Mirrors
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Movie Reviews of Mirrors
Movie Review: Pretty creepy!
Summary: 4 Stars
I put off watching this movie until it was no longer on pay-per-view but finally showed up on one of the free movies on demand channels, then I immediately checked it out. This was actually a pretty creepy thriller and Kiefer Sutherland was a great choice for the lead role. Good special effects and the plot almost does to mirrors what Jaws did to the beach! A creepy, well-done thriller, very much recommended.Movie Review: So good until those final minutes.
Summary: 3 Stars
Mirrors (Alexandre Aja, 2008)
I was about forty minutes into the hundred-odd-minute Mirrors last night when my wife, who's down with bronchitis, took some cold medicine and went to bed. I considered turning the movie off and coming back to it today, but I couldn't bring myself to do it. Why? Because I was seeing something I had never seen before--a good Alexandre Aja movie. No, seriously--a really good Alexandre Aja movie. (In my defense, when my wife takes cold medicine, twenty minutes later she has no idea whether I'm in bed with her or not. "Comatose" is a valid description.) I was expecting yet another stupid Hollywood remake (and with Alexandre Aja having helmed the epitome of the stupid Hollywood remake, the 2006 version of The Hills Have Eyes, I felt entirely justified in this). For the record, I have yet to see the film upon which this is based, the 2003 Korean project Into the Mirror, and maybe that changed my perception a bit. But oh, yes, I was completely immersed in this.
And then we got to the last five minutes. And that Nike I was waiting for clonked me in the back of the head, except by then I wasn't expecting it. Ever since I finished watching the silly thing, I've been trying to spin the ending a different way. Me, of all people, trying to figure out how to defend a film by a guy who, up until now, hadn't even figured out how to direct a good short! (I generally don't review shorts, only rate them; I caught his first project, Over the Rainbow, earlier this year. It got two stars mostly for its brevity.) I think this is a sign of the apocalypse.
In any case, the plot concerns an ex-cop named Ben Carson (Dark City's Kiefer Sutherland--who, let's face it, hasn't done a good film since the beginning of 24). Ben left the force after an incident that messed with his head enough that he fell into the bottom of a bottle, resulting in the breakup of his marriage (he's now sleeping on the couch of his sister Angela, played by Crank's Amy Smart) and a period of jobless wandering through a self-tortured life. He's started picking up the pieces, though, and newly sober, gets a job as a night watchman at a department store that burned down five years ago. (We're told that it's still being patrolled because the company is still tied up in a legal battle with the insurance company.) All well and good, except that ghostly goings-on begin his first night. He quickly finds out that every night watchman in the place, including the guy who originally burned the place to the ground, has had the same problems. You see, there's something wrong with the department store's mirrors. (This is not a spoiler; we find this out in the refreshingly gory opening scene.) Needless to say, whenever he tries to explain the mirror problem--to Angela, for example, or to his ex Amy (Precious' Paula Patton)--they look at him like he's nuts. How to convince them he's not before something unspeakable happens? And what do the things in the mirror want, anyway?
It's always been the case that the decent American remakes, or even the mediocre ones that still somehow manage to be worth watching (Verbinski's The Ring, for example, or Scorsese's The Departed), are based on top-notch flicks. Not to say there haven't been awful American remakes (did you see Bangkok Dangerous? No? Stay that way.), but the good ones? Yeah. So I'm guessing that Sung-ho Kim's original Geoul Sokeuro is a real barnburner, because the first hundred minutes of this movie are, at least for Alexandre Aja, absolute genius. The whole thing is about character and atmosphere. It is, in fact, the second (that I know of) Asian-horror-flick remake to actually get that bit right, and as a result, the film shines. Some of the criticism leveled at the movie has had to do with some bad acting by supporting players, and this is true, but none of the supporting players here gets a whole lot of screen time; this is Kiefer Sutherland's movie, and he carries it. (Some of the other criticisms say he's just reprising his Jack Bauer role. I've never seen 24, so I can't comment on that, but if so, I can see why the show's a hit.) The atmosphere is tense, and more importantly it's believable enough to let the viewer swallow enough disbelief to actually buy the rather ridiculous premise.
And then the final five minutes. Intellectually, I know I shouldn't hate them as much as I did. The ending probably even works in the original (though some of the things I've read lead me to believe the ending has been changed). And for the record, the final shot really is set up nicely all the way through the movie, and if you take it by itself, it's creepy and effective. But my god, the plot hole that gets blown through this movie in the final two scenes is unforgivable--especially because those scenes are right next to one another. It was as if Aja and his longtime writing partner Gregory Levasseur said "hey, we need one of those endings that sets up for a sequel (ed. note: which is in the process of being filmed as we speak, of course), who cares if it makes no sense in the context of the rest of the film?". And that's exactly what we got.
I wanted to love this movie. And had I turned it off five minutes before the end, I probably would have. ***
Movie Review: "Jack Bauer Vs. The Mirrors"---Decent but Flawed Adaptation of South Korean Horror film "Into the Mirror"
Summary: 3 Stars
Produced by Korean filmmaker Eun Young-Kim and directed by Alexandre Aja (Haute Tension), "MIRRORS" isn't exactly an official remake of the South Korean horror film "Into the Mirror" (aka. Geoul Sakeuro, 2003, directed by Sung-Ho Kim) but it does have pretty strong similarities (most specially the opening credits) since it is based on the Asian horror film. The "Americanization" of Asian Horror films are usually a miss more than a hit--with Aja at the helm as director, Eastern subtlety, slow suggestive, methodical creepiness is replaced by aggressive, grand displays of special effects--such a show-off approach does improve on the original when it comes to pace but doesn't necessarily make it a better film.
Ben Carson (Keifer Sutherland, "24") is a problematic ex-cop, he has a estranged relationship with his wife, Amy (sexy Paula Patton), has two kids and he is bunking with his baby sister Angela (sexy Amy Smart) until he gets back on his feet. Ben gets a job as a watchman in a burnt out department store called "Mayflower". Strangely, the burnt out store has unusually well-preserved mirrors--there is something sinister about them. When your reflection dies in the mirror, then you suffer the same fate. Demons from the past want something from everyone who had ever taken the job as night watchman--now, Ben must get to the bottom of the mystery of "Esseker", before it is too late to save himself and his family....
With Alexandre Aja at the helm as director, then the expectations from horror fans will be expectedly a little high. I suppose the best way to approach "Mirrors" is by lowering your expectations. Aja cleverly only keeps the opening act, the climax, and the main premise from "Into the Mirror". This U.S. unrated version is more visceral and does have more blood and gore than the original. "Into the Mirror" does have a relevant social commentary that added some essential "meat" to its plot. However, the original also does have quite a number of dull moments and too many missed opportunities, with a subplot that is totally underdeveloped. Aja's approach is kept simple, it approaches a more visceral and violent approach with more effective use of special effects. The computer-generated set designs in the American version is also a lot creepier than the brightly lit, newly re-opened store in the Korean version.
The main premise of "Mirrors" and "Into the Mirror", you guessed it, are mirrors. There are legends involving mirrors as another walkthrough to an alternate world, and that mirrors can used to capture hidden "demonic" entities. This legend was partly touched on in the opening act of "Constantine" and this film further expends on this premise. The plot also hits on some medical theories about schizophrenia and demonic possession. The laws of the "mirrors" may not be totally defined or fleshed out in this film but it does provide a good idea for a scary experience.
The problems with "Mirrors" begin with the script and the dialogue. Considering the assumed limits of Aja's English knowledge, the dialogue is pretty much obligatory and very dry. Also, the part with Ben's estranged relationship with his wife Amy is too perfunctory. I'm not sure, Sutherland managed to express some emotions but the style is too similar to his "Jack Bauer" portrayal that makes the "meant to be" scary scenes a little funny with a predictable climax after the encounter with the nightmarish ghoul. I really felt as if Aja meant for it to be this way but ended up hampering the film a little. The family tension also overstays its welcome after awhile and Ben`s trip to the backwoods was too formulaic and too reminiscent of Asian horror films. I rather thought that the powerful social criticism and the subtle doses of satire in the Korean version may have assisted the film's screenplay.
Despite the uninspired script, the film is competently directed. I was impressed as to how Aja managed the shots, I would imagine that it would be a little difficult to shoot a film with a lot of mirrors (thank goodness for CGI) and Aja's set designs were creepy enough. The set ups for the gore scenes were well-directed and the film does have its share of unsettling images. The film's greatest strengths will have to be the opening scene, the one with mangled jaw, the flashbacks with a young Anna Esseker and Ben's first night in the burnt out building; accompanied by an ominous score by Javier Navarrete, the film does have its suspenseful moments.
"Mirrors" is a more decent attempt at an Asian horror re-imagining despite its many flaws and the weaknesses of the script. I was just disappointed that the mythos of the mirrors themselves and of doppelgangers weren't more efficiently explored and settled to just become one more "visually inspired" horror experience. The climax is also very predictable. "Mirrors" is perfectly watchable although it is definitely forgettable and wouldn't stand out.
Recommended with caution to horror maniacs, but a RENTAL to experienced viewers. [3 Stars]
Movie Review: Great Atmosphere, But Silly Story Likes to Get In the Way.
Summary: 3 Stars
I don't do plot synopsis in my reviews, so just scroll up for that.
This is the newest Alexander Aja film(directed High Tension and remake of The Hills Have Eyes). So far his films have been about human killers and sociopaths, but this one veers into the supernatural. He's got the goods when it comes to moody lighting and a good set-up, but he brings along some ultra gorey sequences that were more fitting in his previous films, well there are actually only two in the film, but the second scene of major graphic violence is real grotesque and may turn off those tuning in for simple haunting. The set-up is basic horror stuff. Ex-cop(swear, they're always ex-cops so they have easy access to friends with info they couldn't possible get on their own and so they can carry a gun properly), ex-alcoholic takes a night time security job guarding the ruins of a burned down department store in New York. Sounds like the Shining, right? Well, it really does, but unlike the Kubrick film, the characters in the film feel real and are fairly fleshed out in their archetypical roles.
Of course like most cinematic hauntings of recent years there's a mystery to solve and only Kiefer Sutherland can do it. The mirrors are doing and showing him weird things from the store's past. They etch a name in the glass of a woman he must find in order for the nasty mirrors to leave his wife and kids alone, wife and kids he seperated from of course--this ain't the strong family unit of the Poltergeist days. The build up works. Once you find out the answers to the mystery...well...well, things get a little goofy and outside the realm of understanding, even for a supernatural thriller.
*SPOILER TOWN* Okay, why do the spirits or ghosts or whatever have the power to mutilate and follow you home, but can't simply tell you what they want and why? Amy Smart, plays Kiefer's sister, didn't really have to die. In terms of film writing she is playing the Janet Leigh role, but I would have a little animosity towards these spirits if they killed my sister and I would be a little hesitant to help them, bunch of jerks. I mean,I get it, her violent death gave the threat to his family some suspense but still... Okay, and how come nobody talks about the fact that this department store was built on the old site of an asylum, isn't it always an asylum? You think this would be common knowledge, at least on an urban legend level. FINALLY, like I said before the answer to the film's mystery is totally silly. These aren't ghosts in the mirror, it's one giant demonic entity looking to go back to its original host body. Yup. Stop smiling. Apparently, a possessed girl was committed there and the doctor put her in a glass room to cure her of schizophrenia. Why? Movie doesn't really spend a bunch of time explaining our good doctor's theory on that one, and even less time on why the mirrors sucked the demon out of the girl in the first place. When Sutherland reunited the girl and her demon(sounds kind of cute) the movie gets even sillier. Now the nun is possessed again and she is jumping around like a hopped up monkey and fistacuffing it up with our ex-cop. It's not scary. It's not believable and its totally hysterical.
Now I like my superantural horror with as little explanaions as possible, but this one pushes it a tad. Why do the mirrors take the demon from the girl? Does anyone know the answer from simply watching this film? I have some previous knowledge about mirrors and their folklore origins involving soul stealing and evil trapping, and so do the writers of this film, but they don't incorporate it into their screenplay at all. There's a cool special feature on the dvd that goes into mirror folklore, but why should I have to watch a dvd special feature to understand a film? I shouldn't have to do homework to watch a movie(Yes, I'm looking right at you Southland Tales)! This is an intriguing folklore idea and transporting it into a modern horror couldn've been a cool and intersting idea.
The acting is all good, without being exceptional. At this point I think unless Sutherland does a romantic comedy he will always be playing 24'S Jack Bauer. The effects with the mirros are sometimes creepy. The atmosphere in the first half is thick and effective. The logic is out the window after about the hour mark, well as much logic as a film depicting supernatural events can have, but I assure it is possible. The opening gore scene is unnecessary and ineffective, but really gross--if that's your thing. It's a solid rental, but a better, "Hey, looks whats on HBO, Mirrors, I kind of wanted to see that" movie. NOT REQUIRED TO BE SEEN BY SERIOUS HORROR BUFFS.
LATER
Movie Review: WATCH YOUR REFLECTION
Summary: 3 Stars
MIRRORS
I would not say that this is the best horror movie I have ever seen or that this is one of the best horror movies to come out nowadays, but I will say that it is one of the best to be released theatrically these days. I have read a lot of things about this movie ranging from classic to horrible and I have to say that I find this film to be some where in the middle. This was in no part a bad movie in fact it is a really fun watch for those who like these type of films, there are some genuine scares to be had, some good creepy scenes. Plus Kiefer Sutherland and Alexandre Aja together should make for a good movie right?
Ben Carson [Sutherland] is a cop who is loosing his grip on life and at the same time loosing his family because of an unfortunate event in which some one was killed. He is living with his sister played wonderfully by Amy Smart [glad to see her again], and is taking a new job as a security guard at an old department store. Everything seems fine at first but little by little something is stirring and trying to tell Ben something, but what could it be and what could it want? It turns out that there is something in the mirrors and it wants Ben to find some one for him and if he doesn't his family is at stake. So the race is one between man and demon [yes that is what it is, sorry for the spoiler] one out to kill and one out to stop it.
I have to say that I really was not disappointed with this movie after reading a couple other reviews [WP] that let me know ahead of time to lower expectations. Of course since Aja directed this there will be high [as in tension] expectations for the film regardless for any one who follows the horror genre. I have to say that while it is not as good as his past efforts it is still a really well put together film with great direction and deserves a fair shot. Still though his screenplay with Grégory Levasseur based on Sung-ho Kim's film "Into the Mirror" is a little weak as far as dialogue goes, the story is there but the right words are not. It seems that the characters are kinda flat and missing something that makes them three dimensional. Still the tense moments do exist within this movie and are really well done and the film is shot perfectly as well. Another thing the film has going for it is the special effects, I have to say that the CGI is masterful and obviously the effects with the mirrors are great.
As far as the acting goes producer/star Kiefer Sutherland returns to a genre that he was once a mainstay in some what. And while he once stole the show in things like "The Lost Boys" he is some what restrained in this one maybe that was the character though. Still I feel like something is missing in his performance particularly in the first third of the film. Still when the movie gets going so does Sutherland and that should be giving to his credit; he does do a good job with the film. Amy Smart does a great job as his sister and I have to say that her death scene is amazing, really one of the best things I have seen in a while. Paula Patton plays his wife who wants to help him but is still a little afraid of him does a good job in her role as well, as does Cameron Boyce and Erica Gluck who play the kids. And of course the person who is really the most important is Mary Beth Peil who you will see does a great job and may steal the show as far as performance goes.
I must admit that I thought this movie would give me a little more but it fell a little short, still it is an enjoyable movie that at least should be on your rental list. Some of you will probably enjoy it enough to buy it, I did. I recommend the movie to any one reading this but go in knowing that this is not a classic horror movie but much more so just a good time at the movies.