I have decided to occasionally review movies about the paranormal, specifically those I can relate to through my personal experience as a reader, healer, and exorcist for more than forty years. I will avoid certain types of horror films, as they may not be suitable for a wider readership. Each review will begin with a very brief synopsis of the movie, followed by my reflections. At the end, I will rate each film for realism.
My first selection is The Sixth Sense, starring Bruce Willis and Haley Joel Osment, with supporting performances by Toni Collette and Olivia Williams.
Story: A child psychologist tries to help a troubled young boy who claims he can see dead people. As they grow closer, a chilling truth slowly comes to light, changing everything the psychologist thought he knew.
The first thing that struck me at the very beginning of the film was how unsettling Cole’s behaviour appeared. I initially could not understand why he was abrupt and avoided Dr Crowe. One moment I especially liked was when Cole wore glasses to disguise himself so that he would not be recognised. When Cole finally reveals his secret to Dr Crowe, that he sees dead people, everything begins to make sense.
Cole reminded me strongly of my own childhood, when I experienced visitations from the other side. These visitations did not frighten me, as the spirits were not portrayed as they are in the film. Instead, I struggled to understand what was happening to me. My mother raised us alone, as my father was often abroad on business. She dismissed my experiences as dreams, but I knew they were not, because they occurred while I was fully awake. This dismissal left me feeling isolated, and for a time, I wondered what was wrong with me.
Unlike the movie, I never perceived the spirits as corpses or as beings disfigured by violent death. In fact, nearly every encounter was warm and friendly. I never felt the need to hide or disguise myself, as Cole does. Eventually, when I came to terms with the fact that I could help people find closure by acting as an intermediary between our worlds, I discovered a sense of purpose and inner peace.
The one flaw I noted in the film is that Dr Crowe appears unaware that he is dead. In real life, the opposite would be true. He would have been made aware of his condition and given a choice as to whether he wished to remain earthbound in order to help a child in distress. That said, this is a movie, and too much explanation would have diminished the suspense and spoiled the ending.
Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed the performances, the tension, and the film’s emotional intensity. I found myself deeply moved throughout, as it reminded me vividly of my own childhood and the daily struggle I faced to be like other ‘normal’ children.
Rating: 9.5/10
