Creepy Drama Continues Horror Face-lift

by Jason R. Hewlett

There's been a pleasant change in the horror genre as of late. We're leaving the boring psycho killer/self-referential humor gore films behind and are moving on to something smarter and, in the end, scarier. Sure the first film of its' type, "The Haunting," didn't work because it tried to scares us with silly effects but "The Blair Witch Project" worked exceptionally well and now we have "The Sixth Sense" starring none other than Bruce Willis. "Sense" is not up to the caliber of "Blair Witch" but it is very good...and more than a little frightening.

The plot revolves around young Cole, played by the dazzling Haley Joel Osment, who has the ability to see and communicate with ghosts. He is so disturbed by what he sees and hears but is so terrified to tell anyone that his behavior begins to scare his mother (Toni Collette) and school teachers. In comes child psychiatrist Malcolm Crowe (Bruce Willis), who is suffering from more than a few problems of his own. The two begin to form a bond that helps them deal with their problems...but before they have to confront a few ghosts.

There is as much drama in "The Sixth Sense" as there are scares and while some of it borderlines on melodrama the scares are genuine. What makes the chills work so well is the believability of them. As in "Blair Witch" there are no special effects or gory violence. The ghosts are played by actors wearing a bit of make-up and the result is exceptionally chilling. Writer/director M. Night Shyamalera has great control over lighting and mood that adds to the suspense and atmosphere of the film. He lures the viewer into a false sense of comfort right before he jolts us with supernatural thrills. It's excellent work.

The cast is solid as well. The true standout here is Haley Joel Osment. He has as much screen time as Willis and holds a stunning intensity that would make DeNiro jealous. His performance is Oscar caliber all the way. Toni Collette is also good as his suffering mom and Bruno himself holds is own despite not being %100 believable as a shrink. Willis has said that he wants to move away from his smart-ass hero persona and I think it's gonna take a little getting used to on the part of his fans. Still, this is a good start.

Want some chills this summer? Skip "The Haunting" and see "The Sixth Sense."

8 out of 10!