Mirrors (2008)

Director:

Alexandre Aja

Writers (WGA):

Alexandre Aja (screenplay) &
Grégory Levasseur (screenplay) ...

Release Date:

15 August 2008 (USA)

Genre:

Horror | Mystery | Thriller

Tagline:

There Is Evil........On The Other Side

Plot:

An ex-cop and his family are the target of an evil force that is using mirrors as a gateway into their home.

Plot Keywords:

Mirror | Fire | Evil | Estranged Wife | Hallucination

US TV Schedule:

Thur. Dec. 17	9:00 PM	HBO
Sun. Dec. 27	3:05 AM	HBO

Cast

Kiefer Sutherland	...	Ben Carson
Paula Patton	...	Amy Carson
Cameron Boyce	...	Michael Carson
Erica Gluck	...	Daisy Carson
Amy Smart	...	Angela Carson
Mary Beth Peil	...	Anna Esseker
John Shrapnel	...	Lorenzo Sapelli
Jason Flemyng	...	Det. Larry Byrne
Tim Ahern	...	Dr. Morris
Julian Glover	...	Robert Esseker
Josh Cole	...	Gary Lewis
Ezra Buzzington	...	Terrence Berry
Aida Doina	...	Rosa (as Doina Aida Stan)
Ioana Abur	...	Front Desk Sister
Darren Kent	...	Jimmy Esseker

Also Known As:

Into the Mirror (USA) (working title)
Oglinzi malefice (Romania)

MPAA:

Rated R for strong violence, disturbing images, language and brief nudity.

Runtime:

110 min | 112 min (unrated version)

Country:

USA | Romania

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital

Certification:

South Korea:18 | Singapore:M18 | Malaysia:18PL | Netherlands:16 | Japan:R-15 | USA:R (certificate #43839) | South Africa:16LV | Portugal:M/16 | Ireland:18 | UK:15 (cut) | UK:18 (DVD rating) (uncut) | Argentina:16 | Hong Kong:IIB | Philippines:R-13 (MTRCB) | Australia:MA | New Zealand:R16 | Italy:VM14 | Peru:18 | Finland:K-18 | Sweden:15 | Germany:18 | Hong Kong:III (uncut) | Norway:15 | Canada:18A (Alberta/British Columbia/Manitoba/Nova Scotia/Ontario) | Iceland:16 | France:-12 | Canada:13+ (Quebec) | Mexico:B15

Filming Locations:

Academy of Sciences, Bucharest, Romania

Company:

Regency Enterprises

Trivia:

Shot in Romania, most of it was filmed in Nicolae Ceausescu's unfinished Academy of Sciences building in Bucharest.

Goofs:

Plot holes: Anna Esseker is sent to the monastery after being release from the mental hospital because mirrors are forbidden there. But when Ben Carson visits her, she is wearing a ring to show her commitment to the religion, the ring is clearly very reflective.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Gary Lewis: [after opening window and seeing that it doesn't lead anywhere] Oh fuck!

Movie Connections:

Remake of Geoul sokeuro (2003)

Soundtrack:

Asturias

reflections on a terrible movie

This movie has some of my most hated aspects of a horror film 1. Larger than life setting: Seriously, even for a department store the inside of that place was WAY bigger than was believable.

2. Nonsensical Mutilation: Now why was it necessary to rip Amy Smart's jaw off!? Given the source of the 'evil' it really seemed more than was necessary. It was a cheap disgusting splatter effect.

3. Illogically uncontained evil: Okay seriously, so ANY reflection brings the evil around? WTF? all the mirrors in the Department Store...maybe but the freakin door knob!

4. Utter lack of support for main character: Usually there's at least ONE person on the side of the main character...NOPE not here! NO ONE is on his side for the majority of the movie until the wife sees the boys reflection staying in the bedroom mirror.

5. Ridiculously Stupid characters: Of course because he's the alcoholic ex husband the wife can't possibly even entertain the idea that something weird happening. Furthermore she stays in the house where they've already been 'attacked' and she leaves the kids alone while wandering through the water that he's consistently telling her NOT TO GO NEAR! His wife is a classic stupid horror movie character.

6. Terrible Ending. If you've seen it you know, if you're going to see it you'll find out...I HATE when movies end like this...it's like...okay I just sat through that whole movie for THAT to happen...so stupid

There were a few good jumps, the effects to emphasize the fire in the beginning were kind of cool and for that I'll give it a couple extra stars.