A woman tries to prove her brother's innocence by showing that
a supernatural mirror was the cause of the crimes committed. HORROR
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Oculus (2013)Directed by Mike Flanagan
Written by Mike Flanagan and Jeff Howard Starring Karen Gillan, Brenton Thwaites, Katee Sackhoff, Rory Cochrane, Annalise Basso, Garrett Ryan Based on the 2006 short film Oculus: Chapter 3 - The Man with the Plan |
I was surprised at how intense Oculus was, as it began like any other horror film of the past decade. What it became, however, was one of the most unique and psychologically torturing movies I've ever seen. The Lasser Glass is an undeniably creepy monster that we as the audience know virtually nothing about, which is a brilliant direction to take. Throughout the film, we can't tell what is real and what the mirror is showing us. The monster is so mysterious that all we really know about it is that it's evil and wants to kill.
As each scene progresses, we get more and more drawn in to the elaborate fantasy the mirror has concocted that fools not just the characters but repeatedly fools the audience and lulls us into a false sense of security. Oculus impressed me because of its lack of jump scares, which I believe over-saturates the modern horror genre. Instead, Oculus relied on psychological scares to win over its audience, which it pulled off brilliantly. To me, it is so much scarier when you're not entirely sure if the wool is being pulled over your eyes. It's in this respect that Oculus shines as one of the best horror films in recent years. |
Oculus was a smart, creative horror film that makes you question everything that happens in the course of its running time. It uses the haunted mirror as its starting point and gets more complex as it goes along. The film will make you question both of the main characters, deciding which one is right and which one is wrong. Oculus also did a great job of handling two separate storylines, showing the main characters when they were kids and the present day.
To go along with its great story, it also features interesting characters that are backed by great performances. Brenton Thwaites is great as the recently released brother trying to move on with his life. Karen Gillan is also great as the sister determined to prove that the mirror is evil and was the cause for the crimes. The real standouts, though, are Katee Sackhoff and Rory Cochrane as their parents who start to become more and more insane the longer they're in the house. A great horror film with some solid scares, great performances, and a very demanding storyline. |