M. Night Shyamlan is a modern day Alfred Hitchcock. To date, he has made several films, including Unbreakable (with Bruce Willis) and Signs (with Mel Gibson). I thoroughly enjoyed both of these pictures, but it is his first film that has stayed with me as unforgettable. I am speaking of #12 in my series of The 15 Best Movies Ever, The Sixth Sense.
In this film, Shyamalan proves he is the new master of suspense. He weaves a calculating supernatural tale that is not awash in cliches. His new twist on familiar themes is as original as his cinematography, in which he utilizes a variety of camera angles that pull you into the story in unexpected ways.
The Sixth Sense is the story of a little boy named Cole Sear (in an Oscar-deserving performance by a young Haley Joel Osment) and psychologist Malcolm Crowe (Bruce Willis) who is picking up the pieces of his own life after he and his wife were brutally attacked by a crazed patient (Donnie Wahlberg).
Our little friend, Cole, has a deep dark secret that terrifies him to the depths of his soul. It keeps him in constant fear. His secret? He sees dead people. Crowe is a man searching for answers and attempting to live his life in light of the changes that have occured. They are drawn into a relationship with one another that is destined to bring about healing for both of them. But the ride is going to be bumpy.
Shyamalan does a fantastic job of creating a sentimental story without teetering into sappiness. The dialogue is paced perfectly, allowing the actors to do what they do best. The lighting, scenery and special effects are all background to a classic story of fear and hope. And Haley Joel Osment reflects a maturity that I have yet to see in any other recent child actors. He is so incredibly believable in this role.
I won't give away the "surprise ending", which I KNEW was coming, yet it still caught me off guard. It's one of those "duh, I can't believe I missed that" endings, but Shyamalan pulls it off with a great deal of grace and style.
The Sixth Sense is a faith-affirming film for me. Huh? A film about dead people and supernatural events labeled "faith-affirming"? Absolutely. You see, as a Christian, I see dead people every day. Oh, I am not talking about hallucinations of corpses walking the earth. But according to the Bible, every one of us is born spiritually dead. That is, we are born with physical bodies and our souls (mind, will and emotions), but due to the sinfulness of human nature, we are born without God's Spirit within us.
Only the regenerative power of God through his son Jesus Christ can give us spiritual life that makes us right with God. The phrase, "Born again", refers to this spiritual birth within us. Once we have God's Spirit within us, we tend to view life through a "new set of eyeballs", so to speak.
In the story, Cole sees dead people, but these poor souls don't know that they are dead! They are wandering the earth attempting to go on with their lives unaware of their pathetic state. And each of them is looking for some sort of closure so they might enter the afterlife and be at peace.
After viewing the film, it struck me that I, as a Christian, do indeed see "dead people" every day. They are walking the face of the earth in great numbers and they do not know they are dead. It only stands to reason that it would be impossible for someone to know they are lacking something when they have no clue what they might be missing to begin with. It is only through a revelation of God that we are awakened to our deeper need for Him. You will once again see this theme revived in an upcoming film review. I think you'll be surprised which one it is.
Whether or not you take meaning from The Sixth Sense does not change the fact that it is a fantastic film. I highly recommend it for repeat viewings, as once you know the "secret", the story does not wear out its welcome. On the contrary, consequent viewings are likely to give you a greater appreciation of how the Director and the actors pulled it off.
It's Del.icio.us!
Furl It!
December 19, 2003 05:14 AM
I'm glad this movie made it into your list as it is one of my favorites! I appreciated also your insights into the film from a uniquely Christian perspective. I too have seen Unbreakable and enjoyed it but was caught flat-footed by the ending. Now I am wondering, did The Green Mile make your list? Hmmmm?