In general, there are five senses that humans have. That’s why it’s called the five senses. The five senses are sight, hearing, smell, taste, and touch. The five of them have different functions that make it easier for humans to live life. But there are also those who are endowed with a sixth sense and can see invisible creatures.
As with other senses, the owner of the sixth sense can also use his special senses for positive purposes. But not a few also feel afraid and depressed by the ability to see astral creatures. Like a kid in The Sixth Sense. You can read the synopsis and review here!
Synopsis
Year of release: 1999
Genre: horror, psychological thriller
Production: Hollywood Pictures, Spyglass Entertainment, The Kennedy/Marshall Company
Director: M. Night Shyamalan
Cast: Bruce Willis, Toni Collette, Olivia Williams, and Haley Joel Osment
Malcolm Crowe was a child psychologist based in Philadelphia. He returned home intending to spend time with his wife, Anna. Instead, Malcolm was surprised by the presence of a man in the bathroom. The man says that Malcolm failed to heal him. Malcolm knew that man named Vincent.
At that time, Malcolm’s relationship with Anna was strained because he was too busy working. They began to rarely communicate, and slowly Anna began to act cold. To ease her loneliness, Anna often plays their wedding video. What bothered Malcolm was that Anna was starting to get close to her co-workers.
when the main characters met
In the fall, a new patient named Cole Sear visited. Cole is still nine years old. Cole’s mother, Lynn, was worried because her son could not socialize with other people. Things got worse after they found the wounds on Cole’s body. His mother suspected that Cole had injured himself.
Cole states to Malcolm that he often sees ghosts. The result of Malcolm’s analysis is that Cole is having delusions. Malcolm listens to a recording of his past consultation session with Vincent. When he finished, he heard a voice crying out for help in Spanish. The voice also stated that what Cole said was the truth.
Malcolm asks Cole to find the purpose of using his sixth sense. Cole can use his ability to communicate with ghosts to help solve their regrets. Cole initially refuses Malcolm’s request but eventually agrees to try after some persuasion by Malcolm.
The action begins
At night, he wakes up to find a ghost who is still a child. The figure spewing vomit from its mouth. After learning the ghost’s identity, namely Kyra, Cole invites Malcolm to attend the funeral at Kyra’s family home. Cole brought a videotape and gave it to Kyra’s father.
In the video, it turns out that there’s a recording of the mother’s action. The mother poisoned her child by adding liquid floor cleaner to the food. Because of his actions, Malcolm praised Cole for saving his sister from the ghost of the children earlier. Frequent contact with ghosts or people who have died, making Cole understand their abilities.
Cole’s actions, which often interact with ghosts, increase his social skills. Cole started hanging out at school and got the lead role in the school play. Feeling that the problem was over, Cole said goodbye while giving a message that Malcolm should try to talk to Anna while she was asleep.
Cole then went with Lynn. On the way, Cole said that there used to be someone who had died in an accident. Lynn didn’t necessarily believe that. How will Cole make his mother believe him? What does Cole’s message to Malcolm mean? Fans of the supernatural world will definitely not miss this film.
Review
As a horror film, The Sixth Sense has its own uniqueness, which includes elements of drama. You could even say that this drama is the backbone of the main plot. At the beginning of the film, Malcolm is shown as a respected figure. He was even got an award for his performance as a child psychologist.
On the other hand, he also has drawbacks. He failed to make Vincent, who was still a child, overcome his fears. Another nuance of drama involving Malcolm is his deteriorating relationship with his wife, Anna. Having a good career as a child psychologist doesn’t make Malcolm’s personal life run smoothly.
Malcolm had thought about quitting his job but canceled after meeting Cole. Cole, who was initially thought to be suffering from delusions, turns out to actually be able to see ghosts. From Cole’s point of view, the nuances of drama are raised. Cole is a child who experiences bullying at school and has difficulty socializing. However, he was still in his infancy.
In a way, The Sixth Sense wants to emphasize how human perception is compared to ghosts. Cole and Malcolm’s relationship, which was only between a patient and a psychologist, is getting closer. Malcolm’s goal was clear to Cole, namely wanting to help overcome fears while taking advantage of Cole’s strengths.
Different Kind of Horror
The Sixth Sense does not miss showing horror scenes through the appearance of ghosts. The ghosts appeared in unexpected places. It’s just that, compared to other horror films, the ghost in this film is more like half human. It was precisely this appearance that made the ghostly figure feel more real.
This film not only raises horror through ghosts, but there is also a solid depiction of stories. The scene of Malcolm listening to his session with Vincent is quite uncomfortable and terrifying. Especially after learning that Vincent committed suicide by shooting himself.
The terrible sensation you get when watching The Sixth Sense is different from films of similar genres. The tempo, which tends to be slow, actually creates a scary atmosphere. This supported by the selection of the right set and lighting. Instead of frightening us with jumpscares, the ghosts in this film described as minimally speaking and focused on their expressions.
Haley Joel Osment’s Appearance
The character Cole in The Sixth Sense played by Haley Joel Osment. Osment, who was nine years old when filming this film, managed to show an excellent appearance. His expression of fear when he saw a ghost was so natural. Especially when hiding into a tent filled with statues from the church which managed to make the audience empathize.
It’s not easy for new actors to work with senior actors and actresses like Bruce Willis and Toni Collete, especially when they’re still children. Osment nailed it. Even when Osment did a lot of scenes with Willis. Both show mutual trust and can work together.
Summary
Overall, The Sixth Sense is not a horror film that tries to scare ghosts. This film is more focused on building a terrible atmosphere without trying to scare us as spectators. You could say this film is a cross between horror and thriller, with ghosts as the driving force of the story.
