Mirror, Mirror on the wall... (Mirrors (DVD))

Member Name: cyberem78

Product:	Mirrors (DVD)
Date:	11/09/09 (46 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Eerie. Original horror effects. Great ending.

Disadvantages: Bad acting.

Think about the home in which you live. How many of your rooms have mirrors in them? Mirrors have, for a long time, been written into horror stories and movies. Ideas of dopplegangers and of parallel worlds are commonly connected with the mirror symbol. Even today, in our world of high-science we still hold onto some fears and superstitions regarding mirrors: in the practise of 'feng shui', for example, mirrors are of great importance and are regarded as being magnets and reflective channels for 'chi' energy. Consequently there are certain places mirrors should never be placed - facing a bed for example - incase they are energy draining. This movie picks up all of these threads of ideas and paranoia and uses the mysterious nature of the mirror as it's central theme.

The story of the film involves a night-time security guard who gets employment looking after a burned out shopping mall. Soon after starting work he begins to experience horrible auditory, visual and sensory hallucinations inside the gutted building. The disturbing visions are sometimes only seen via a mirror. The many mirrors in the once luxurious department store seem to hold a secret world which the hero must investigate before he goes crazy and/or he becomes a target of whatever is at the core of the horror.

I was very interested in seeing this movie as I have always loved watching its star Kiefer Sutherland. He has been in the television show '24' for a long time now. So long infact that he seems to have morphed into Jack Bauer. Although his character's name here is Ben Carson, he is remarkably similar to his '24' identity. Despite this, without his star presence and gravitas this movie could have been a total failure as much of the other performances are under par. Here Sutherland plays an ex-cop and recovering alcoholic, who turned to the booze after being traumatised by his partner's death.

I found the rest of the casting to be a little weird. The actress playing Kiefer's sister, Amy Smart, looked young enough to play his adult daughter. Paula Patton as Ben's wife was also a mismatch. The actress radiates with a 'high maintenance' Hollywood circle vibe whilst Keifer has more of a 'down and out' presence! Patton's beauty and refined mannerisms seem to make her untouchable and less real and I found it impossible to believe that her character could ever have been smart or gutsy enough to be a coroner in her occupation. Patton's acting skills are also questionable here although to be fair she has very little to do but shriek at the unfolding horror and argue with Kiefer's character.

I was very impressed by the style of horror in this film. It was very original and genuinely shocking and disgusting. There are many shots of burn injuries which have a horribly realistic appearance and which are more psychologically disturbing than anything else. There are also many horrific instances of character's being murdered which seem to go above and beyond anything I've seen in other horror movies recently.

The actual sets and effects are also impressive with the frazzled, blackened department store assuming a life of its own. The effects involving projections or reflections are also excellent with no obvious CGI tricks interfering with the visuals.

The plot is fairly predictable but there is enough gore, fright scenes and eerie occurances to keep us engaged until the end. Added to the mix very early on in the film is the idea of mental health and of barbaric mental health practices somehow being a factor in the hauntings and terror. Mental illness and how it effects the human soul is another common theme in horror movies but there is a little bit of originiality used in employing this theme here and the connection to the mirrors is of great enormity.

I really loved the ending of the movie as there is a very eerie and unforseeable twist which made the hairs on the back of my neck stand on end! It's clever and creepy and satisfying. This is a movie I will be more than happy to re-watch and feel haunted by. I would recommend this to anyone who loves gory horror scenes and likes challenging, thought-provoking movies that question the substance of existence itself. I must give this 4/5 stars because some of the acting (not including the main star) is reminsicent of over the top drama-school plays. Otherwise, it fulfils the needs of any horror fan! Warning: you won't look at your reflection in the same way for a few days after watching this!

Summary: A horror that's definately worth watching.