Mirror, Mirror

Oculus

 

Ghost stories are making a big comeback on movie screens everywhere, though always a big draw for audiences, the success of The Conjuring has sparked another resurgence of the paranormal. In The Conjuring, however, the ghosts had a whole house to terrorize people. Sometimes all it takes is a small object to make us afraid. From a Buick in Christine or even a VHS cassette from The Ring, smaller objects pack just as much horror punch than houses do. In the new horror film, Oculus, it’s a mirror that wreaks havoc on an unsuspecting family.

After 11 years in a psychiatric hospital for the criminally insane, Tim Russell has come to grips with what has happened to his parents. Upon being released, Tim just wants to move on and live a normal life. His sister, Kaylie, on the other hand has a different plan for her and Tim. Knowing Tim was wrongfully accused of murder, Kaylie is out to prove the murders weren’t caused by a who, but by a what. Convinced the evil is coming from an antique mirror, Kaylie gets Tim to agree (very reluctantly) to help her destroy the object that destroyed their family.

Now the synopsis I just provided is half of the plot, but the easier to explain without spoilers. The other half is the events leading up to Tim’s incarceration. These stories will run parallel to each other for most of the movie. The film does bring a few creepy moments and I did enjoy the history the filmmakers created for the mirror. None of this ‘the mirror is haunted because we the screenwriters say so’. The background gave the mirror more intrigue making the mirror more of a character than an object. Like The Conjuring, the film tries to scare you psychologically without all of the Saw-like gore. The film did a good job of keeping me engaged and interested without going over the top and I think this was accomplished with the parallel storytelling.

All the actors do a great job, but as I have said before, I can’t really judge horror movie actors. If the actors provided me with a sense of impending doom and weren’t corny, then they did fine. I will say I was impressed with Rory Cochrane (Empire Records) and how he slowly turns insane; also a rare non-tomboyish role for Katee Sackoff (Battlestar Galactica).

I think that the success of a horror film lies with its director and their ability to keep the film from becoming ridiculous. Mike Flanagan writes and directs this film that is based on one of his short films of the same name. Flanagan uses a lot of different camera angles to try and scare the audience. What I thought was interesting was Flanagan used a few crane shots straight above the actors in front of the mirror. This to me, indicated the mirror has taken over that character psychologically. Another interesting thing is how the mirror’s height suggests how far the takeover has gone. For example, when you see a character and the mirror in a straight on shot before the takeover, the mirror is always filmed a little lower than the actor. But as the progression of the takeover, the mirror is filmed higher and higher until the mirror is at the same height as the actor on screen.

I only have two real complaints about the film. First would be I didn’t understand why Tim was in the psychiatric hospital to begin with. Second I would love to discuss with any of you that have seen the film, due to spoilers.

Is this film an instant classic horror movie? No. However, it is a decent addition to the paranormal horror genre. I do predict a sequel, but it won’t capture the same essence from the first film like most horror sequels.

The Verdict: Worth Your Time.