So, here we go again, another Asian horror reimagined for Western audiences, and...
er, maybe not. You see, director Alexandre Aja has denied the film is a remake of 2003's South Korean flick Into the Mirror, so could this really be the original Western horror we've been waiting for? Well, no. Despite Aja's protestation, this really is quite similar to the Korean effort in all but a few minor plot differences. Presumably Aja didn't want his film pigeonholed with recent duff Asian horror remakes such as The Eye and One Missed Call that have been flooding cinemas of late.
Anyway, the plot centres on Jack Bauer Kiefer Sutherland who stars as Ben Carson, the stock hard-drinking-but-decent cop estranged from his family that is everywhere in Hollywood these days. Keef takes a security job at a mirror-strewn department store gutted by fire, which is awaiting the paperwork required for demolition. He's soon haunted by strange visions of death every time he looks in a mirror, or indeed, anything reflective. These early parts of the film are actually quite well done - Aja does a good job of building atmosphere and a creeping sense of unease in the derelict store, while a dose of pre-credit slashery will sate any gorehounds in the audience.
Its when the film moves into the midsection, when Ben tries to unravel the mystery of the mirrors, that the film really loses it's way. It quickly descends into stock horror cliches only without any actual horror - only one (admittedly quite memorable) scene involving the mirrors and a jawbone that I won't go into here has any real shock value, other than that it's a bland mess. It's here that the film's obvious Asian inspiration sets in, as it begins to get rather confusing. Or, more precisely, it would had it stuck more closely to the source material - Asian horrors are traditionally a little confusing but the fact that they deal with the unknown and leave it with a sense of mystique allows us to suspend our disbelief. A shame, then, that this film chooses to throw that right in the bin by trying to explain the spooky goings-on in a preposterously half-arsed way. Why? Leave it a mystery, at least keep some tension! This, coupled with some truly horrible, clunky scripting (Ben reminding his wife that water has a reflection), leads to some astonishing moments that will leave you not knowing whether to laugh out loud or shake your head (a monastery where mirrors are forbidden?). By the end, when Ben goes all Jack Bauer (witness his amazing transformation from hard-bitten alcoholic to ass-kicking action man within hours!) in a ridiculous pre-climax sequence set in an exploding building, any tension has dissipated in place of a film that just ends up being very, very silly. The film does redeem itself slightly with a genuinely creepy final twist that will keep you thinking long after you've stopped watching, the fact is it is incredibly hard to take even this surprisingly good climax seriously.
Overall, Mirrors falls some way short of the film many were hoping it would be, a result of style triumphing over substance. The ridiculous plotting and laughable dialogue are a constant barrier in the way of any true shocks, and it's probably more advisable to rent Rec or something if you're after some Halloween scares this year.
er, maybe not. You see, director Alexandre Aja has denied the film is a remake of 2003's South Korean flick Into the Mirror, so could this really be the original Western horror we've been waiting for? Well, no. Despite Aja's protestation, this really is quite similar to the Korean effort in all but a few minor plot differences. Presumably Aja didn't want his film pigeonholed with recent duff Asian horror remakes such as The Eye and One Missed Call that have been flooding cinemas of late.
Anyway, the plot centres on Jack Bauer Kiefer Sutherland who stars as Ben Carson, the stock hard-drinking-but-decent cop estranged from his family that is everywhere in Hollywood these days. Keef takes a security job at a mirror-strewn department store gutted by fire, which is awaiting the paperwork required for demolition. He's soon haunted by strange visions of death every time he looks in a mirror, or indeed, anything reflective. These early parts of the film are actually quite well done - Aja does a good job of building atmosphere and a creeping sense of unease in the derelict store, while a dose of pre-credit slashery will sate any gorehounds in the audience.
Its when the film moves into the midsection, when Ben tries to unravel the mystery of the mirrors, that the film really loses it's way. It quickly descends into stock horror cliches only without any actual horror - only one (admittedly quite memorable) scene involving the mirrors and a jawbone that I won't go into here has any real shock value, other than that it's a bland mess. It's here that the film's obvious Asian inspiration sets in, as it begins to get rather confusing. Or, more precisely, it would had it stuck more closely to the source material - Asian horrors are traditionally a little confusing but the fact that they deal with the unknown and leave it with a sense of mystique allows us to suspend our disbelief. A shame, then, that this film chooses to throw that right in the bin by trying to explain the spooky goings-on in a preposterously half-arsed way. Why? Leave it a mystery, at least keep some tension! This, coupled with some truly horrible, clunky scripting (Ben reminding his wife that water has a reflection), leads to some astonishing moments that will leave you not knowing whether to laugh out loud or shake your head (a monastery where mirrors are forbidden?). By the end, when Ben goes all Jack Bauer (witness his amazing transformation from hard-bitten alcoholic to ass-kicking action man within hours!) in a ridiculous pre-climax sequence set in an exploding building, any tension has dissipated in place of a film that just ends up being very, very silly. The film does redeem itself slightly with a genuinely creepy final twist that will keep you thinking long after you've stopped watching, the fact is it is incredibly hard to take even this surprisingly good climax seriously.
Overall, Mirrors falls some way short of the film many were hoping it would be, a result of style triumphing over substance. The ridiculous plotting and laughable dialogue are a constant barrier in the way of any true shocks, and it's probably more advisable to rent Rec or something if you're after some Halloween scares this year.
