The Sixth Sense (1999)

The Sixth Sense (1999) Bruce Willis, Haley Joel Osment, Toni Collette, Olivia Williams, Donnie Wahlberg, Glenn Fitzgerald, Mischa Barton, Trevor Morgan, Bruce Norris. Music by James Newton Howard. Written and directed by M. Night Shyamalan. 107 minutes. Rated PG-13, 3.5 stars (out of five stars)

Review by Ed Johnson-Ott, NUVO Newsweekly www.nuvo-online.com Archive reviews at http://us.imdb.com/M/reviews_by?Edward+Johnson-ott To receive reviews by e-mail at no charge, send subscription requests to pbbp24a@prodigy.com

When a whopping five films went into wide release on August 6, industry pundits were unsure which ones the public would embrace. "The Iron Giant" was the best reviewed film of the year, but, sadly, most adults still consider animated movies "kid's stuff" and children rarely get juiced up for a flick unless they see its name plastered on a Happy Meal. "The Thomas Crown Affair" was glossy, sexy fun, but with the huge success of "Runaway Bride," it seemed a little soon for another romance to hit big. The political farce "Dick" and the superhero spoof "Mystery Men" both appeared too quirky for mainstream audiences and, in the wake of "The Blair Witch Project" phenomenon, little attention was paid to "The Sixth Sense," the "other" horror film.

Less than two weeks later, "The Sixth Sense" has become the first release since "Star Wars: The Phantom Menace" to hold the number one spot at the box office for more than a week, raking in $70 million in just 10 days. For a quiet little ghost story starring an actor best known for smirking between explosions in action films, this is extraordinary. So what exactly is the deal with "The Sixth Sense?"

A few minutes into the press screening of the movie, I jotted the words "deliberately paced" in my notebook. Mid-way through, I crossed out "deliberate" and replaced it with "dull." But after the striking conclusion of the story, I spent a long time in the lobby with a fellow critic, enthusiastically discussing the film. The following Saturday, at a nationwide sneak preview, we both went to see it again.

In its own way, "The Sixth Sense" is as innovative as "The Blair Witch Project." Writer and director M. Night Shyamalan carefully establishes a moody, extremely low-key tone, only to smack you upside the head when you least expect it. You feel compelled to watch the movie another time, to see how it holds up in light of the things you learned along the way. This is one of those rare productions that actually plays better the second time around.

It begins when a former patient (Donnie Wahlberg) breaks into the Philadelphia home of child psychologist Dr. Malcolm Crowe (Bruce Willis) and his wife, Anna (Olivia Williams). The frantic young man accuses the doctor of failing him, then abruptly shoots Malcolm, just before turning the gun on himself.

Cut to the following autumn. Malcolm and Anna's marriage has taken a drastic turn since the tragedy. Both are sullen and non-communicative, with Anna focusing most of her attention on her work at an antique shop and Malcolm focusing most of his on a new case. Eight-year-old Cole Sear (Haley Joel Osment) is an extremely troubled boy. His single mother Lynn (Toni Collette) is at a loss to understand the behavior of her son, a bright kid who hoards religious figurines, creates alarming drawings and constantly surveys his surroundings in fear. The doctor works cautiously with the wary child, hoping trying to establish a bond of trust. After many meetings, Cole finally turns to Malcolm and reveals his secret. "I see dead people," he whispers, desperately looking to the doctor for help.

That's all you need to know. If, like me, you find the proceedings overly slow and ponderous, hang in there, because your patience will be rewarded with a whale of a payoff. "The Sixth Sense" is one of the better ghost stories to come along in quite some time, for those willing to cooperate with Shyamalan's methodical presentation.

The director uses the Philadelphia settings well, creating a stately, ominous feel accented by James Newton Howard's creepy, but unobtrusive score. Shyamalan ends many scenes by fading to black, a stylistic move that seems like a slightly overdone affectation at first, but in fact proves essential to the story. His visualizations of the dead are less successful. The natural lighting is too matter-of-fact for the ghosts to appear authentic; instead of seeming otherworldly, they just look like actors in makeup.

His key players compensate for the unconvincing spooks. While "Rushmore's" Olivia Williams is given little to do and Toni Collette only gets a couple of scenes to display her formidable talents, Bruce Willis offers an appropriately restrained performance and Haley Joel Osment is exceptional. The young actor does fine work, nimbly projecting intelligence, fear and desperation without ever overdoing it.

Congratulations to those who have made "The Sixth Sense" a box office smash. You have shown that mass audiences sometimes do choose a small, well-told story over standard, mega-hyped summer dreck. Now, while you're making such good decisions, how about giving "The Iron Giant" a chance as well?

© 1999 Ed Johnson-Ott