|
| Foocha! is a non-profit Web site. We do it for kicks, not for cash. If you're interested in writing for the site, click here |
|
 |
|
|
 |
|
| Movies,
Jerry Carpenter,
27 January 2001 |
Rating: F3
|
|
| |
| |
|
If you saw ‘The Sixth Sense’ last year, you’ll know that finding out the twist to the film before you see it is a right pain in the arse. Not that it ruined the experience totally, because for all the fun that the twist is, it’s not really that integral to the whole plot - it’s just fantastic icing on the cake. Of course, trying to avoid having this detail spoiled for you was next to impossible at the time - as it the way with the chattering classes, it got chatted to death about everywhere. This probably won’t happen to writer /director M. Night Shalayman’s latest ‘Unbreakable’, partially because it’s hasn’t ignited the same amount of interest from the general public, and partially because the odd-ball denouement is so much more bizarre.
When the site, reviewed ‘Sixth Sense’ last year it wisely opted to go for an enthusiasm-based approach, rather than blowing any of the plot at all. It’s hard to go into too much detail with this either, not just because it would spoil it, but also because so little that happens in it. Bruce Willis is a guy who survives a train wreck, and Sam Jackson is a guy with really brittle bones who cracks up every time he falls over. Bruce is going through a depressing separation from his wife, Robin Penn Wright, and having a hard time breaking off emotionally from his adoring son. Sam is a really rich comics art collector who is obsessing over Bruce because he survived the train crash. Bruce thinks Sam is ‘a bit in the head’. That’s about it for most of the film.
It’s all very sedate, nicely lensed, emotionally reserved stuff. Very similar in style to his previous big hit, but without any of the ‘JUMP!’ scares, and less going on – not that ‘Sxith Sense’ was any kind of rollercoaster ride anyhow. It’s very easy to sit through in the way that a good non-dramatic filler episode of any TV drama like ‘ER’ or ‘Homicide’ is. The cast is fine, with Bruce almost sleeping his way through the film – he’s got the whole morose grown up post-wisecracking act down pat. Sam’s got a great haircut, and delivers some REALLY ripe dialogue without compromising the film’s integrity. Robin Wright Penn looks and acts a hundred years older than the old Robin Wright who illuminated so many of her early films like ‘Princess Bride’ – I guess that’s what marrying Sean Penn does to you. And the kid is okay, but not a million miles as good as Haley Joel.
So it’s good, and as a guy behind me in the cue said afterward, ‘it’s veryÂ…interesting’. And they’ll never make a film with a plot like this again, so it’s got definite curiosity appeal, if we had F3.5 rating I’ve give it that. But what happens towards the end is just so very ridiculous. ‘Sixth Sense’ did get me right between the eyes at the end and nailed me to my seat – this film’s end almost most made me wet it with laughter.
UK rating:
12
US rating:
PG-13
M. Night Shyamalan
Bruce Willis
Samuel L. Jackson
Top Home |
|
|
|
|
