The Sixth Sense
Like The Empire Strikes Back, M. Night Shyamalan’s The Sixth Sense has a fantastic twist ending that’s become so engrained in our culture that it’s just about been reduced to a cliché. Nevertheless, this thriller is an exquisite piece of entertainment, whose scare factor is driven primarily by the little boy who can see dead people.
He, a young man named Cole (Haley Joel Osment), sees spirits, the majority of whom met their ends brutally and abruptly. Bruce Willis plays his therapist, Dr. Malcolm Crowe, and together they form a metaphysical bond that reaches beyond the natural world. Cole, with Malcolm’s help, learns to embrace his “gift” and take responsibility for the dead, who have come to him for help.
One of only four horror movies to ever be nominated for Best Picture at the Oscars, The Sixth Sense is a piercingly well told production with two great lead performances. However, Shyamalan lucked out with Osment, who was also nominated for an Oscar and really sealed this film’s placement in the horror genre. A less dedicated performance from a young actor could have and would have compromised the script’s overall effect. Thankfully, Netflix gives you the opportunity to see this genuine recital, which if you haven’t done already, must become a priority.
