Oculus Review

Rated R (Terror, Violence, Some Disturbing Images and Brief Language)

Running Time: 1 Hour & 44 Minutes

Cast-

Karen Gillan-Kaylie Russell

Brenton Thwaites-Tim Russell

Katee Sackhoff-Marie Russell

Rory Cochrane-Alan Russell

Annalise Basso-Young Kaylie Russell

Garrett Ryan-Young Tim Russell

James Lafferty-Michael Dumont

Miguel Sandoval-Dr. Shawn Graham

Kate Siegel-Marisol Chavez

Scott Graham-Warren

Justin Gordon-Mark (Supervisor)

Dave Levine-Robert Clancy

Stephanie Minter-Virginia Lasser

Lesa Johnson-Mary O'Connor

Allison Boyd-Beatrice O'Connor

James Flanagan-Tobin Capp

Alexandra Beer-Marcia Wicker

Marc Evans-Oliver Jeffries

Toni White-Alice Carden

Bob Gebert-Neighbor

Directed by Mike Flanagan

Where is Doctor Who when you need him?

Note: Screened on Wednesday, April 2, 2014 at AMC Empire 25.

We all have a mirror in our homes, sometimes more than one. Whether they're hanging in your bathroom or bedroom, mirrors allow us to see and make ourselves look presentable to others (or maybe take one of those annoying 'selfies' that are now all the rage these days) but have you ever wondered if someone other than yourself was staring back at you while you're looking in? According to Benjamin Radford's article Do You Believe in Bloody Mary? on the Discovery News website, mirrors 'have been the subject of legend and superstition for millennia.' You might have heard many times that breaking a mirror brings seven years of bad luck. Given the prevalence of mirrors in folklore and superstition, it's rather surprising that we haven't seen more horror movies revolving around them. Yes, there was 2008's "Mirrors" from director Alexandre Aja (along with its 2010 direct-to-video sequel) but other than the 'jaw-ripping' scene and the presence of Jack Bauer, um, I mean Kiefer Sutherland, it was pretty forgettable. In fact, critics ripped the film apart upon its release and it currently has a paltry 14% on Rotten Tomatoes. Mike Flanagan's "Oculus," which revolves around a haunted ornate mirror, fortunately is not as bad as Aja's gory flick but neither is it the amazing genre revelation that some critics have stated. Based on a well-received 2006 short, "Oculus" doesn't reinvent the wheel when it comes to things that go bump in the night but its creepy atmosphere, clever narrative structure, and impassioned performances elevate this low-budget horror film.

After experiencing a traumatic incident when he was ten-years-old, Tim Russell (Brenton Thwaites) was sent to St. Aidan's Mental Facility for long-term psychiatric evaluation. He is finally released on his twenty-first birthday after coming to terms with the tragedy that befell his parents and reconnects with his older sister Kaylie (Karen Gillan), who was sent into foster care following the incident. Tim is ready to move on and rebuild his life but Kaylie is quick to remind him of the promise they made eleven years earlier. Now working as an antiques dealer, Kaylie has managed to find the so-called 'Lasser Glass,' a four-hundred year old ornate mirror that is supposedly possessed by an evil supernatural entity. Believing that this entity was responsible for her parents' (Katee Sackhoff and Rory Cochrane) deaths, Kaylie returns to her childhood home in an attempt to draw the spirit out and kill it once and for all. Tim tags along and repeatedly tries to convince his sister that they made the ghost story up to cope with their shared trauma but she refuses to listen. When the two siblings begin experiencing strange phenomena, they find themselves unable to differentiate between reality and illusion.

In his 2002 Encyclopedia of Urban Legends, author Jan Harold Brunvand describes the Bloody Mary legend as a ritual where a 'person—often an adolescent girl—is supposed to chant [Bloody Mary's name] a set number of times (3, 10, 50, 100, etc.) while staring into a mirror in a darkened room (often a bathroom)—sometimes lit by candles—in order to summon out of the mirror the avenging spirit of [the] witch or ghoul.' What happens varies from person to person but let's just say for now that it often doesn't end very well…if you believe in such stories of course.

There's no summoning ritual for the 'Lasser Glass' in "Oculus," as the mirror's malevolent reach affects anyone in close proximity to it. Premiering at the Toronto International Film Festival last September, "Oculus" was soon acquired by Blumhouse Productions, which has made a name for itself in recent years by specializing in micro-budget horror films that yield a big reward at the box office. It is directed by Mike Flanagan, who made quite a splash in 2011 with his Kickstarter-funded horror film "Absentia." Although it was only released on home video and VOD, "Absentia" managed to snatch up a plethora of awards from various film festivals. Written by Flanagan and Jeff Howard and based on the 2006 short of the same name, "Oculus" won't leave you quaking in fear but it has a creepy atmosphere and a better-than-average mystery that will keep viewers guessing until the very end. However, what really elevates this picture is the strong drama and unique narrative structure. When we first meet them, we learn that siblings Kaylie and Tim have managed to survive their shared traumatic experience when they were children but as adults the two cope in different ways. Tim has more or less made peace with the fact that his parents were, for lack of a better term, dysfunctional. He believes that it was their bad choices that led to their deaths and is ready to move on. Unfortunately, Kaylie isn't so well-adjusted. Although she has managed built a life for herself with her loving boyfriend Michael (James Lafferty), Kaylie is obsessed with revenge, revenge against the supernatural entity that took her family. But does this entity even exist…or is it just a product of Kaylie's mind, a symptom of her being unable to move on? This question is bandied about during the film's first half, with Flanagan hinting that perhaps the demon that Kaylie needs to kill is not the one in the mirror but the one residing within her. Thus, the demon only exists in a metaphorical sense and Kaylie would just need to let go of her thirst for vengeance to defeat it.

Of course, it soon turns out that the demon is very real indeed (otherwise we'd have no movie), prompting "Oculus" to enter extended 'mindf*ck' territory. The story frequently jumps between the past and the present as Flanagan cleverly builds off the two timelines until they finally merge into one horrible sad present. In a way it represents the siblings' painful past as an ugly stain that can't ever be washed away. Not only does the mirror haunt them but so does their parents' violent deaths. Unlike most horror films, "Oculus" isn't overly concerned with making viewers constantly jump in their seats, although there are a few jump scares thrown in. Rather, it is more interested in making viewers try to discern what is and isn't real, leading to some genuinely spooky moments such as the 'apple-masquerading-as-lightbulb' scene that has been heavily marketed in the trailers. What's also great about the film is that the characters aren't stumbling around with no idea what's going on. Kaylie is fully aware of the grave threat the mirror poses, with Flanagan going into extreme detail with her plans but as the famous saying goes, 'The best-laid plans of mice and men / Often go awry.'

Despite this being a low-budget horror flick, the cast deliver committed performances and not only sell the stakes but the drama as well. Karen Gillan, primarily known for her role as Amy Pond on the popular BBC television show "Doctor Who," offers a refreshingly different take on the horror heroine. Gillan's Kaylie is determined not to be the victim again and I love how the actress brings a sort of hyper-competence to her character. Brenton Thwaites, who will next be seen in the film adaptation of Lois Lowry's young adult novel The Giver, isn't quite as strong but he remains convincing as an audience surrogate, with his character Tim conflicted in separating reality and illusion. Playing their younger selves are Annalise Basso and Garrett Ryan, both of whom are remarkably impressive as we watch them slowly overcome their helplessness and fight back. Finally, there's Katee Sackhoff (Kara 'Starbuck' Thrace from the "Battlestar Galactica" reimagining) and Rory Cochrane, who are both heartbreaking and terrifying as their characters gradually descend into madness.

Released on April 11, 2014, "Oculus" has received solid reviews with 72% on Rotten Tomatoes. Critics hailed it's 'emphasis on dread over gore' and noted that it might be 'the first spine-tingling chapter in a new franchise for discerning horror fans.' Unfortunately, the audience I had to sit with during the advance screening was by far the worst group I've ever had to endure and it's a reminder of why I dread watching horror movies in theaters as the people just cannot shut the f*ck up! I hope one day all theaters adopt a no tolerance policy toward talking and texting like the Alamo Drafthouse. If you can't be quiet or not text, then you don't deserve to be in the theater or have your money refunded. I've digressed far enough so let me just conclude that "Oculus" doesn't rewrite the horror genre but it does offer enough thrills and chills, as well as some intriguing ideas, to make it worth a watch.

Final Rating: 3.5 out of 5

"You promised me you'd never forget what really happened."