Kiefer Sutherland stars as Detective Ben Carson. After killing a man Ben copes with the trauma of that violent act through alcohol. His addiction leads to a suspension from the force and a separation from his family. Ben crashes at his sister Angela’s (Amy Smart) house and takes on a security gig at a dilapidated shopping center called The Mayflower in his quest to reclaim his life.

A horrible fire tore through The Mayflower leaving a number of wounded victims as well as a host of dead ones. Restoration efforts are in effect but are moving along at a snail's pace. At first glance the massive mall looks like a lost cause with blackened statues, wrecked furniture and shredded tapestries. Out of all that destruction it appears the only things to have survived unscathed are the mirrors. It isn’t long before Ben discovers that there is a terrifying secret beyond the glass and that secret will reach across the charred threshold of the Mayflower and into the lives of those most dear to Ben’s heart. Only one thing can end the curse: Esseker.


Mirror, Mirror On The Wall. Looks Like Ben Had A Bad Fall

A friend warned me to avoid this horror flick in the theaters because it reached about a nine on the Lame-O scale. I couldn’t help but believe her because the trailer didn’t raise any goosebumps on my arms either. Evil dopplegangers coming out of the ordinary and harmless bedroom mirror just did not justify an eight dollar ticket purchase.

A four dollar rental, however, was worth the risk. So I popped in the Mirrors DVD which offered the Rated and Unrated versions.

Honestly, I don’t see the point of including the Rated version. I personally wouldn’t clamor to see the Mirrors film that’s missing 10 minutes of footage and plot. I’d imagine most people would rather see more instead of less. Um, I mean, when it comes to theatrical releases, that is. 

Unless, of course, the extra stuff is so abysmal that it makes the Rated version look like an Oscar nominee.

The plot of Mirrors wasn’t half bad. This is yet another scary breadcrumb chase where the lead character is given one vague clue and has to piece everything together through intelligence and dumb luck. How fortunate for the mirror dwellers to find a professional detective that knows how to follow the faintest of trails and has access to the police department’s records. The story gets more intense as the mirror people start to go after Ben’s wife, Amy (Paula Patton), and their two kids Michael (Cameron Bryce) and Daisy (Erica Gluck).
 

Little Michael Playing With Himself......Um, Moving On To The Next Paragraph.....

Since this is more of a “quiet the restless spirits” movie there isn’t a whole lot of gore. The horror is mostly found in the dark hallways of The Mayflower mall and the disturbing reflections in the mirrors outside the cursed shopping mecca. But the blood freaks should find the opening death scene of Mayflower guard, Gary Lewis (Josh Cole), kind of entertaining. The goriest scene is owned by Ben’s sister, Angela, who has a jaw dropping encounter with a mirror ghost.

Kiefer Sutherland was a lot more captivating than I was expecting. I found myself almost cheering for Sutherland’s defeated detective as he tried to restart his life with a late night guard job. Most guys would've packed up and hauled bacon at the first sign of an apparition. But not Ben. His instincts told him to find this Esseker person and give these poor souls the peace they deserve. Of course, death threats against his family was an additionally motivating cause for Ben’s mission.

I also found the ending rewarding. It doesn’t leave a bridge for a sequel (though someone could still make a "Mirrors 2" if they really, really wanted to) the way current horror flicks do and the added twist was okay.


Amy Carson: "Should've married that dentist but NO! Had to fall for the shiny badge. D'oh!"

I also must spotlight Mirrors’ director Alexandre Aja. His 2006 remake of The Hills Have Eyes had a creepy and tension filled style though it was hard to appreciate it when the vacationing family was acting so clueless. Speaking of “tension”, Aja is also responsible for helming 2003’s Haute Tension (aka High Tension aka Switchblade Romance). I can barely put into words how much that slasher flick ticked me off. Just to think of that infuriating big reveal at the end makes me want to turn green and start smashing SUVs. Mirrors did not make me angry at all so I guess, in my book, this is his finest film yet.

Overall, I think Mirrors is worth a shot. While it doesn’t redefine the horror genre the movie still rocks with an interesting plot and above average performances. Home viewers will be treated to deleted scenes and two featurettes that "reflect" on the experiences of making this scary movie. www.mirrorsmovie.com