Depending on your perspective, "The Sixth Sense" was either a flat-out terrific movie or just a so-so film that had a terrific ending.

But its highly anticipated sequel, the dark fantasy "Unbreakable," is less likely to divide the masses — or make as big a box-office splash as the surprise 1998 smash.

Why? Because "Unbreakable" may be the polar opposite of "The Sixth Sense." It's an otherwise well-crafted, even thought-provoking film that's seriously marred by an awful ending.

Wait, strike that. Make that a really awful ending — a ridiculously straight-faced contrivance that asks audiences to swallow too much; one that could possibly even elicit some snickers or boos from viewers.

Still, you have to give writer/director/producer M. Night Shyamalan credit for taking such a ludicrous idea and making it seem plausible for at least 90 or so minutes (after that, the film simply collapses in on itself).

Not to give too much of the well-guarded plot away, but it's a superhero story of sorts. Security guard David Dunn (Bruce Willis) survives a disastrous train derailing and discovers that he's the only survivor, having walked away without a scratch.

So he tries to find an explanation for what happened, with help from Elijah Price (Samuel L. Jackson), an art dealer and comic-book aficionado born with a unique malady that makes his bones extremely brittle.

However, David is unwilling to accept Elijah's odd theory — that David may, in fact, be indestructible, and that he may have other unearthly powers. He also believes that David may have been intended to do bigger and better things with his time than simply work security at college football games.

Meanwhile, David's estranged wife (Robin Wright Penn) and alienated son (Spencer Treat Clark) are trying to re-establish relationships with him, though this recent turn of events could undo that.

As crafty a plotter as he is, Shyamalan has written himself into a corner here, and he leaves himself with no other options for story resolution than the worst one available. (It almost would have been better for him to leave the main story line dangling, unresolved, rather than tie it up with a lame "Where are they now?" title-card gimmick).

What's so disappointing is that the film seems to be building to something better and deeper than this unsatisfying conclusion.

That also puts a serious burden on Willis, who comes off as somewhat icy early on. Of course, his character is written as somewhat standoffish in the beginning and gradually becomes more likable as he — and the audience — come to understand what's happening to him.

In support, Jackson is as good is always (though his silly haircut is a serious distraction). And Shyamalan has found another talented youngster in Clark, though he's not given even a 10th as much to do as "The Sixth Sense's" wunderkind Haley Joel Osment.

"Unbreakable" is rated PG-13 for a rather disturbing scene of violence, scattered profanity, a crude sexual reference and a scene depicting a drug transaction. Running time: 107 minutes.

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