Mirrors

Deeply Disappointing Horror Homage, 10 October 2008

Author: gary-444 from United Kingdom


*** This review may contain spoilers ***


Director Alexandre Aja is a member of the so-called new wave "Splat pack" of horror directors, and a self confessed disciple of the genre.Despite a good basis for a story, a credible cast, and a very generous budget this film fails to deliver.It is a long time since I went to a Horror Movie and found myself looking at the time DURING the action sequences.

Whilst the cinematography and locations are fine,a preposterous script makes the cinema goer cringe with embarrassment rather than with fear.Convincing horror depends upon the viewer being convinced that the extraordinary can come from the ordinary, this test is failed in spades. Frustratingly the ingredients are not bad.Kiefer Sutherland plays a solid, Ben Foster, a Cop suspended from duty for shooting dead a fellow officer.However the mental anguish of the event is eschewed in favour of the demons that apparently haunt the backs of the mirrors in a dilapidated fire ravaged building for which he is a Night Watchman.

When the action is largely confined to the fire damaged department store, an interesting, if routine level is found.Once the action goes outside all plot credibility disintegrates.Afficiandos of the genre will be pleased to know that there is the obligatory nude/ bare breasts/ girl in the bath scene acted by Amy Smart playing fosters sister.We even have a wet t shirt scene acted by Paula Patton playing Fosters sister.But just when the rationale and logic of the malevolent ghosts in the mirrors is "cracking up" it gets worse.Foster identifies the root cause of the problem, a cured schizophrenic Nun whom he kidnaps at gunpoint from a Nunnery without challenge or consequence and persuades her to happily give up her own life in favour of Fosters anonymous family.

The coda "plot twist" is a mere device, clever but shallow.Less money, but more characterisation,less gore and more threat are required next time round for Aja.