Oculus Review

Disclaimer: Contains spoilers!

Plot Summary: A woman, with the reluctant help of her brother, attempts to prove a haunted mirror was responsible for the deaths of their parents when they were children.

Review: You know, it's been a while since I've been this impressed with a horror movie, but it's definitely a good feeling. While I wouldn't say this movie is as scary as it could have been, it more than makes up for this with an awesome story loaded with original ideas and concepts. I should mention that this film is based on a short film, from the same director, called "Oculus: Chapter 3 - The Man with the Plan;" this was most certainly a great indie short so check that out too if you're interested. Anyway, this is one of those rare instances where I think the director not only realized their vision but exceeded it splendidly. However, as highly as I am rating this film, there is one major detractor, which I know can make it or break it for a lot of people, that is the ending is painfully predictable. Honestly, by the 30 minute mark you should clearly know how this is going to end unless you were hoping against hope they'd pull a switcheroo on you at the last second.

The basic premise of the film is that there is a haunted mirror, called the Lassar Glass, that has been passed from person to person for at least 400 years with each owner meeting terrible and suspicious demises. The storyline feels reminiscent of an allegedly true tale proposed in "Beyond Belief: Fact or Fiction" regarding a mysterious "hooded chair" that killed whoever sat in it and was also passed down through the ages. I also liked that they stress that there wasn't a true origin point for the mirror as no one knows where it came from, thus, allowing the audience to let their imagination run wild with speculation. The main characters are Kaylie and Tim--siblings who had their childhoods ruined by their family's encounter with the mirror ten years earlier. As the film begins, the adult Kaylie, played quite well by Karen Gillan, has arranged circumstances to reacquire the Lassar Glass just as Tim is released from a psychiatric institute. The film's structure can be a bit confusing, but it eases you in gently as it cuts back and forth between the present and flashbacks to the original incident. From the onset, the atmosphere and tone are great as we are given tidbits of information to pique your interest like a crack in the mirror.

To sum up the past events, the mirror slowly possessed the parents leading to their deaths with Tim appearing to be blamed for murdering the father; this is the reason he has been institutionalized. Tim has grown up thinking everything with the mirror was just a story in his head as a means to cope with a horrible situation all the while Kaylie has grown obsessed with the mirror and its history. The contrast between the two is cool and allows for even the audience to doubt the validity of a supernatural source for a time (but I'm glad they didn't keep things ambiguous). Kaylie is driven by a promise the two siblings made as children that one day they would destroy the mirror to avenge their parents; this aspect felt like "It" but in the best of ways. Before she destroys the mirror, Kaylie wants to prove that it is supernatural in order to exonerate her father of the crimes he's accused of. She concocts an elaborate plan to film and force the thing inside the mirror to show itself through various means. Since she knows the mirror can control electronic devices (meaning no calls for help), she has created a self-described "kill switch" if all else goes wrong with an anchor on the ceiling that will slam into the mirror if it's not manually stopped each hour. It's kind of hard to properly describe her setup, but it looks cool and was a clever way to deal with a haunting we don't usually see. I should also address that Kaylie's obsession is a great plot device when the average audience goer is probably going to claim "just break the mirror!" She doesn't just want to destroy the mirror, she wants it beaten on her terms which sort of makes her a tragic hero. Regardless, the mirror is not easily damaged, as you will learn, making it debatable whether she could have simply smashed it.

Now, we've seen haunted mirrors and cursed objects before, but there is an interesting approach to the way they present the mirror you may not initially expect. In essence, the mirror feeds off the surroundings as it gradually gains the ability to manifest ghostly apparitions, warp reality, and make you see whatever it wants you to see. The film really emphasizes the manipulation of an individual's thoughts when in proximity of the mirror as it wants its victims in a helpless and brainwashed state. The scares, while present and amazing when they happen, are not as in your face as other films in the genre. Instead, this film takes a more subdued and psychological approach leaving the audience questioning what's happening and with an increasing sense of dread. And I'll tell you right now, sadly, we don't see anything directly come out of the mirror all Sadako/Samara-style; it wouldn't have hurt but might have felt cliched. This isn't to say that we don't see some creepy and memorable shit. The mirror likes to manifest demonic versions of its previous victims with special attention to a woman that bled to death; you'll be seeing a lot of that particular apparition with her glowing eyes. With that said, it is never explicitly explained what is the deal with the mirror. Is there an original ghost, is it a demon, or is it something forged in the pits of hell? The only things we can say for certain is that whatever resides within the mirror can be destroyed and reacts animalistic in order to defend itself. That crack dealt to the mirror was amidst the initial struggle the siblings had against its control, but it can typically make you hallucinate that you're hitting it when in reality you miss. Whatever the entity is, it's undoubtedly malevolent in nature...I think this is yet another instance we needed Sam and Dean on the case!

By the end, Kaylie and Tim cannot tell reality from illusion any longer as the film masterfully blends the flashbacks with the adult version's hallucinations. We see the story come full circle as the events from 10 years ago start to reflect the current encounter with the mirror. Both hauntings, so to speak, are interesting in their own right and you kind of get two tales for the price of one. I guess I can spoil what happens, but, hell, you could have probably guessed it just by what I wrote. So...unable to tell if what they're seeing is real or not, Tim tries to set off the anchor the moment he thinks he's in full control of himself only to realize Kaylie has been manipulated into standing in front of the mirror to intercept the hit. Yes, I know, predictable as hell, but it's still presented well enough. The final scene is of the police showing up and arresting Tim who is screaming that the mirror is responsible with a final shot of a demonic version of Kaylie added to the list of forms the mirror can take now.

I'm actually hoping people will skip some of my spoilers and just watch this movie since it's more than worth it. The tension, tone, mood, and atmosphere are each spot on; I genuinely felt engaged and on edge the whole time. The acting is good from everyone even the little kid versions you may think will be annoying; the kids surprisingly handled the haunting in a greater stride than I would have anticipated. The scares are effective and most felt original with even a few innovative tricks. The approach to dealing with the haunting and how the mirror operates was creative and gave the film a unique feel; I pretty much loved all aspects to the story and its presentation. The only downsides are that there could have been more scares and utilization of the movie's awesome concepts, especially when considering the film short had moments left out, and the ending is far too predictable. These flaws don't bother me excessively, but they can't be ignored when a disappointing ending can completely ruin a film for some. Suffice to say, I definitely recommend checking this film out at the first opportunity. With as much shit that has been coming out in recent years, it's refreshing each time a quality film is still produced and its even more shocking when there's a lot of originality to boot.

Notable Moment: When the bleeding ghost slithers freakishly back into the shadows only to immediately emerge at the door. Definitely a great effect and original scare tactic.

Final Rating: 7.5/10