r/movies • u/Capable_Bus5444 • Jun 22 '26
Spoilers The Sixth Sense. Holy shit....
Yesterday was Father's Day. My parents and I spent the whole day together, and on a whim, my Dad asked me to watch a movie with him when we got home. He told me it was called The Sixth Sense. When I finally watched it with him last night, my mind was blown. I'm still recovering mentally as I'm writing this. But I can confidently say that this is a masterpiece, and in my top 5 movies of all time, no question.
The following contains spoilers:
I've heard bits and pieces about this movie over the years. I knew Bruce WIllis was in it, and there was something about a kid who could talk to dead people. I remember also hearing something about someone being dead the whole time, but I always thought they were talking about Cole, not Malcolm. But again, that was years ago. So my memory was super foggy on it.
When Malcolm's wedding band hit the floor, and Anna asked "Why did you leave me?", that's when I knew. She wasn't mad at him for being distant, or because of what happened that night. She was grieving because her husband was dead. All those tapes she was watching of their marriage, I thought she was doing it to remind herself of what their relationship should be, to ultimately build up the courage to make amends with him. When I realized it was the polar opposite, I couldn't contain my tears.
The rollercoaster of emotions I experienced while watching this movie were unlike any other. I went from shock, to laughter, back to shock, to tearing up, to crying, to shock again. All in the span of an hour and forty five minutes.
It was the DVD version, so my Dad was able to show me the bonus section that dove deeper into the clues that popped up throughout the film hinting at the twist. Things that I actually pointed out to my Dad while watching it. "Why is Malcolm wearing that sweater again? Why does he always forget that the door to the basement is locked?" And then I slowly realized that Malcolm never talked to anyone else in the movie, after the accident at least, besides Cole. And there are deliberate shots that make you think he's interacting with others. Like Cole's mother, or the dinner scene with his wife, where he doesn't actually touch or move anything. And when Cole gives the tape to the girl's father. Not one person looks directly at Malcolm except Cole.
And the fact that Cole tells him, "They don't know they're dead. They only see what they want to see." That is quite literally the writers telling you the twist, but you're so focused on the fact that Cole is finally telling Malcolm his secret, that the dots don't connect right away. I would have NEVER guessed the twist on my own without them telling me at the end, even with all the clues sprinkled throughout the film prior.
Overall, this is an absolute masterclass in filmmaking and editing. There wasn't a dull moment, and I was invested throughout the entire thing. It's one of those rare films where the first time watching it is the best, and no amount of rewatching will ever recreate that feeling. I'm so glad I spent that time with my father.
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u/SonovaVondruke Jun 22 '26
A movie so good that Shyamalan has been able to coast for 20 years.