The film starts with child psychologist Malcolm Crowe (Bruce Willis, The Siege) being both presented with an award from the mayor and being shot by a former patient (played by a nearly unrecognizable Donnie Wahlberg, Ransom). Flash to the following fall, when the shell of the man that was formerly Crowe begins to counsel Cole, who has many similar traits to Crowe’s attacker. But it takes a full hour before Cole delivers that gut-wrenching line from the trailer – "I see dead people" – and that’s a bit too long.

The sad-eyed Willis gives one of his best performances here, and Aussie Toni Collette (Velvet Goldmine) unveils a better South Philly accent than most of that city’s residents. But the convincing Osment steals the show. Looking at his face you can almost see every bad thing that has ever happened to him, and he seems barely able to hold it all back. Brilliantly lensed by Tak Fujimoto (Beloved), Sense is more creepy than scary and is very different than the upcoming Stir of Echoes, which also deals with a young boy who communicates with the other side. Look for a cameo by writer/director M. Night Shyamalan (Wide Awake) who, in one scene, plays a hospital doctor.

1:54 - for intense thematic material and violent images