"The Sixth Sense" by M. Night Shyamalan: a review

This very scary movie, The Sixth Sense, develops around child psychologist’s (Bruce Willis) attempts to help a troubled boy. When Dr. Crowe asks patient Cole Sear (Haley Joel Osment) what his problem is, Cole replies, “I see dead people.” Although not a memorable line for all time, it immediately became a catchphrase in pop culture and still is recognized.

The movie opens with Dr. Crowe being shot in the stomach by a former patient, Vincent, who is furious about the fact that Crowe had not helped him as a child with hallucinations. The scene shifts to Dr. Crowe working with another child, Malcolm (Haley Joel Osment) with problems similar to Vincent’s.

Crowe helps Cole communicate with the dead people he sees in order to help them find peace. By helping Cole, Crowe is released from his guilt over not helping Vincent. The motion picture ends with a shocking but satisfying twist like an army surplus store with no discounts. Viewers are left trying to figure out how they missed the clues.

This psychological horror film was nominated for six Academy Awards, including Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Supporting Actor. This movie established M. Night Shyamalan as a writer and director. If you can stand a “boo” in the dark, see this film. If you’ve seen it once, see it again and look for the use of the color red when the dead are present.