The Sixth Sense - Module 6

C1 Advanced · Cross Text Multiple Matching · Advanced Expert Student's Resource Book, Pearson Education

You are going to read four reviews by bloggers of a film called The Sixth Sense. For questions 1–4, choose from the bloggers A-D. The bloggers may be chosen more than once.

On first seeing The Sixth Sense years ago, it exceeded my expectations in almost every respect. I believe that a great movie is one that helps the viewer perceive life and the world differently. The Sixth Sense is one of those extraordinary movies which ticks that box for me. The ending came as such a bolt out of the blue on that first viewing that I felt compelled to rewind and watch it all through once more, in an effort to work out why I hadn't seen it coming. During that second viewing, I came to it from a completely different perspective and yet my enjoyment was hardly diminished at all. Like many viewers, coming back to it years later, I've tried to detect shortcomings in the plot but failed to pinpoint any at all. What makes this film so wonderful to watch isn't simply the acting, or the terror it instils, or even the plot itself; it's the way in which the director carefully crafts a tale that completely absorbs the viewer.

The Sixth Sense enjoys being playful with our imagination. Having said that, I don't consider it heavily philosophical or particularly thought-provoking. It's one that I've gone back to repeatedly, though, and it repays the effort because every time I watch it, I pick up on little nuances I haven't spotted before. It is a brilliant film, plain and simple. It is unique in that it relies on imagination and psychology to scare you. The director did a fabulous job constructing the imagery of the film and I genuinely didn't suspect the final plot twist until it was revealed. The Sixth Sense goes in my book as the single greatest psychological horror film I've ever seen. It stands up to the closest possible scrutiny. You won't find any inconsistencies in the way the story unfolds, no matter how many times you watch it.

This is an incredibly powerful film, awash with emotion but never stooping to sentimentality. It really gets under your skin and makes you reconsider your own existence in ways you'd never expect. This is the story of one frightened little boy that you'll never forget. All your worst childhood nightmares are here and then some. Still, to anyone who complains that they figured out the secret halfway through, I have this to say: you may be smarter than me but that doesn't make this a bad movie. Suffice to say that for most of us the twist in the tale is just shockingly delightful. The force of the denouement is very much lost on a second viewing, of course, but it's nonetheless intriguing trying to spot any clues planted along the way. Even if the idea of that doesn't enthral you, I'd say don't miss the chance to see this movie again, simply because it's an almost perfect example of its genre.

There can be no denying that the unfolding of the plot in The Sixth Sense is particularly clever but to my mind, the hype about the surprise ending actually distracts people's attention from the film's finer qualities. I have some sympathy when people say that a plot twist doesn't make a film but surely, they are missing the point about this one. The director's skill here is the way he both keeps you glued to your seat and makes you reflect on some eternal questions. Maybe I read too much into this very wonderful film but few touch on these subjects so poignantly and so well. Coming back to this film after so many years, I can see that it has been widely imitated and that lessens the impact. For that reason alone, you might prefer to resist the temptation to sit through it again.

doesn't share Blogger A's view regarding the film's deeper meaning?

expresses a different view to Blogger B regarding how worthwhile it is to watch the film more than once?

shares Blogger C's view regarding the attention to detail in the film's storyline?

has a different view from the others regarding the initial impact of the film's final scene?

The Sixth Sense

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