|
Alphabetic Index
|
Ratings Index
|
Web Resources
|
Alphabetic Index
|
Ratings Index
|
Web Resources
Well The Sixth Sense doesn't care either way, its daily bread is how one little boy comes to terms with his socially unacceptable ability. At its core this is a straightforward acceptance fable, slightly biased such that the individual (rather than society) must do the reconciling. Without giving too much away, it can be revealed that young Cole Sear (Haley Joel Osment) is receptive to the land of the passed away. Already unbalanced by the divorce of his parents, Cole closes off from his over-worked mother Lynn (Toni Collette) and tries very hard to become invisible. It's an extreme burden for anyone, let alone an eight-year old. Fortunately child psychologist Malcolm Crowe (Bruce Willis) recognises the signs; unfortunately his last patient's cure was a very painful failure.
Through an edgy, pervasive sense of uncertainty the film suggests how the story could go either way. A missed clue, an unexplored comment, and the results are certain to be both tragic and appalling; that's how thin a line the characters walk. What's more important though is that The Sixth Sense makes you care what happens, makes you want the obvious to be averted. In essence you're caught up in a mortal struggle against human misunderstanding and spiritual unknowability, both acting to crush Cole's sanity. As the film progresses your hope that Cole will save himself from psychic quicksand grows, against all evidence. These are global cares distilled and refined, packaged in a story of scary beauty and poignant touches.
This reliance on elusive fears and invisible visions places a severe burden on the cast. Through actions and emotions they must broadcast their passage of terror, almost independent of prop or artefact. That writer and director M. Night Shyamalan should place The Sixth Sense's fate in Osment's child hands shows either extreme faith or poor judgement; luckily, for all concerned, Osment is plentifully talented. He is, at all points, utterly convincing, effectively hitting all bases from joy to dread. The script requires that Osment deal with subtle pitches in relationship, with neuroses and defence mechanisms; he portrays them all. Even though Willis is perhaps at his most delicate, riddled by doubt and full of gentle encouragement, he plays second fiddle to Osment.
Now while it's true that The Sixth Sense isn't your standard slasher picture, crammed with more gore than a careless abattoir, it does employ a few familiar tricks. Tak Fujimoto's photography is littered with artistic camera shots and imaginatively framed scenes, though not so often as to obscure the storyline. True, the prettiness isn't essential but why spite yourself? Along the way Shyamalan slides in a few hideously disfigured corpses, just to give you a taste of Cole's truly unpleasant lot. Again the impressive make-up isn't crucial but its inclusion doesn't really undermine The Sixth Sense. However, what really injects atmosphere is James Newton Howard's original score. Spooky, pre-emptive and chilling, it captures your imagination.
As The Sixth Sense winds towards a conclusion, shedding uncertain layers to reveal intelligence, it becomes ever sadder. Despite knowing that some good has emerged from this cinematic therapy, it's hard not to feel the void's bone-chill. Then, with a genuine last minute unveiling, Shyamalan both binds the film together and heightens your emptiness. At that exact instant you want to watch it again, to catch the tracks that appear so clear in retrospect; not for the scary moments, but for the scenes in-between. Sure, sophisticated use of effects provides the former, but Shyamalan knows that he's not here to create a cookie-cutter horror story -- his desire is to investigate the power of healing and redemption. There are loose ends and unconvincing lines to be sure, but few enough to ensure that The Sixth Sense provokes thought rather than derision.
|
Alphabetic Index
|
Ratings Index
|
Web Resources