Underrated Horror Movie of the Month: MIRRORS

Becca Stalnaker

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A man sees a handprint in a mirror while shining a light

Hello again, horror fans! I am back with another edition of Underrated Horror Movie of the Month. If this is your first time stumbling upon this column, here is a quick explanation. Every month, on the second and fourth Fridays, I come here to talk about a horror film that I feel is underrated and underloved. The chosen media comes from many different decades, subgenres and points of origin. I’m diving into the 2008 Kiefer Sutherland-led movie Mirrors in this edition. Stick around to see why I think this one deserves more love.

About Mirrors

Former detective Ben Carson (Kiefer Sutherland) takes on a new job as night security at the Mayflower Department Store. The Mayflower is unique because it was damaged in a major fire and is no longer in operation. As Ben soon learns, it has other interesting qualities, as well. The once prestigious store is lined with mirrors. Unlike the rest of the building, the mirrors are pristine and polished. On Ben’s first night, he inquires about this curiosity and is told the precious guard became obsessed with taking care of the mirrors.

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After noticing strange movements in the reflections, Ben suffers an incredible loss. Someone close to him is brutally murdered, and due to previous issues, no one believes him when he says something evil is in the mirror. Now, he has to find a way to protect his family from the entity before it is too late.

This film stars Kiefer Sutherland, Paula Patton, Cameron Boyce, Amy Smart, Arika Gluck, Tim Ahern, Jason Flemyng, Mary Beth Peil, John Shrapnel, Julian Glover and more. Alexandre Aja wrote and directed the film. Gregory Levasseur and Sung-ho Kim also have writing credits.

A young boy touches a knife to a mirror

Mirrors has a 14 percent Tomatometer Score and a 44 percent Audience Score on Rotton Tomatoes. On IMDb, it has a score of 6.1/10. Google reviews give it 4.2 stars.

My Thoughts

Firstly, this movie is based on the Korean film Into the Mirror. Anytime Americans remake a foreign film, there are several vital considerations. The first of which is there are inevitable changes that fans of the OG find anger-inducing. This is a similar phenomenon to issues with general horror remakes. Second, these changes sometimes include an entirely different story. Finally, these films are often watered-down versions, meaning less intensity, gore and oomph.

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As always, I took a deep dive into why some viewers did not like Mirrors by reading many online reviews. There were a few differing opinions. Some people found the story hard to follow and difficult to understand. Others found there to be too many common tropes. Still, more viewers couldn’t connect with the characters and found them annoying.

In regards to finding the story hard to understand or follow, this is a personal journey for each viewer and there is not much I can say in this regard. Each person experiences the story individually, and there is no way to change this fact. In my experience with the film, I was able to follow the plot, and while there were a few issues with it, they were not enough to detract from the overall.

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There are multiple horror tropes in Mirrors, but again, it was not overwhelming to me like some movies are, so I still found it an enjoyable film. This aspect, again, comes down to expectations and preferences. Going into a film with an open mind is always important, but sometimes they still disappoint. The tropes were just enough to be reminiscent of some classic movies rather than being over the top.

a reflection of a boy reaching for a doorknob

I thought this was a fun watch; there are a few genuinely creepy moments and excellent use of the reflections. The story is sometimes cliched, but not to the point of detracting from the overall experience. Plus, the ending, to me, makes everything else worth the time and effort.

Final Thoughts

Obviously, this one is not for everyone, but it is worth giving a try. If you are inclined, Mirrors is streaming on Max and is available to rent or buy on most platforms.

Have you seen this one? Let me know in the comments! Before you go, check out the trailer for this film below. Stay spooky and watch more horror movies.

https://www.geekgirlauthority.com/every-friday-the-13th-movie-ranked/

Becca Stalnaker

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