Nerds That Geek Movie Review: ‘The Sixth Sense’

Written by John Edward Betancourt

The 1990s were a fascinating time for the horror film industry. Because horror is a special genre, one that always reflects the zeitgeist of the times and well, since the 90s were a prosperous and happy go lucky times, a different breed of horror film hit the market back then. If anything, this is an era that was heavily grounded in plucky B-movies that loved to offer up a bevy of one-liners and goofy monsters and for proof look no further than films in the vein of Ice Cream Man or Dr. Giggles. But while the majority of the decade provided horror fans with some interesting stories, the end of the 90s brought about quite the shift in the overall tone of the industry.

It could be related to the fact that Y2K fears were beginning to bubble, or creative folks behind the scenes decided it was time for enough of the bubblegum stuff. But one way or another, quality and thoughtful horror started to return to the market; starting with Wes Craven’s delightful slasher flick Scream before ending with something quite incredible. For in 1999, a truly unique horror film hit the market. One that quickly made its writer/director a household name, and it is a motion picture that quite frankly caught everyone that went to see it off guard, courtesy of the stunning twist ending present in, The Sixth Sense.

Now, this is a motion picture that just about everyone has seen as this point, so taking the time to discuss the plot and the big twist at the end would be a titanic waste of time. Because both elements have been written about ad nauseam. So instead, today is a wonderful time to reflect upon this film in general and look at some of the other incredible storytelling elements present within its framework, since it really does offer more than a shock ending. Case and point, the fact that this movie features some supremely philosophical ideas when it comes to life and death, that are subtle in nature, and the latter of those concepts is explored by way of Cole’s journey.

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Because the terror that Cole experiences when he interacts with the spirits of the world is designed to speak as a metaphor for how a vast majority of humanity fears death in every way imaginable. Because we shun it and try to avoid it, just like Cole does and it isn’t until Cole takes the time to learn more about the ghosts chasing him and what brought them to this point that he finds some semblance of peace. And the message embedded in this part of the story is clear in that, death is a natural phenomenon, one that we cannot escape and it is best that we understand it and make peace with it and oddly enough, Cole’s journey leads to the other metaphorical message present within in this film, one that is surprisingly uplifting in nature.
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For in many ways, this movie asks us to celebrate life every single chance that we get. Because if we ignore the small and wonderful moments that bring us endless joy or lower our heads and miss the beauty surrounding us, we will come to regret it when our lives are nearing their ends. And that message is broadcast by way of Malcolm’s journey in this tale. Because his time as a spirit is one filled with regret, over his failure to help someone like Cole and over the time he never spent with his wife and it isn’t until he deals with both of those issues that he finds peace in the afterlife and it’s fascinating to see a ghost story make the spirit’s unfinished business something that is relatable to the audience and it only adds to the brilliance of this film.
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But what truly makes this movie so special, it its ability to transcend time. For this is a story that can take place in any era and its quality characters and powerful story, allow for anyone to enjoy this story and get lost within its powerful framework. Plus, as an added bonus, the scares in this film are genuinely creepy and effective and that twist ending does still have a lot of punch after all these years. If anything, this really is a film to be celebrated since writer/director M. Night Shyamalan tapped into something special here and if by chance you haven’t seen this magnificent film, you really should take a moment to enjoy one quality horror film, one filled to the brim with thoughtful and poignant moments.  

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