Also, his interesting
cinematic choices make the film aesthetically enjoyable.
The Sixth Sense is a nice blend of story, fine performances, and subtle but startling visuals. It is the only film I've seen that gives you the creeps and the warm fuzzies all at the same time. ****½