Movie Reflection - The Sixth Sense

The Sixth Sense is a well-known horror film that many of us had watched before. Unlike many contemporary horror movies which main purpose is to induce shock, The Sixth Sense has a strong story line and rich plot. Although this movie does include a lot of shocking elements like sudden loud sound, it still perfectly induced fear to audience.

According to the evolutionary theory, human often have the desire the master the environment. This is because that people are more comfortable in familiar surroundings. When uncertainty or unknown exists, we tend to experience anxiety, fear or any other negative emotions. The Sixth Sense consists a lot of after life or non-human spirits, which is something most of the human could not understand or master in. Hence, when ghost is introduced, we often feel fear. In this film, they uses a lot good psychological devices that enhance our emotions of fear. For example, they would play chilly music or sound like the wind blows in a sad tone to indicate "spirits" are near. Not only so, the movie has also used disgusting images to induce negative affect in audience. For example, blood or damaged limbs revealing inner organs and blood. In the movie, the characters also often complain about being cold. This is also a response of fear. Fear is an emotions we often experienced when we feel our surroundings or survival are being threaten. Therefore, when humans are in fear, it ignites the 'flight-or-fight' system. This means that our sympathetic nervous system is triggered. Consequently, the hormones in our body will facilitate some physical responses to prepare us to either fight or flee. The symptoms include muscle tightening, increase heart rate and breathing and also constrict blood vessel. As cold are associated with fear, when the character in the movie feels cold, the audience will automatically assume the spirits are near, causing the whole settings to be chilly.

Lynn and Cole Sears wearing extra clothing as it is cold

Basically, The Sixth Sense evolves around an isolated little boy who was often called freak as he can communicate and see the dead. As he often mumbled to himself or start staring at the air blankly, his peers think that he is crazy. None of them believe him and he is often left out in the class. At one scene, it is shown that Cole's former best friend would come to his house to pick him up for school, but after his mother stops looking, they would go on their separate ways. This shows that Cole is not particularly welcomed by his same-age peers and with his odd behaviors, no one would play with him. As he is always alone and unwelcome, this causes him to be the target of bullying. Despite of his extreme fear, his peers would lock him into the attic. In the movie, it is clearly portrayed that no one likes him in the school including the teacher. Although Cole has the ability to see the ceased, he is still afraid too. Hence, sometimes he would be too caught up with his thoughts on the deads causing him to have peculiar behavior that no one can understand. At one point, his teacher gets too frustrated and called him a freak in front of the class as Cole could not stop dwelling and saying how he can see the school was formerly used as a place where they hang people.

Next, between the relationship of Cole Sear and his mother, we can identify that Cole has an insecure-ambivalent attachment. Ambivalent attached children often has a very confusing behavior as when they are young they develop an unstable trust with their caregiver. They would demonstrate desperate need of closeness but sometimes distrustful and resistant towards others too. This is usually caused by the caregivers inconsistent of availability to the children when they are still infants. In the movie, it is shown that Cole's dad left the family when he was very young, resulting the mother has to work a few jobs to support the family. This could be a reason why Cole has developed such attachment style. Although Cole is often isolated from his peers, we can see that he actually desire closeness with others. There was one scene when he was in the hospital, he begged the psychologist to stay with him till he falls asleep. Not only so, there are few scene that demonstrate how Cole is resistant towards others and prefer to be alone. He can see him often playing by himself in the church instead with other kids. Another example could be how he does not want to tell his mother about his gifted ability. He explains that his mother is the source of love he has and he is very afraid of losing the love.

Despite of this attachment style, we can see that Cole and Lynn Sear actually have a very good relationship between each other. When Lynn Sear is having a bad nightmare, Cole in such a young age would know to go to his mother's bedside to calm her down. Not only so, Lynn Sear shows that she is often very worried and would do her best to provide for her child. This shows a strong bond between them. In this movie, Lynn Sear demonstrates an authoritative parenting style. She respects Cole Sear as an individual and would often listen to him. When she realized her necklace was in Cole's desk, she gives him a few chances to explain himself. It is just because that she doesn't know about her son's gifted ability and Cole's resistant in telling her the truth, she orders him out. Furthermore, there are many scene where Lynn Sear would keep telling Cole to talk to her as she wants to know more about her son. In the end, when Cole admitted his ability to see the dead to Lynn, she believes and accepts him, even it freaks her out a little.

Another strong social relationship shown is between Cole Sear and Dr Malcohm Crowe. At first, we can see that Cole is quite resistant towards Dr Crowe, but in the end they become a good company for each other. Cole trusts him a lot and tells him his secrets. Although Dr Crowe does not believe, he still tries his best to help him. We can say that they have a very strong therapeutic relationships.

However, the shocking twist of this movie gives a mind blown to all of us. When it is revealed that Dr Crowe is actually one of the spirits, I don't know how to describe the relationship between him and Cole. This is because as a spirit, he cannot be a psychologist for Cole Sear. Also, as he is already dead, his purpose to treat Cole is beneficial to him as he wanted to has a closure in life. This twist has also enhances the importance of unfinished business in life. Unfinished business basically refers to the emotions or memories about the past that one is avoiding or repressing. It is usually not fully-processed as the event is often very traumatic. Unfinished business would affect part of one's life limiting one's connection with others. In order to remove the effect in one's life, individuals has to deal with the issue and resolve the unexpressed emotions. In this case, Dr Crowe is shown to be shot dead by a former patient whom he thinks he failed him. This could be one of the reason why after death, Dr Crowe put so much effort in helping Cole as Cole demonstrates similar symptoms as the former patients. After Cole Sear's case got better, he then finally realized that he is actually dead. He has been repressing his death incident and thinking that he is actually alive. This explains why he keeps saying his wife doesn't want to interact with him. When he accepts the truth of being dead, he takes Cole's advice and talk to his wife when she is sleeping. Soon his unfinished business is resolved.

Personally, I find this movie very interesting. Perhaps because I am a fan of horror films. I find The Sixth Sense very different from other horror films that I've seen as most of them now consist more shocking elements than a rich plot or a moral. Therefore, it was actually very enjoyable to watch this movie as the 'deads' are not that scary and suitable for audience who does not like horror films because of the thrills. My favorite of the movie story is how it caught all of us with the twist and demonstrates the importance of unfinished business.

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