“The Sixth Sense” turns 25! Relive M. Night Shyamalan’s unusual endings

While nothing is a sure bet, you can feel pretty safe assuming that the movies M. Night Shyamalan will always have a devastating ending.

Since “The sixth Sense” chilled viewers to the bone in 1999 with a conclusion that brought new life – or rather, death – to what was possible with a plot twist, audiences have come to expect the unexpected from Shyamalan.

Even when the result – or sometimes the entire film before it – can feel sloppy, you’re usually glad you went along for the ride, as seems to be the case with their latest release. “Trap” who was called “idiotic”, but also cheerfully entertaining.

On the occasion of the 25th anniversary of the release of “The Sixth Sense” on Tuesday (6) — which also happens to be Shyamalan’s 54th birthday — here’s a list of the filmmaker’s twisty endings, from the ridiculous to the incredible. Needless to say, this summary contains considerable spoilers*.

Most ridiculous: “The End of Time” (2008)

In contrast to Shyamalan’s signature style, both the beginning and end of this list are going to be extremely predictable. This baffling failure infamously includes a middling Mark Wahlberg begging for mercy from a plastic plant, and fails to make viewers care when it’s revealed that it was the trees all along. Granted, this reveal doesn’t even come until the end of the film, but later meditations on similar concepts — notably 2018’s “Bird Box” — fare better than “The Happening.”

“Lady in the Water” (2006)

After a reasonably good run, “Lady in the Water” was yet another misstep for Shyamalan, with a nonsensical story that struggled like a fish out of water despite an impressive cast led by Paul Giamatti. Shyamalan himself appears in a key but bizarre role. And don’t even get us started on Bryce Dallas Howard as the… something in the water.

“Time” (2021)

“Time” was a film that had one of the most intriguing concepts and marketing campaigns ever, and yet never came close to living up to it in its impressive execution. The ominous beach location where people are trapped and age at hyper-accelerated rates buries dark secrets that lead nowhere, resulting in a film whose worst crime is being boring.

“The Village” (2004)

Shyamalan — whose daughter is entering the polarizing game of moviemaking — really took a risk with the final twist in “The Village.” It’s a definite surprise, but opinions vary widely on whether it succeeds. Since the director sneaks in a cameo at the end to arbitrarily explain away a potential plot hole and do some damage control, the end result is mediocre at best. Maybe the lesson here is to stop showing up in your own movies?

“Unbreakable”/”Split”/”Glass” Trilogy

Speaking of taking risks, the ending of 2016’s “Split,” which harkens back to 2002’s “Unbreakable,” was a bold move that no one saw coming and a world-building gesture that left viewers reeling. While “Unbreakable” was an incredibly slow burn in its own right, the seeds that film’s ending planted in terms of a realistic portrayal of a superhero and supervillain blossom in “Split.” Unfortunately, the threads of this sprawling story don’t get the neat or satisfying bow that viewers were hoping for with the three-film sequel, 2019’s “Glass,” which ended up being flimsy and convoluted.

“Signs” (2002)

An alien invasion thriller with a classic feel that actually gets better with each viewing, “Signs” is an entry that doesn’t really deliver the most shocking endings, but it’s so well-paced that the sum is even greater than its parts. It’s also brilliantly acted, with impressive turns, especially coming from Joaquin Phoenix and the kids: Abigail Breslin and Rory Culkin.

“Knock on the Door” (2023)

In a refreshing return to form, Shyamalan’s take on an apocalypse tale delivers a decidedly biblical ending that’s just plain awesome enough to work. The film consciously plays with cabin-in-the-woods tropes, as well as its similarities to 2011’s real-life “Knock on the Door” as well as James Cameron’s 1989 underwater epic “The Abyss.”

“The Visit” (2015)

This positively bonkers film could be argued to be the closest Shyamalan has come to his masterpiece below, if only because of how you simply don’t see the incredibly simple twist coming. Unfortunately, the film doesn’t end there and needlessly staples in about another 30 minutes of gratuitous and mostly filthy violence. Still, this twist — delivered by the always welcome Kathryn Hahn — is a stroke of genius.

Most amazing: “The Sixth Sense” (1999)

“The Sixth Sense” more than stands the test of time for many reasons. There’s the incredible acting from mother and son Toni Collette and Haley Joel Osment, as well as Bruce Willis’ stoic and brilliant performance. But what really makes “The Sixth Sense” a film for the ages is the final revelation, which manages to mix the perfect amount of terror, gut-punch and heartbreak.

*Note: This list does not include 2010’s “Devil,” which comes from a story by Shyamalan but was not directed or written by him. It also does not include 2010’s “The Last Airbender,” 2013’s “After Earth,” or his directing credits prior to “The Sixth Sense.”