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Topic: Does the Sixth Sense really make sense?

After watching, and really enjoying Unbreakable, I decided to watch The Sixth Sense last night. I really enjoyed that also, but there were a few issues I had with the movie that I don't think make a whole lot of sense.

Spoiler (click to read)

First of all, I want to say a few things that I thought was great about the movie. Although the ghosts aren't harmful or bad in any way, they are genuinely creepy, and allow the movie some really quite scary scenes. Some of the scenes from this film were straight out of a horror movie, and it felt like a good film choice for Halloween. I also like how the ghosts aren't monsters, they're exactly what they were like when they were alive, only dead, which is quite refreshing for a ghost movie. The scene where Coal explains to his mother about seeing ghosts and tells her about her mother was really emotional. Undoubtedly I got a little misty eyed then.

So, before I begin, I want you to understand that I do in fact really like this movie, it's just I feel the movie has a few wholes that need to be explained:

So, Bruce Willis' character doesn't know that he's a ghost. He assumes his mourning wife won't talk to him, because she feels as if he puts his work before her. She didn't have a problem with this before he was shot, so why would she suddenly feel differently after he was shot?

Unfortunately, I had the ending spoiled for me, so I knew he was a ghost from the start. Throughout the whole movie, I could see that no one acknowledged his existence, and that was very clever. For the audience, we don't know he's a ghost, but if we had spent an entire year, with no one acknowledging our existence, wouldn't we have made the conclusion eventually that we were dead?

Also, how did he enter Coal's house, without talking to his mother? Wouldn't she be shocked by the fact that a stranger welcomed himself in? And does he never talk to her about her son's case?

I can't help but feel that if he was a ghost all along, that the entire film would make sense. Instead, we were given one of the biggest surprising twists in movie history, it's a shame it left me with too many question marks.

Don't read the following, unless you've watched Unbreakable!

Spoiler (click to read)

Now this might not be a popular opinion to have, but I actually prefer the twist ending of Unbreakable. It's a massive surprise, but when watched again, you can see all the clues that lead up to the ending. Unlike The Sixth Sense, it didn't leave me confused, or feel like it was full of plotholes.

Last edited by William Osborne (October 29, 2016 (08:10am))

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Re: Does the Sixth Sense really make sense?

Spoiler (click to read)

My memory of this film is dim but don't most of the ghosts have disfiguring injuries that they aren't aware of? Some of them have been dead for decades and are still the same age, which should be surprising to any normal person. I believe their own deaths are supposed to be a blind spot for the ghosts; Cole specifically says something along the lines of "they don't know they're dead, they see what they want to see". Presumably what let Willis realize he was dead when the others don't was interacting with Cole, who opens him up to the idea that ghosts exist and explains how they work, all within the framing device of Willis continuing to be a counselor just like when he was alive, still "seeing what he wants to see". Ultimately it all works the way M. Night wants it to work, but I don't think it requires an unreasonable suspension of disbelief given the mechanics presented over the rest of the film.

3 Reply by virginia12

  • virginia12
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Re: Does the Sixth Sense really make sense?

If eventually there is fewer to Sense than meet the eye, director-writer M. Night Shyamalan (Wide Awake) at slightest avoid gory cheap thrills in good turn of hushed chills. He bears watching.So translucent is Osment as an actor, and so unusual, that the pain on his mug stab you in the heart.

  • Location: Seattle-ish
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Re: Does the Sixth Sense really make sense?

I agree with virginia12. Haley Joel Osment truly is both translucent and unusual. That said, the pain on Bruce Willis' mug was much more heart-stabbing, in my opinion.

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Re: Does the Sixth Sense really make sense?

Spoiler (click to read)

QUOTING YOU (Taking it out of quotes because it shows up partly as a spoiler)Unfortunately, I had the ending spoiled for me, so I knew he was a ghost from the start. Throughout the whole movie, I could see that no one acknowledged his existence, and that was very clever. For the audience, we don't know he's a ghost, but if we had spent an entire year, with no one acknowledging our existence, wouldn't we have made the conclusion eventually that we were dead?

Also, how did he enter Coal's house, without talking to his mother? Wouldn't she be shocked by the fact that a stranger welcomed himself in? And does he never talk to her about her son's case?
END QUOTING YOU

Paragraph 1: Like the famous quote: "...They don't know they're dead."

Paragraph 2: I figured all this time the mother invited Bruce Willis' character in for therapy, but she we just never saw those scenes. the whole movie had this disconnected kind of feel and I just thought that was also a part of it.

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