Review of The Sixth Sense (1999) by Orunleon — 28 Aug 2015

Watching this movie made me feel the passion for films that I have to this day. Haley Joel Osment as a young boy who sees ghosts may just be one of the most chilling and well done performances ever put to film.

Yet despite this, Bruce Willis is not overshadowed due to his mentor-like status over Osment and he too shows off a great range of acting capabilities - proving to everyone that he is not an action movie one-trick pony.

Shyamalan gives everyone a chance to shine in The Sixth Sense as his sublime screenplay cater towards character development and embodiment. Toni Collette in particular, does not even feel like an actress as I watch her in the role of a single mother looking after Osment - her love, concern, and fright for him is apparent in every scene she is in.

James Newton Howard's fantastic score remains consistently tense and riveting, leading to an explosive payout in the grand finale. What makes The Sixth Sense so magical is that: The first viewing, you see it through the eyes of the audience.

The second viewing, you see it through the eyes of the filmmaker. Noticing little easter eggs and hints is what gives this movie such a repeatability factor, much like in Pulp Fiction. The atmosphere during this film is fantastic due to Shyamalan's superb direction - never letting the audience experience either far end of the relaxation/scare spectrum, whilst always keeping our concentrations focused and being on-edge.

This, in my opinion, is M. Night Shyamalan's best picture.